WDF520PADB6 Whirlpool Dishwasher - Instructions

Turned off power to the dishwasher. Removed the front panel via the screws on the inner wall of the door. Lifted and pulled out the front panel. Disconnected cable connections to fully remove the front panel. Pressed down on the latches to the left and right side of the door latch. Pulled out the door latch. Put in new door latch until it clicked into place. Reattached cable connections. Put the front panel back on with the screws. Turned back on power to the dishwasher.

thought it could be due to the overfill control switch,so ordered one and replaced one in the washer. However, it did not solve the problem. Having a repair company coming to look at the dishwasher. Tipped the washer on its back and switch was readily accessable. Only had to open plastic covering over the switch, disconnect the wires and install new switch and reconnect the wires.

Something had been loaded in the dishwasher that had gone thru the basket - it hit the arm sprayer and broke it off.

Replacement sprayer was exactly the same - the partselect website has very specific identification method so you get the proper part. You must have your model number.

I watched a you tube video which was referred by part select. This was helpful.

I did not realize at first that only part of the arm sprayer had broken off. The arm sprayer broke off, but there is a base to the arm sprayer that was still attached to the dishwasher. So I could not, of course , fit the new arm with its base over the existing base because they are the same size. Once I realized this, it was a simple replacement, following the youtube instructions. You do have to press and turn counter clockwise to get the old base off, but once that was done, the new sprayer arm, which arrived attached to the base, easily fit, and press hard to turn it clockwise to reattach it..

It has worked perfectly. It is a hard turn to get the arm sprayer off or on, which is good so it doesn't come loose during washing, but when replacing it, you aren't sure of why it won't turn. It is a hard turn. Watch the you tube video.

Replacement parts from factory installed using u tube support video


Also replaced stop ends for top rack by removing old clip in to push down and lined up to secure in slots at end of rack, notice new plastic parts are installed by pushing hardware into slots downward until they clip into place

Disconnected the damaged hose extension from the dishwasher outlet drain hose and the connection to the sink drain. Removed two clamps. One a spring clamp and the other a screw clamps. Connected the new extension hose with a spring clamp to the dishwasher outlet drain hose. Connected the other end to the sink drain with a screw clamp. Checked for leaks. Good to go!

Only one friction sleeve was broken. So I pulled out the dishwasher to see how the one on the other side went on. It was very easy to replace and I replaced both. Unit works fine now.

After replacing the door seal and the dishwasher still leaked a lot of water out the bottom of the door, I read posts by a couple of other DIY who said the lower spray arm can split at the seam and cause this. One post noted it is very difficult to determine if this is the problem, that you may have to take the blade of a screwdriver and try to pry the seam apart gently to see if a gap does appear with very little force being applied. If so, then just imagine what happens when that very hot water makes that plastic more flexible and then the seam opens and forces waves of water against the lower door. I could see a small seam split using that strategy and when I replaced the spray arm, my leak stopped. I don't regret replacing the door seal as it had a couple of small tears and hard water deposits all over it, so it was time to do that even though it was not the culprit for the extensive leak. The arm is SO EASY to replace, just twist the plastic nut under it and it pops right off. Put the new one on and twist the nut the other way and it secures it.

The repair was similar to the very good video provided by PartSelect. However, I did make a few changes. The new rack was slightly different in the front side compared to the old rusted rack. After I removed the old rack from the dishwasher, I placed the two racks side-by -side to make sure they were compatible. They were identical in the rear structure and overall size, so I proceeded to change out the wheel racks, rack height adjusters and upper wash arm to the new rack. I suggest transferring each part one at a time so you can get the spacing correct. Also, in my case, many of the items needed to be washed with water to remove soap buildup in these parts before moving to the new rack. I would also suggest putting the upper wash arm (needed in this case) on the new rack last. The total job took me about an hour including washing or rinsing all parts and reassembly. This is an easy job, just take your time and do one item at a time so nothing gets mixed up. I used a drill driver to remove a total of 4 Phillip head screws for the rack height adjusters but a regular Phillip head screw driver would work as well.

Put in both a new element and thermostat. Did not fix problem. Using an ohm meter I did not measure any voltage to the thermostat. Suspect it’s a problem in the control unit, and decided to replace dishwasher.

Open door and remove 12 T15 torx screws. Note that the 4 along the top edge are longer than the 8 along the sides. Lift the door panel upwards to remove the panel. Remove 6 screws securing the soap dispenser and metal bracket. Unplug the cable on the right side by pressing down on the locking tab. Note the position of the black plastic sheet that covers the back of the dispenser, and the white insulator on the right side. open the door part way and press down on the release for the dispenser on the outside of the door. The dispenser can now be removed from the inside of the door. Install the new dispenser and snap in place. Put the metal bracket back in place with the insulators and secure with the 6 screws. Re-install the shorter screws first, then the longer ones across the top.

Thanks to everyone for posting their experiences on changing the heater element. The most difficult part of the repair was getting the dishwasher out of the cabinet. I didn't know that I should disconnect the water line underneath the sink and this would make the removal easier. Also, because the copper water line going to the dishwasher was kinked, I ended up changing it with a flexible steel braided line.....much easier to install.

Once the dishwasher was out of the cabinet, I turned it over and easily removed the clips that held the heater element in.

I would definetly recommend people doing this repair themselves, it will save you a lot of money!!!!!

-Unplugged the dishwasher.
-Removed dish racks, filters and spray arms.
-removed drain pump and drain lines.
-unplugged turbidity sensor and power connectors.
-unlocked the 3 locking connectors, removed the pump and motor assembly.
- cleaned every component with soap and water.
- applied rinse aid to the motor and pump assembly gasket.
-placed pump and motor assembly into the correct position and had a helper hold the assembly down while I locked in the connectors.
-work backwards.

Exact fit and at my door in two days

simply line up the new pin with the rectangular slot in the kick panel and metal panel behind, slide the pin in and turn it with a flat blade screw driver.
NOTE: the original pin was black. A black replacement part cost $29 plus shipping! A knock-off pin was only $6 plus shipping. I got the cheap one and colored it with a black Sharpee marker before installation.

Put the kick plate under the dishwasher and screwed it in. Easy!