WDF520PADB6 Whirlpool Dishwasher - Instructions

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.

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.

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!

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.

First I got online to troubleshoot issue to save mysel from a service call. One of the first UTube videos, a young man said usually the main issue was the lever. He pushed down on the floater. If it didn't click, than the lever below needed to be replaced. Most important to turn off the circuit breaker before beginning the repair. I got on whirlpool.com, Part Select, ordered the lever, which was under $10. And once delivered, was able to switch out the old lever with the new replacement. Part Quote video took me through the process step by step. The lever package was marked that usually it was only 2% of the time that replacing the lever fixed the issue. Of course, I was thrilled, my dishwasher was up and running again. Thank you.

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.

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.

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!

Exact fit and at my door in two days

Very easy to twist off the old pump and replace with new part. Worked perfect after replacement! We just followed you tube instructions

The air just unscrews with one twist and the new arm twist right back on. No tools needs. Saved me $100 service call.

Initial inspection of the issue and research suggested the door latch was malfunctioning / broken. I bought the part and expressed it home. The installation involved removing the door screws on the inside of the door, separating the front and back panels, unplugging the door latch, removing it from its niche and popping in the new one. Reverse the take apart and it was done. Very simple swap. Hardest part was juggling the two halves of the door and preventing the door for trying to close in the process as the bulk of the weight is in the outside half of the door.

The new part did not fix the issue. The door strike was the next part that could be broken / malfunctioning. I ordered that part as well and replaced it. In the process of replacing it I found that the original door strike had been installed upside down. I am guessing it was installed at just the right pitch, or maybe even bent at the manufacturing facility, so that it latched. No idea how it managed two years like that. I installed the new one correctly and the door latches perfectly. Both parts I removed from the unit I will retain if my new parts should fail in the future.

The old filter simply unscrews and the new one screws in.