How To Fix A Dishwasher That's Not Drying Dishes Properly
- Rated as EASY
- 198 repair stories
- 3 step by step videos
Heating Element
At the bottom of your dishwasher’s tub, is a heater to dry the dishes. To check this element, unplug your dishwasher and remove the lower access panel to check the heater terminals with your multi-meter. Make sure the wires aren’t damaged. You can replace the wires, or the heater itself, if this element turns out to be the reason your dishes haven’t been drying.
High Limit Thermostat
Your dishwasher has a guard called a high limit thermostat that’s meant to turn off the heater before your machine overheats. A problem in this thermostat could be cutting the heating cycle short before the dishes are dry. So unplug the dishwasher, remove the lower access panel at the bottom of the dishwasher tub, and check the thermostat with your multi-meter for continuity. Also, check that the wires and terminals coming from the thermostat are in good shape.
Rinse Aid Dispenser
The rinse aid is supposed to help the water drain off the dishes so they can dry all the way. Make sure you aren’t out of rinse aid in the dispenser. At the top of the rinse aid dispenser, on the dishwasher’s inner door panel, should be a cap. Make sure it’s threaded or snapped on correctly and not cracked or warped by the dishwater heat. You can replace this cap if it isn’t sealing tightly any more.
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