Whirlpool GU1500XTKB0 did not clean

[Tedd]

This is quick "thanks" and a long story post re. info I got from the Blog re. this series dishwasher.

We bought this thing in March of "02 with an extended service contract to replace a very aged but functioning Kitchen Aide (KDS16--I think).

Anyway, it worked great for about a month. Then it stopped cleaning. We called Whirlpool. Out comes the tech. He replaces the entire pump and motor assembly. It starts to work again.

About six weeks later the machine stops cleaning again. Still goes through the motions but the dishes are not clean especially the top rack. Same as last time.

We try changing detergents, cleaning the thing with vinegar (per Whirlpool), used a dishwasher cleaning product. Still no clean.

Out comes the tech. By now we are maybe some months down the road. The tech replaces the pump saying he should have been there sooner anyway as the first replacement was dangerous and on recall. Great, we could have been electrocuted by this, probably a Mainland China produced piece of whatever.

Anyway, here we go again. It works for a few weeks, never really as well as when it was new and quits cleaning again. The only way to make the dishes usable was to repeatedly run the !@#$ thing.

We repeat the cleaning of the machine, change detergents, raise and lower the hot water temp. Still works poorly. Even the tub itself was staying dirty. It was building up a layer of stuff, especially near the top, resembling decomposing toilet paper. Disgusting ain't it?

Out comes the tech. He says there is plenty of water pressure. He could tell that by everything getting wet and the center arm moving. I think he's nuts but go along with the gag. He replaces the tube carrying the water up the rear of the tub to the upper spray arms. Result=no improvement.

We live with this for some time as I was getting tired of the whole issue and thinking of negotiating with my better half the idea of getting a new dishwasher.

Since then, probably over a year, we have been fighting to get the dishes washed. We eat very little meat so they are hardly dirty to start with.

A couple of weeks ago I get really annoyed with it all. Besides the service contract is getting near its end. So I call the "insurance company." They send out another genius. He says, like all the other techs, that there is plenty of water pressure. He uses the same technique of opening the door as its running to judge the amount of pressure. Announcing that it must be the circuit board in the thing he goes to the truck, gets a new board, puts it in and off he goes.

Guess what, the !@#$ dishwasher still doesn't clean.

At this point I had had it. I downloaded a Whirlpool service doc. from a link you guys gave re. this unit. Also, I read a post from a really knowledgeable tech that said that this type of complaint was often just dirt caught in the sump.

I took off the stupid tube in the back of the tube, removed the racks, the sprayarms, the accumulator, the inlet protector and the checkvalve. I found debris caught in the several spots. Some of it was sitting there quite nicely held like an horsdouvre by a couple of toothpicks. Not sure where they came from.

While it was apart I turned it on, let it fill and run for a short time. Sounded like a volcano erupting in there. I found more debris in the water, drained it, assembled it.

End result, for now its working like when it was new. We ran it today with some stuff in it that we really haven't been able to clean properly in a very long time. It all looked new after running.

Now, if anyone has survived this rediculously long post I am wondering if there is anything going on in the machine causing this. Does this type of dirt clogging just happen frequently with this and I have to clean it this way periodically? Do I need to take the troubleshooting further if it happens again too soon? I am really annoyed with the "insurance company" that backs the contract or at least their contracted service companies. Not one of these guys really did any meaningful troubleshooting of this device. The really crazy thing here is the way the contract reads I think they claim I could have voided the whole thing by opening it myself.

Thanks again. Watch for my next post when the thing quits in a couple of weeks.

Ted G

[Jake]

This is very rare to happen here in Oregon, I think I ran across one doing this same exact thing, I recommend using a dishwasher cleaner every 3-6 months or so, and never had to go back on a service call.

Here is the thread link for it:
Dishwasher Cleaner

Jake

[Tedd]

Hey Jake-

Thanks much for this and the earlier info. I'll try your suggestions.

Too bad they couldn't have sent you to help us out when all this first started. A trip out to New Jersey might be a bit much though.

[Jake]

Yes, I wish I could come out, but the cost would be a nightmare.

Jake