FIXED MDB4949SD Maytag dishwasher with food grinder - not cleaning dishes

[ithryn]

Model Number

MDB4949SD

Brand

Maytag

Age

Less than 1 year

I recently purchased a Maytag MDB4949SD which I saw was consistently rated one of the best low-cost home dishwashers. I know it features a grinder. It worked great for a few weeks and now it's not at all. Some times I'm pretty sure it's not even spraying since the detergent pod will be at the bottom of the tub.

It has adequate rinse aid and I'm using Cascade Platinum. I run the hot water before running the dishwasher.

I can't find any information on dismantling the bottom to clean it out. Does someone have instructions on how to get to the filters / pump and clean it out?

I was able to take off the spray arm and pop up the metal circle on the bottom of the tub, but only partly, and remove a weird plastic filter-looking thing that was full of gunk and pet hair.

It cleaned well for about two cycles after that and then started not cleaning again.

Any ideas?

 

[Jake]

Hi,

This is a newer style that I haven't been on as of yet, I asked another tech. to see if he knows.

Here's the parts diagram: Parts for Maytag MDB4949SDM2: Pump, Washarm and Motor Parts

I don't see any screws so I'm thinking somehow that #3 cover twists to snap off.

Jake

 

[Jake]

ithryn: Is this dishwasher less than a year old? I just noticed you posted that in your first post.

If so, contact Maytag to come out under warranty to fix it for free: 1-800-344-1274 MON-FRI 8AM-8PM (EST)

I found out where the food grinder is located and its a big job to get to it, you have to remove the sump assembly and remove the wash motor to get access to it.

Jake

 

[ithryn]

I really didn't want to, but now that I think of it, I don't want to spend my weekend taking this thing apart all over the kitchen and then finding out it needs warranty replacement parts anyway. Thanks for the number, I just called and they'll be out early next week. They even recognized what dishwasher I had from my cell number. Thanks!

I'll update this post with what the verdict was.

For what it's worth, after I cleaned out that plastic filter / grid thing, it stopped spraying altogether. I wonder if I dislodged something and it moved downstream.

 

[Jake]

Yes, that's the best thing to do since its still under warranty.

Yes, you may have something like a seed or a small foreign object jammed in it, keeping the wash motor from turning.

Yes, let us know how it goes.

Jake

 

[ithryn]

Maytag sent a guy out within three days and now it's fixed. He just replace the whole bottom motor pump. I asked what he thought might have gone wrong and he said sometimes they just have crummy pumps, but he thinks they're making them better now. Or maybe he was just reassuring me not to worry about it randomly happening again.

I figure the clog probably didn't help the motor, though, so I'm going to try to get everybody to avoid putting junk in there (seeds, food) and keep it shut (for the cat hair)

 

[Jake]

Here's the whole pump/motor assembly for this model: WPW10591570 PUMP&MOTOR In case others out of warranty need it too.

Glad to hear your back in business.

Thanks for the update!

Jake

 

[0rion]

In the process of troubleshooting my dishwasher and it's the same model as this one except its MDB4949SDM3.

Low pressure and not cleaning. Verified water is getting up to heater element so fairly certain inlet valve is fine. Cleaned filters and spray arms. Next up is checking the chopper and screen. Good old Maytag doesn't let you access from in the tub so have to pull it out.

Is there an access to that assembly from underneath or does the pump have to come off? I can't really find much as far as how to get to that chopper assembly.

 

[0rion]

Tore into it....chopper was in pieces so it's done. Hopefully I can get it all back together correctly now haha. Can't tell if that chopper or screen is referenced in there a certain way

 

[0rion]

Fixed.

For future reference if someone stumbles onto this thread. Pull the motor off by taking out the 3 T-20 torx screws and pulling motor out. Chopper is on the front of the motor. Screen and chopper are different from all the YouTube videos you see.....doesn't have a slot it fits into.

 

[Jake]

Excellent Orion, glad the new chopper assembly fixed it.

Yes, you are correct, this chopper assembly is different per accessing it from the older chopper assemblies.

Here's the chopper assembly for your model in case others need it too: W11246682 Chopper

Thanks for the update!

I'm posting photos and instructions to remove the sump, wash motor, and chopper here:

(Click to enlarge each photo)




Jake