FIXED MDB8959SKB0 Maytag Dishwasher Grinding Noise

[mpmason87]

Model Number

MDB8959SKB0

Brand

Maytag

Age

Less than 1 year

My dishwasher started what I can only describe as a "grinding" noise, about 10 minutes or so into a cycle when I think it is draining. The cycle continues for a minute or two, and then stops with error code F9 E1 (drain pump system problem - long drain). I checked the lines and nothing is stuck. I cannot find any diagrams online and nothing in the manual to help decipher which parts are which (e.g., I can't definitely tell you which piece the pump is). A link to a video with the noise: https://photos.app.goo.gl/HtiawRFsU8yDSQsg6

 

[Jake]

Hi,

Yes, it sounds like something is either in the drain pump like a toothpick or the drain pump is defective.

Here's the drain pump for your model: W11497943

Since its under 1 year old, contact Maytag at 1-800-344-1274 to come out under warranty and fix it for free.

Jake

 

[mpmason87]

Thanks @Jake -- good to know and confirm because we have an appointment with the Maytag service dept this week. We'll see what they say/do.

 

[Jake]

Ok, sounds good, let us know what they find.

Jake

 

[mpmason87]

@Jake -- all fixed! Repairman had a simple solution and it was to open the drain pump (I think) and found a broken-up metal piece inside. See the three pics in the link from the first post. Any idea what they are? Repairman said they were not from the d/w itself, but he has seen it before. My wife and I cannot pin down what it could be, if from an appliance or something else. It seems too big to fit into the drain, so my guess is it is actually a piece of the d/w.

 

[Jake]

Yes, I saw the video and the photos, the tech is correct, nothing in the dishwasher looks like that in your photos.

Glad to hear he got that metal piece out of your drain pump.

Thanks for the update!

Jake

 

[HigbeeMama]

My Maytag dishwasher wouldn’t drain last night. My husband found this in the drain. Exactly the same thing as what was in yours which leads me to believe it is actually a piece of the dishwasher. Question is, what piece?

 

[Jake]

Bingo!

I found a service bulletin that came out in Nov. 2020 about that metal piece in the drain pump. It says to remove it and it will still drain fine without it.

It says it can be ordered once it becomes available:

Whirlpool W11497943 Mp-Sp, 120/60, Drain Chopper, Askoll (AP6994646) - AppliancePartsPros.com

Mp-sp, 120/60, drain chopper, askoll W11497943 / AP6994646 made by Whirlpool

click.linksynergy.com

FAQ#1:
Should/ Can I leave the unit operable, if the replacement is not available at the time of service?
*This Maytag dishwasher has a dual filtration system.
In order to provide the best customer experience, it may be possible to leave the customer with a working dishwasher under the following conditions:
● Remove the debris in the drain line and pump housing, and in some cases the Rotating Inlet Filter assembly.
● The drain pump can be operated without the metal blade because the dishwasher will continue operating with the primary filtration system.
● Replace the drain pump when one is available.
● In most cases, the drain pump thermal protection circuit will not be damaged by a stuck drain.

FAQ#2:
How/ what should I communicate to the customer if the replacement part is not available at the time of service?
Answer: (If the unit was found to be operable, communicate) “The unit is operable until the follow up service call. With the current state of the pandemic there may be a delay in replacement parts.”

Jake

 

[HigbeeMama]

Awesome. Thank you. My dishwasher is still under warranty, so hopefully they will replace the part at no cost when it becomes available.

 

[Jake]

Ok, yes they should.

Jake

 

[Tspencer]

So I am not a licensed repair person or an engineer so take my comments as you feel appropriate. But last night as I was trouble shooting the drain issue on our Maytag dishwasher, I found the exact same part failure. I after removing the broken piece I put the pump back in tested it and it drained properly I then went ahead and ordered a replacement. But after examining the broken part, I do believe this is a major design failure. The stamped metal part seems prone to failure. Ours broke into 2 parts, 1 month after the warranty expired. There are only 2 of us and we do not have much debris on our dishes when we load the dish washer. I suspect something like centrifugal force probably places too much stress on the metal part. The ring fails and gets lodged in the pump area. In my case it scuffed up the pump walls slightly which will decrease the performance of the pump, but not by much I suspect. For the most part I like our dishwasher, but I am glad I can fix this myself. Many people don’t have the skill set to do so and have to pay the technician. At this point I think I will plan to return the new part if they haven’t redesigned the chopper blade.

 

[Jake]

Per my post #8--->They are back in-stock now: W11497943

They should be the new redesigned ones.

Jake

 

[jtntampa]

All:
The metal pieces are definitely coming off of the dishwasher. The above-mentioned repairman was completely wrong. My drain pump stopped working on my Maytag MDB9979SKZ0 this past week after purchasing it in July of 2020. Pictured are 1 - a new pump with the metal grinder still attached and 2 - pieces of that metal grinder found in my drainage line.

Jake - could you give me the link to the service bulletin on this? Service is coming out on 01/18 and my dishwasher is out of full warranty, but I want to pass this along. Thank you!

 

[Jake]

Yes, I'm attaching the service bulletin below.

Let us know how it goes when Maytag comes out.

Jake

 

[tone]

I love the internet! Thank you so much for this great thread. I was able to remove the faulty pieces and get my dishwasher up and running in short order.

 

[Jake]

Glad to hear that.

Thanks for letting us know!