Check The Drain Hose Diameter
Here the repair is straightforward- simply upgrade to a properly-sized drain hose.
Check for and clear any obstructions in the drain hose/path.
To do that:
- Unplug the washer/disconnect power.
- Check for debris and grime from the sump check valve to the plumbing.
Quick Tip: Donât forget to check the plumbing connection . You want to unhook the drain hose them clean out everything. It is also important to clean that little ânippleâ that comes off the sink drain.
Signs Your Dishwasher Heating Element Is Faulty
While your dishwasher may be hooked up to the hot water line, every dishwasher uses a heating element to heat the wash water up to the appropriate temperature. Found in the bottom of the tub, you may recognize the heating element if you have an electric oven as they serve the same function, in a way. However, there may come a day when your dishwasher starts throwing out some peculiar symposiums. If any of the below are manifesting in your dishwasher, it may be time to replace the heating element.
Properly Loading The Dishwasher
If you find yourself as more of the cram it until it cant close type, then things need to change. The dishwasher can make your life far easier but you have to make sure that it can do its job. Improper loading not only makes life more difficult for the dishwasher but keeps it from working properly.
Take a rack-by-rack approach to loading your dishwasher. Bowls and glasses should go on the top rack and be placed upside down. That allows them to be rinsed better, which also promotes quicker and more effective drying. When bowls and glasses tip right-side-up, water can become trapped inside, hampering the dry cycle even further.
The bottom rack of the dishwasher should have dishes facing inward for better air circulation and rinsing. Moreover, those dishes should not touch one another. They need all the proper spacing to ensure that there is enough air circulation during the drying cycle.
Finally, the silverware basket should avoid nesting whenever possible. When the dishes have been piling up, this may seem difficult, but try to alternate forks, knives, and spoons so that they dont nest into one another. Some dishwashers even have compartments to keep things separated.
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How To Put It In Diagnostic Mode Then What To Do
After it has finished it will display the error code on the screen. There is a panel at the front of your dishwasher that will come off if you pry it open with your hands. And inside that space is a sheet of paper that will tell you what all the error codes mean.
Then depending on what the error code is you can do the corresponding repair for it. For example, it may not necessarily be the heating element that is broken.
But, the only way you can know is to run it in diagnostic mode. A full list of all the error codes is also available online on the official Whirlpool website here.
Whirlpool Dishwasher Heated Dry Not Working

The main advantage of a dishwasher is that you dont need to dry dishes by hand using a tea towel. But, its also nice when it works! So, heres how to fix your Whirlpool dishwasher when the heated dry isnt working.
The first thing to do is put it into diagnostic mode and see if there are any error messages. Following that visually inspect the heating element for any cracks or knobs. A heating element with a crack or knob needs to be replaced. This will sometimes show up as an error message.
Other times though, once you run the diagnostics mode it will start working again. It kind of does a reset on your dishwasher.
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How Do You Know If You Have A Bad Dishwasher Heating Element
A dishwasher can be a great time-saving kitchen appliance, but if the dishware is still wet after the wash and dry cycles have completed then the dishwasher is only doing half the job. Heat and venting are the two things the dishwasher needs to efficiently dry the dishes, plates, glasses, and silverware. Some dishwasher models rely on the heat generated by a final rinse cycle to do the drying, while other models will use an electrically-powered heating element to heat the air inside the tub, to heat the water itself for washing and rinsing, or to sanitize the dishware. The hot, moist air will then exit through a permanent vent or through a vent in the dishwasher door controlled by a solenoid or wax motor.
Water Temperature Is Too Cold
A dishwashers drying and washing functions are improved when hot water is used. This is because hot water evaporates faster and is better at removing grease and food stains. When your Whirlpool dishwasher leaves dishes wet, make sure its connected to your homes hot water supply. If its properly connected, measure the temperature of the water from your kitchen faucet. If its below 120, the dishwashers water supply isnt hot enough and your home water heater may need an adjustment.
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If It Still Isnt Working Consider Talking To A Pro
If these tips havent helped dont worry. There may be other quick fixes you can try.
Were fortunate enough to have a lot of readers on our website, but unfortunately I cant answer everyones questions personally. To help, weve teamed up with JustAnswer to connect you to a qualified Appliance expert.
You can connect with an appliance expert below, who will help you solve your specific issue. They do charge a small trial fee, so just remember to cancel the trial once you get your dishwasher working again.
Find The Right Dishwasher Heating Element With Repair Clinic
Need to find the right heating element that works with your dishwasher? Type the full dishwasher model number into the RepairClinic.com search bar. The website stocks Whirlpool dishwasher heating elements, Kenmore dishwasher heating elements, GE dishwasher heating elements, Bosch dishwasher heating elements, and more, but youll want to make sure youre purchasing the heating element that is the exact match for your model.
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How Do I Know If My Dishwasher Heating Element Is Broken
If your heating element is broken, youll notice it during the wash cycle if you use hot or warm water, or during the drying cycle if you use heat to dry your dishes. So, your dishes wont be as clean as they usually are because the water wont stay hot throughout the whole cycle.
However, no one likes a dishwasher when it is malfunctioning when it is malfunctioning, it transforms from the most popular appliance to the most annoying appliance. Besides, the most common issue homeowners encounter with their dishwashers is a malfunctioning heating element.
Since the heating element does not actually heat the water, its primary function is to simply keep the water at a hot temperature. The other purpose that it serves is to speed up the process of evaporation by increasing the temperature of the air within the unit while the drying cycle is in progress.
Check For Clogged/bad Water Inlet Valve
Clear any clogging in the intake/solenoid valve .
If that doesnât help, check if you will get appropriate voltage from wire-to-wire going to the fill valve .
If no voltage, you need to check the wires all the way to your control circuit.
Fix any damaged wire/loose connections.
Your other option is replacing the inlet valve.
Quick Tip: Sometimes filling problems occur due to the use of flood safe hose- food safe line sometimes cuts off water to the machine randomly and can be a nuisance. Consider swapping this troublesome hose.
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Whirlpool Gold Dishwasher Cycle Interrupts Mid
If the cycle stops midway and clean light flashes, you most likely have a heating circuit problem.
Check if the wire going to the heater has been burned â actually, you need to check the entire wiring up to your main control board.
If you donât notice a scorched wire harness, perhaps the heater needs to be replaced.
The culprit can also be the board itself.
Otherwise, you should run service diagnostics to see what error code the machine will bring â this can give you a clue on what part is causing the hitch.
Review Your Dishwasher Cycles

Each dishwasher is equipped with its own set of cycles and features. Some have multiple drying settings that can be adjusted to accommodate the volume of dishes being washed.
- If your unit has a heated dry option, use this setting to improve drying performance, although it may use more energy.
- Additionally, many dishwashers are designed to use a rinse aid product to improve drying and promote water drainage during the final rinse cycle.
- A rinse agent can also prevent the accumulation of water droplets that would otherwise dry as streaks or small spots. Check the rinse aid chamber and make sure the cap opens and closes correctly to dispense the fluid.
Tip: Open your dishwasher door when the rinse cycle is complete. This aids the drying process and helps leftover water evaporate.
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W10518394 W10134009 Dishwasher Heating Element For Maytag / Whirlpool
W10518394 W10134009 Dishwasher Heating Element For Maytag / Whirlpool
5% Off Orders Over $75
Some photos taken on 1â³ x 1â³ grid.
Replacement heating element used for some Inglis, Maytag, and Whirlpool dishwasher models.
Directly Replaces: W10518394, 8194250, 8563007, 8572861, W10441445, W10134009, W10518394VP, B0156NFVP4, B0035G56DM, B005AR7B0U, B008DKBIX2, SAPW10134009, 2977737, AP5690151, EAP8260087, PD00004893, PS8260087.
Features:
- Heats the water to a temp high enough to remove bacteria from dishes. Also used to dry dishes faster.
- Includes: Heating Element, Washers, Fasteners.
- Included rubber washers ensure a water tight seal.
Specifications:
- Material: Calrod element with rubber washers and plastic fasteners.
- Overall Dimensions: 16 9/16â³L x 16â³W x 3â³H.
- Additional Dimensions: Threaded ends are 7/16â³ diameter.
*Please be mindful of the width of the threaded ends prior to purchase. Some compatible models may require the element holes to be widened slightly with a drill to fit the threaded ends of this part.
Compatible Models:
The heating element heats the water to a temp high enough to remove bacteria from dishes. It is also used to dry dishes faster during a heated dry cycle.
How to Test: Use a multimeter to test the element for continuity. If the heating element assembly does not have continuity, replace it.
Plastic Items Can Present Problems
Another common reason that your dishwashers heating cycle may not be performing up to snuff is due to an abundance of plastic dishes. Plastic does not retain heat in the way that ceramic, glass, and the various metals of dishes do.
Because plastic does not retain heat, the heated drying cycle may not be able to adequately dry those plastic items. If you have run a load with a lot of plastic items and notice a lot more moisture, the material of your dishes can be the leading cause.
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Uninstall The Old Heating Element
Now you are ready to access and remove the old heating element.
- Remove the Lower Dish Rack
- Open the dishwasher and remove the lower dish rack. You will need this space to access the heating element underneath. If you want, also remove the upper rack.
Whirlpool Dishwasher Wdta50sahz0 Not Drying
One possible cause is that the dishwasher is not getting enough water. This can be caused by a clogged water supply line or a faulty inlet valve.
Another possible cause is that the dishwashers heating element is not working correctly. This can be caused by a blown fuse or a tripped circuit breaker. If the dishwashers heating element is not working, the dishes will not be dried properly.
If your Whirlpool dishwasher WDTA50SAHZ0 is not drying, check the water supply line and inlet valve for clogs. Also, check the heating element for damage. If you cannot find the cause of the problem, call a qualified appliance repair technician for help. Do not attempt to repair the dishwasher yourself.
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Testing A Dishwasher Heating Element
If your dishwasher uses a heating element and youve noticed the dishware is not drying properly, you should first inspect the element for any corrosion, blistering, or cracks. Any visible damage is a strong indicator that the element has burned out and will need to be replaced. If there is no apparent damage, you can use a multi-meter to test the heating element for continuity a continuous electrical path present in the part:
- Yourfirst step is to remove the heating element, or isolate it, from the base ofthe dishwasher tub.
- Setthe multi-meter to the lowest setting for Ohms of resistance.
- Touchthe red multi-meter lead to one heating element terminal and the black lead tothe other terminal.
- Ifthe meter displays a reading between 10 and 50 Ohms of resistance, the heatingelement has continuity and should be working properly.
- Ifthe meter display does not change when the leads touch the terminals, orchanges insignificantly, then the heating element has no continuity and can beconsidered defective.
Whirlpool Dishwasher Not Spraying
A Whirlpool dishwasher can start up, and begin the wash cycle, however, as it gets to the first rinse it might not spray at all. Sometimes this can be an issue with one of the components or the spray arms and it can have a blockage caused by rogue pieces of food. Heres how to see what the issue is and how to fix it.
If your Whirlpool dishwasher is not spraying you should first put it into diagnostic mode and let it complete the diagnostic cycle. Once it finishes it will display an error message to indicate what the issue is. From there, you will know what component needs to be repaired/replaced.
Unlike if the buttons or display arent working, when your Whirlpool dishwasher isnt spraying it can be caused by a range of many different components.
They are the:
- circulation and drain pump motor
- pump and motor assembly
But, as a first step its a good idea to visually inspect the spray arm. The spray arm has small holes along the side where the water is sprayed out. Food can be lodged in the holes and stop the water from coming out.
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How Do You Reset The Heating Element On A Whirlpool Dishwasher
If your Whirlpool dishwasher isnt heating properly, you may need to reset the heating element. To do this, first make sure that the dishwasher is turned off and unplugged. Next, locate the heating element on the back of the dishwasher. There will be two screws holding it in place. Remove these screws and carefully pull out the heating element.
Once you have removed the heating element, you will need to find the reset button. This button is usually located on the control panel. Press and hold the reset button for three seconds. After that, plug the dishwasher back in and turn it on. The heating element should now be reset and working properly.
Whirlpool Gold Series Dishwasher Troubleshooting

As an Amazon affiliate, we earn a commision from qualifying purchases.
If your whirlpool gold series dishwasher is not working anymore, there are tricks you can try and have it work again .
This exhaustive whirlpool gold series dishwasher troubleshooting guide will teach you how to fix your machine and get it to wash again properly.
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How To Fix A Dishwasher That Is Not Heating Or Drying Properly
Dish washing is one of the most difficult jobs and most people hate doing it. Thankfully, we have a home appliance that can help us take care of this problem. The dishwasher is an important household appliance that we can rely on for our dishwashing needs. However, we must learn to maintain it on a regular basis to keep them in excellent working condition.
Damaged Or Faulty Parts
Part failure is the most common reason for any trouble with a dishwasher, but especially with issues involving heat. Luckily, most warranties cover the cost of major parts for up to 10 years, offsetting the costs of repair especially if youre able to do it yourself!
Different brands of dishwashers can have the parts discussed below in different locations, so be sure to check your owners manual to know where to look for the part discussed. If the physical manual is unavailable to you, many can be found online if you know the specific model of dishwasher you have.
You can also often contact the store your appliance was purchased at oftentimes, for something as simple as assistance with an owners manual, the employees are happy to help for free if theyre able!
Now, to jump right into the different possible perpetrators of your dishwashers trouble.
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