DP8500XXN1 Whirlpool Dishwasher - Instructions

I removed inner face of door, cut wires leading to door switches, and then installed the new door switches and wire harness.

I removed the rubber boot on the top of the water dispersal unit ( stainless steel wand ) by turning it counterclockwise and the wand came off with ease. I then removed the top unit under it by removing the 8 torx screws and removed it. Under the unit is a cover with 1 torx screw to be removed and removed the cover to access the unit. I was unable to loosen the 1/4" nut on the shaft as it was very tight so I had to remove the unit and lock the motor armature with a piece of wood and removed the bolt. Using the kit I purchased I installed the new parts as required and it works as good as new.

The whole problem started with the upper vent on the door being plugged up with a whole bunch of labels that had been washed off of a bunch of tin cans that were washed prior to recycling them. Te high water float was also gummed up for the same reason and overflowed on the floor, I pulled it up and out and cleaned it up also, it works as good as new.

My wife noted wood floor bucking up around dishwasher - pulled dishwasher out from counter, tipped it on it's side, looked underneath, & noted slight corrosion on top of motor -

Took motor/pump assembly completely off of dishwasher (comes out from the bottom) by flipping four little plastic cams on motor to the side & then took pump apart (starting at top & working down) till I got to the impeller/motor shaft seal.

Found plastic impeller worn through into two pieces & little spring thingy under the grinder-upper thingy broken.

Ordered Drain & Wash Impeller kit - got it a few days later - installed (new motor shaft seal didn't seem to be quite the same as far as fit, so I didn't use it - just used the impeller & new spring thingy)

Put it all back together & runs fine - no more leaks - (now just have to figure out what to do about warped wood flooring - oh well, it's old & is probably time for whole new kitchen floor anyway)

Note: This particular Kenmore model made by Whirlpool - takes Whirlpool parts.

Note 2: Needed only screwdrivers to do this whole thing - would have been a really quick/easy repair if I had known what the problem was & how it all comes apart. took a little time to figure it out. (I am a rank amateur at dishwasher repair)

Look at the exploded parts diagram, that parts select provides on their website.

You have to take off the nine star pointed screws. So you need a special screwdriver or I had a socket set of them and I used a ratchet to make it easier. I think there are nine of them around the base of the door. Then remove the door and set it on the counter. Flip it over and there is a small plastic cover that has to be removed from the back of it, and it is easily removed by gently pulling on it.

Now comes the difficult part. There is a locking piece on it that holds the latch onto the door by interlocking with a piece on the back side of the door. I took a pair of wire snips and just cut the old interlocking piece off. This way I didn't have to try and slide the two interlocking pieces apart.

When you go to put the new piece on before you interlock them make sure they are put on right. Specifically the latch is pointing the right way to seal the detergent door. Otherwise it can be a pain to separate the interlocking pieces again. (which is why I cut it off the old one).

Then you're done. Just put it all back together.

Disconnect power supply to dishwasher. Open door and remove screws on inner door cover. Carefully remove inner cover while watching how inner parts are arranged. Found return spring on detergent cup linkage had rusted and broken causing detergent cup not to open. Installed new spring and re assembled inner cover. Rotated timer dial one full revolution to check operation of detergent cup. Worked like a charm. Re connect power supply to dishwasher and your good to go.

I turned off the circuit. I removed the interior side of the door and then the plastic covering over the electrical wires and switches (I counterbalanced the door with a couple of half gallon juice containers). I removed the wires attached to the switch on the door handle and the door handle itself. The handle and switch parts disassembled and I replaced the switches (part of kit). I cut off the singed wire and the other three beyond the damaged portion and stripped the wires and connected the extensions (part of kit). I attached the new wires to the switches and closed up the interior door. Lastly, I turned the circuit breaker back on. All was well!

The dishrack came in one box I opened the box snapped on the rollers and the bumpers and put it in the dishwasher, could not have been easier Thank you partselect

It just snaps back in but it was a very tight fit and took two people to force it in. Plus I had no instructions and hadn't seen it before it broke so it took a little time to figure out where it was supposed to go. The arm doesn't connected to anything except the rack. I guess water just shoots up into it from below.

Water was not being sprayed thru the arms. I opened the dishwasher, removed/unscrewed the spray arms and wash impeller (black plastic wheel that directs the water) and then noticed that the part below the wash impeller had broken into pieces. There was only a metal ring and it was supposed to have a spring attached to it. I replaced the ring/spring below the wash impeller using the part from the Drain and Wash impeller kit. The dishwasher works great now.

It was my first mechanical fix. Use the web to diagnose, find the specs of the appliance and use common sense and you can do it yourself too.

By the way, the parts from this site arrived the next day.

I removed all the ( what my Husband called star screws ) star screws and removed the housing panel ( holds dish detergent cup and silverware basket ) I discovered everything accross the bottom was all gucked up with detergent soap accumulation. I took the part to the kitchen sink and used the sprayer hose on the part with hot water and it cleaned up beautifully, and the detergent latch then worked ( the spring that operates the latch was all gucked up with detergent accumulation ).
I am the wife and did all of this myself and it only took around 5-10 min. My Husband had to help me figure out the type of screws because they turned out to not be phillip screws, but as Hubby called them.."star screws".
Soooo, I did not need to use the Latch Kit I purchased, so will store it in my parts supply! :)
Happy repairs to you..
Judy Estes Park, CO

Removed the existing dispenser door, took off old spring. Slid new springs on pin, got it situated between the correct parts of the door. Popped it back on the pin inserts. Twisted spring into springing action position, voila. It was repaired. No repairmen. No additional costs, fees, nor extra time waiting on repairmen.

I pulled off the old clips and easily replaced them with the new clips and popped on the wheels.
I replaced 8 clips and 8 wheels in less than 15mins

Removed 5 or 6 screws replaced O ring,Srewed cover back on ,no more leak.

replaced the two water defiector's, I had changed the door seal and should have changed the defiectors at the same time. Save yourself some time and ordor both parts. This is a easy fix, anyone can do.

Removed dishwasher, take to garage, removed lower rack to gain access to top of motor unit. Used star socket wrench to remove upper screws holding top of unit in. Disconnect wires, drain tube and counter weight. pulled motor unit out from inside dishwasher and placed on bench. Proceeded to disassemble motor. Some things were obvious, others not so. replaced old worn out parts with new, used a little lube (Vaseline) in places to assist in getting seals back in place. Instructions were of little help need to pay close attention when tearing unit apart. Reassembled with new seals, installed motor and re-installed dishwasher...NO LEAKS!! Wife and I happy.