KUDS35FXWH2 KitchenAid Dishwasher - Instructions

The most direct way to do this job is to completely pull out the dishwasher so you can get to all the parts involved. However, I didn't want to break and make all 3 connections. Having installed it using braided hose for the water line, I had enough give to pull the unit out about halfway. This exposed the pulleys and door hook, but the spring was still in the back (and had actually fallen off the frame and was now lying behind the frame on the floor. So a little back and forth and I was able to retrieve it. I hooked the link on the end and blindly and miraculously hooked the spring into it's hole on the frame. Since I had no room to work with the door open, I had to keep it closed which meant the spring was under full tension. This is where the drum stick came in. I pulled the spring forward with a pliers and shoved the drumstick in the loop on the spring and held the stick against the baseboard while I threaded the string around the pulleys and onto the door hook. I guess I could have tried a long screwdriver, but the drumstick was handy and the bulbous tip prevented the spring from sliding off

The dishwasher made a loud grinding sound when it ran. We looked at new dishwashers and they're still basically the same, but the $$$ is so high. We looked at the reports PartSelect.com and after reading the reports, decided it was the pump motor/impeller unit and ordered it online. FIRST, read all the other installation stories. It will save you time. You will save unnecessary steps. In the end, it wasn't actually as bad as it sounded. So, here are the steps I took to install the new pump motor with impeller unit. ONE: turn off the water supply TWO: turn off the power (I had a dedicated circuit breaker just for the dishwasher)THREE: disconnect the water supply at the pipe(not the dishwasher) FOUR: Disconnect the drain hose at the drain(not the diswasher)FIVE: remove whatever screws are holding the unit inside the base cabinet SIX: pull out the diswasher(carefully watch the wires, hoses and insulation) SEVEN: tip the dishwasher forward (lay it on rags, watch for water)EIGHT: Disconnect the electrical supply plug to the pump (it's a plug-type connection, squeeze the edges to release)NINE: remove the one bolt holding the motor on the pump assembly and the heat sheild(you'll need a ratchet with extension) TEN: turn the pump motor counter-clockwise and pull it off. ELEVEN: align the arrows on the new motor of the pump and mounting assembly. TWELEVE: clean the o-ring on the pump and lubriate with drying agent THIRTEEN: place the motor on the pump assembly rotated counter clock-wise a bit past the bolt hole and press until it seats. FOURTEEN: turn the motor clock-wise to engage the locking mechanism and align the bolt hole. FIFTEEN: replace the bolt and heat shield. SIXTEEN:reconnect the power plug SEVENTEEN: tip-up the dishwasher, slide the unit back under the cabinet. EIGHTEEN: reconnect the drain, water, and power. NINETEEN: turn-on the water and restore the power TWENTY: test(start a wash cycle) the unit to be sure it doesn't leak. TWENTY: if all is good, replace screws holding the dishwsher in the cabinet(otherwise you will have to back-track to find your error - I didn't). And that's it! Now it's running smooth and silent, just as before. Good luck!

First challenge was getting a model number match. The telephone parts ordering rep convinced me to get a ...SS6 replacement. Said his database did not show the ...SS7 installed in my home. As to how I did the repair, I looked at the video available as a part of ordering the replacement parts. The video seemed quite appropriate and accurate except that spring tension was under-stated in the video. In fact, it was made to look like there was no issue in reconnecting the tension springs. Not! Took some effort and a bit of wrestling in a difficult body position to reconnect the tension springs. On the other hand, all of the self-replacement task far beat paying an exorbitant house visit fee by an authorized repair person.

Slide dishwasher out (two screws holding in place) unscrewed screw on roller wheel. Popped out bad wheel and popped in new one. Re-strung rope line around roller wheel(s) and slid back into place. DONE! 5 minutes!

I watched a video that should how to take the motor and housing assembly out. I ordered a part from a competitor, but it was the wrong part ( This was after putting in my Kitchenaid model number). The thermodor opening was too big. Unfortunately, no one was able to help me find the right part. i search online again and found partselect.com. I was able to find the exact part right away. I was thankful that they had a better picture to make sure I got the right part. My part arrived within a few days. My husband was out of town for the week, and I was tired of washing dishes. My husband had taken pictures of the motor and wiring. I asked him to send me the pictures. I was happy to have the pictures to make sure the wiring was correct. I had great success installing the motor and housing assembly by myself. No dishes in the sink tonight and no leaks! I should have been a plumber instead of a teacher. I installed the dishwasher 8 years ago. I also installed the garbage disposal. I have watched too many repairmen fix my appliances for hundreds of dollars. I have always thought "I can do that! " ... so now I do.

I spent a heck of a lot more time contemplating how this was going to go than it actually took to do the job! Great insights from other people (and Steve's videos are awesome!). Absolutely agree with the person who said the replacement links are of better quality than the originals. I expect I'll never have to do this again. Bought the link kit and the springs since I didn't know for sure what the failure was until I got into it. The original springs were fine so am returning the two that I bought. Trickiest part was re-hooking one of the door springs - I couldn't pull the dishwasher all the way out due to length of the electric wiring, so had to work at a weird angle to do one side. They're so strong that I kept pulling myself across the floor instead of stretching the spring! Finally ended up starting with the inside end hooked and then stretched to make the connection to the link. That said, including removing the kick plate and counter anchors and then replacing them, I was done in less than 30 minutes.