Heating Element

The tub perforations at the heater leaked and water dripped onto the fastening nuts and the electrical connections. I ordered a new heater element and it did not have the necessary nuts to fasten it to the tub. I had to go back and order them separately. The original nuts are very unique and cannot be substituted for.The manufacturer should send them with every heater element because this leaking problem is very prevalent on these machines.

First I removed the two screws that hold the lower front cover of the dishwasher to get under the dishwasher. Then I removed the two screws that hold the element in place. I then pulled the element out about 3 inches and disconnected the two wires. I then opened the dishwasher door and removed the old element and replaced it with the new element. I closed the dishwasher door and reconnected the two wires making sure that I put the proper wire on the proper post. I then put the two screws back on the element to hold it in place Next I replaed the cover on the front and tested the dishwasher for heat by running it empty.

Make sure power is off. Remove metal toe kick with fillips screw driver. Reach under dishwasher with 1/2" open
end wrench and completly unscrew brass nuts from element ends. Then open door and pull element ends straight up. Note: As you pull element ends up (inside washer) you are also forcing the element end wire connectors to come off underneath. The electricial connectors are very hard to get off any other way.

Wendell Hensley
Madiso0nville, Tn

Our dishwasher sat in a warehouse for a year after our move from CA to TX. When I finally installed it, there was some sort of white mineral deposit that had built up on the heater element. I didn't notice it back in CA. I tried to get as much as possible off but it kept building. So I purchased a new heater element. It's been in for a few weeks and my wife thinks the build up is happening again.
To Repair;
Unscrew the dishwasher from the counter. They'll be one or two screws attaching the dishwasher on the underside of the counter.
Pull the washer out carefully.
Remove any dishes and the bottom rack.
Tilt washer on it's side.
Remove wire connections to heater element (They slide right off but make sure to remember which one goes where)
Unscrew the nuts that are holding the element on. I used some pliers. It wasn't difficult.
Remove old element and replace with new.
Reverse order.

I had to remove the dishwasher from under the counter. I then had to unscrew (from the bottom) the bolts that held the heater in place. After that I ran into a problem of disconnecting the wires that ran to the heater. I did not want to "force" the wires off and I was unsure how exactly to remove them. I figured out that they are really hard to pull off but there are no clips holding them on, so you won't break anything off. Once I got the wires off, I was able to screw the nuts onto the new heater and put it back into place.