Rubber Washer

The unit had power, but the controls would not work. The "clean" light was blinking. I first replaced the control unit, no help. I then used the "just ask" and was told the problem was the heating element and/or the hi-temp thermostat. I replaced both those and used the re-set code pushing the "hi-temp/air dry, hi-temp/air dry" buttons. That did it. Easy parts to locate and replace. It took longer pulling the unit out and putting it back than it did to replace the parts.

So one day passing the dishwasher while it was running, I noticed a rather pungent burning smell. Yikes, I shut it off!
I took apart the pump housing at the bottom inside the dishwasher, expecting to find some kids toy plastic bit had got caught and had jammed the motor or something. But nothing there, and my dishwasher has a little screen to keep just such things from getting to the pump anyway. Hmmm.
So, ran the dishwasher again, seemed ok now.
A week later, same thing, burning smell. Pull it apart again, but no sign of trouble. But I know something is up, so I pull the kickplate and have a look underneath... Way at the back I see a red wire that looks a little melted, but it's hard to tell, so I pull the whole dishwasher out. Sure enough, one of the heater wires is melted and burned, and the plastic locknut holding that side of the heater is badly scorched. Looks like a little electrical fire, I'm lucky it didn't get out of hand!
The heater still tests ok with an ohmeter, but I don't trust it now - order the heater and replacement locknut and washers. Didn't need to order washers, they come with the heater, oh well.
Heater removal and replacement is very straight forward, but I added some high-temp gasket silicone sealant (Ultra Blue) around the seals as I think the original problem may have ben a bit of water leakage causing a short.
Took about an hour to pull the dishwasher out, remove the heater and install the new one, put a new terminal on the heater wire, and put the whole thing back under the counter.
Working great now. But not a problem I expected to have with a 2-year-old dishwasher!

I released the heater element from the clips on the bottom of the waaher tub. I pulled the unit out from the wall and disconnected power. There are two slip on wire terminals on each end of the heater element accessible from the back that need to be removed. One of them was badly rusted from leaking water, which had caused the short, and had to be replaced. These terminals and the crimping tool to install them are available at any home center. I removed and discarded the old plastic nuts since one of them was damaged by arching from the short circuit. Moving around to the front of the dishwasher, I removed the old heater and installed the new one. I had ordered new rubber washers, but the new heater came with them already installed. Since one of the old ones failed and caused the leak, they are a good thing to keep around as spares anyway. I installed the new nuts and tightened them to enough to ensure that the washers made a good seal. I reconnected the wire terminals to the heater, reconnected power and moved the unit back into place. The circuit opening when the heater failed caused a "call for service" error and the controller would not allow the unit to run. You will know you have this by the "CLEAN" LED flashing seven times. Clear the diagnostics by pressing the buttons for "HEATED DRY", "NORMAL", "HEATED DRY", "NORMAL" and after the controller resets, the dishwaher is ready to run. It's worked like new ever since.

Turned off power, turned off water supply and diconnected, slid out dishwasher. Removed the spray wand and tilted dishwasher to access the two nuts and disconnet the wires. Removed the two nuts using a socket. Removed the old heating element and replaced with the new one secured with new nuts ( the old ones were fine but since I bought two new ones why not). Pluged the wires back up slid the dishwasher back in hooked up the water reinstalled the spray wand cut on the water and power. Good as new.

Disconnected the power and hot water supply.
Removed mounting screws under the counter, and the lower panel screws to expose the leveling screws.
Backed the leveling screws up so that the unit would slide out more easily
Walked the unit out to where I could reach the back side.
Disconnected the two power wires from the heater coil (slide off)
Unscrewed the plastic nuts holding the heater in place and removed the heater coil.
Replaced the heater coil and nuts.
Reversed the process above to install.

Was a simple task to perform, a child could have done it. The technical skills diagnosing it was a bit hard though. The skills finding the culprit was indeed simple. Rubber was torn. Dishes would not come clean especially on the top & would not dry properly. The rubber piece being torn in half made it hard for the water & soap to despense to the top through thh center plastic tube, but now it cleans great. Thank's
Now to find out why it won't dry properly at the heating element is another task. It leaves water droplets on the dishes.
Once I got the rubber screw on attachment installed the dishes are clean & dry now & no water dropplets on the dishes.
The water dispenses up to the top like it suppost to throught the small tube to wash the upper rack dishes.
The wife is happy now she doesn't have to clean & dry them by hand.
Thank's so very much!!
Now on to the next project in hand to submit later on.