Dishwasher Repair Across the Charlotte Area

A dishwasher fills with a measured amount of hot water, a pump sprays it through the spray arms, the dispenser drops the detergent on cue, a heater keeps the water hot, and a drain pump pushes the dirty water out, with a filter catching food so it is not sprayed back onto your plates. When one link in that chain slips, you see one of the symptoms below. Tell us what you see; you do not need to diagnose anything.

Dishwasher not draining

A shallow pool or a tub full of gray water after the cycle ends. Food or a shard of glass in the drain pump, a clogged filter, a kinked drain hose, a garbage disposal that is full, or a drain pump that has failed can each leave water behind. Clean the filter and run the disposal, then try another cycle. If water still stands afterward, stop running it and call.

Dishwasher not cleaning dishes

Film, grit, or food left on the whole load or on one rack. A clogged filter or spray arm, water that never gets hot enough, a dispenser that is not releasing detergent, a worn wash pump, or plain overloading will all do it. If a thorough cleaning and a lighter load do not fix it, the cause is mechanical. Mention whether the top rack, the bottom rack, or both are affected.

Dishwasher not starting

Buttons do not respond, the panel is dark, or the lights come on but nothing happens. A door that is not fully latched, a control lock or delayed start set by accident, a tripped breaker, a door switch, or a control board can all stop a cycle before it begins. Check the latch, the lock, and the breaker. If it is still dead, call.

Dishwasher stops mid-cycle

The dishwasher quits partway through, beeps, or flashes a code. A heater that cannot bring the water up to temperature, a door that popped open, a drain problem that stalls the cycle, or a sensor the control no longer trusts are the usual causes. Write down any code on the display. If it happens twice, stop using it and call.

Dishwasher leaking

Water at the base of the door, under the dishwasher, or across the floor. A worn or shifted door gasket, an overfill from a stuck valve or float, a cracked spray arm throwing water at the door seam, too much detergent (or hand dish soap) making suds, or a cracked hose or pump seal can be behind it. Stop using the dishwasher. If water has reached an outlet, switch off the breaker only if that is safe, and call us.

Dishwasher making a grinding or loud humming noise

Grinding usually means something hard, such as glass, a fruit pit, or a bone, is caught in the pump; humming with no water moving can mean a pump working against a blockage or a motor that has seized. Banging is often a spray arm hitting a tall pot. Check the racks for stray items, and if the noise continues, stop running it to protect the pump and call.

If the dishwasher is leaking near an outlet or electrical parts, or if you smell burning, stop using it and call us. Please do not pull the dishwasher out from under the counter or remove any panels. Your technician will do that.

Some dishwashers need a repair. Others have simply built up months of grease and food debris and need a thorough cleaning or a filter service to run the way they used to. We do all three.

• Dishwasher repair: Diagnosis and repair of the problems above and anything else your dishwasher is doing wrong.
• Dishwasher cleaning: A thorough cleaning of the interior, spray arms, and door edges to clear the buildup that collects over time and causes odors and film.
• Dishwasher filter service: Cleaning and servicing the filter, a task that is easy to put off, so the dishwasher drains and sprays the way it was designed to.

Dishwasher cleaning and filter service are also part of our appliance maintenance and inspection visits. And if your garbage disposal has stopped, started humming, or backed up at the same time, see our garbage disposal repair page, because the two often share a drain.

A dishwasher lives in a cabinet opening, so replacing one is a bigger job than swapping out a countertop appliance, and that makes a modest repair look better than it might elsewhere. Many of the common dishwasher repairs, such as a door latch, a drain pump, a heater, a dispenser, or a gasket, cost less than a new dishwasher. Weigh the age of your dishwasher, the condition of the tub and racks (a cracked tub or badly rusted racks weigh against it), and how well it cleaned before the current problem. A newer dishwasher with one failed part is usually worth repairing. One with a rusting tub and a string of earlier problems may not be. The diagnosis tells you exactly what the repair costs, and the choice is yours.

• Power and lock: Make sure the breaker is on and the control lock is off; the manual shows which button to hold.
• Door: Push the door until it clicks. Many dishwashers will not start unless the latch is fully engaged.
• Filter: Lift out the filter at the bottom of the tub, rinse it, and put it back as the owner's manual describes.
• Spray arms: Spin each arm by hand to be sure a utensil or a tall pan is not blocking it.
• Disposal: If your dishwasher drains through a garbage disposal, run the disposal first; a full one can keep the dishwasher from draining.
• Detergent: Use fresh detergent in the recommended amount. Too much creates suds that can leak out the door.

If a cycle still fails after that, call us with the symptom and any code on the display.

The call. Dial 704-366-2126 and give us your address, the dishwasher's brand and model, the symptom, and any code on the display. We book a two-hour arrival window, so you are not stuck at home all day waiting.

The diagnosis. Your technician checks the dishwasher, finds the problem, and lays out the repair. You get the total price before any work starts.

The repair. With your OK, your technician completes the repair and checks that the dishwasher fills, washes, and drains the way it should.

The warranty. Our dishwasher repairs carry a 90-day parts warranty and a 90-day labor warranty, so you can load it up again with confidence.

• Scrape, do not rinse spotless. Knock bones, seeds, labels, and large scraps into the trash; those are what clog the filter and pump. Light residue is fine.
• Clean the filter every month or so. It takes a minute, and it is the single best thing you can do for a dishwasher.
• Run the hot water at the sink first. The first fill then arrives hot instead of warming up inside the dishwasher.
• Use rinse aid. It helps dishes dry and keeps film from settling on glassware.
• Wipe the gasket and the bottom edge of the door. Grime collects there, and odors start there.
• Use it regularly. A dishwasher that sits unused for weeks dries out its seals.

Our dishwasher work covers the Whirlpool family (Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, JennAir, Amana, Roper, and Estate) and the GE family (GE, Monogram, Café, GE Profile, and Hotpoint), along with Samsung, LG, and Electrolux Group brands. Not every one of those names makes a dishwasher, so read us the brand on your door when you call and we will tell you where it fits. The model number is usually printed on a label along the edge of the dishwasher door; read it off if you can and share it when you call, since it identifies the exact pump, control, and rack layout your dishwasher uses.

Dishwashers are one of many appliances we repair. See everything on our appliance repair services page, or head to the contact page to send us your details through the request form. We will call you back to set a time.