Chosen Solution
Hi all! I pulled out my dishwasher yesterday and removed some gunk from the chopper fan underneath because the machine was very loud when working. That fixed the noise, but now the heating element seems to not be turning off once the cycle is complete. When I opened the machine a few hours after I ran it, any water splashing on the heating coil sizzled, which I do not remember happening before. Could this be a problem with the high-limit thermostat? I didn’t fiddle with any electrical connections (except unhooking the main one), but maybe it came loose? I turned off the breaker just in case as I’m guessing it was still heating for some reason? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated. Thank you!
Hi @jhw145 , Had the machine actually stopped and finished all its’ cycles i.e. no lights on the control panel? Check behind the kick plate (toe plate?) to see if there is a “tech sheet” for the dishwasher. This shows how to get into the diagnostic mode for the machine, which may provide some more clues as to what is happening Like you I’m more concerned with the fact that the heater may be still on after the machine has finished all its’ cycles and stopped as you stated “….opened the machine a few hours after I ran it, any water splashing on the heating coil sizzled….” which suggests that the heater was not switched off rather than it got too hot. If there is no tech sheet or if there is and the tests are inconclusive, you may have to use a Voltmeter and check if there is still voltage being applied to the heater element when the machine is not operating but has power applied. The only power that should be there is at the control board and nowhere else. Be safety aware when you try this as the voltage is mains supply i.e. it can be lethal if you don’t know what you’re doing.
If your heating element is in working order, check the high-limit thermostat (a device that prevents the dishwasher from getting too hot). According to Part Select, a malfunctioning high-limit thermostat can cause the heat to shut off before your dishes are fully dry.
