Dishwasher heater - my dishwasher just isn't working

[hedgehog]

as well as it used to. The heating coil in the bottom is putting out some heat, but I'm suspicious it's not heating the water to the same temperature as before. Any comments?

The other possibility - the pump isn't putting out as much pressure as before. We're in a hard water area - could there be buildup in the pump?

[seabeyond]

1. ya. i have had about two years of dishwasher hell

dumped the old one that was not that old for a new one. 3 plumbers, a couple diswasher repairmen, 2 city of amarillo water, and the water softening guys.....

i have the same issue.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

2. Someone posted a thead about cleaning your coil.

If you get in to repairs, and are handy and want to try repairing it yourself, you might want to try these guys if you need a live person to walk you through it:

www.justanswer.com

I had good luck with them walking me through a couple furnace diagnosis and repair for $15 bucks a pop.

Of course, you can probably find a repair manual on-line (free, don't pay for one). www.appliencejunk.com had a bunch of manuals on file. I went the repair manual route on an LG dryer I fixed.

Replacing parts on these units is not that hard if you get steered in the right direction. Not paying a service call fee helps weigh the decision toward repair rather than junking it and replacing.

[hedgehog]

5. Looking around since I posted - I think my dishwasher

spray arm is plugged with loose tea leaves.

[jeff47]

4. One quick cleaning tip

Put a cup of vinegar in it, and run a cycle. Do this without soap and without dishes in it. Helps to remove any soap build-up, and loosen any hard water deposits.

If you do have soap build-up (the walls feel chalky or slimy), then you need to use less soap. You don't have to completely fill the detergent cups.