Before you begin making any repairs to your dishwasher you need to turn off the power supply. Also make sure you have turned off the water supply, which is under the sink.
You will also need some items. Make sure you have a screwdriver, small pliers, multitester – sometimes referred to as a multimeter, a pen and labeling devices for wire labeling.
The multitester will be your aid in diagnosing electrical issues and you will also use it to measure resistance. The way this is done is by measuring the ohms - resistance of the wire to flow of electricity. The range of ohms goes from zero to infinity. A reading of zero ohms shows that it is very easy for the electricity to flow. A reading of infinity means there is no path for the electricity to go through.
Most multitesters are hand-held with an LCD display. They have two wires referred to as leads. One wire is red and the other is black, with metal tips called probes.
The water inlet valve is located behind the kickplate panel. Use your screwdriver to remove the kickplate panel. You may have had to open the dishwasher’s door to access this part. If this is the case close the door before you begin the next steps.
You will know you found the water inlet valve because the hoses are connected to it. One hose leads the water into the dishwasher and one leads the water out of the dishwasher. After double checking that the water supply has been disconnected, you will then disconnect the hoses.
There will be two to four wires connected to the water inlet valve. Label them so that you can properly reconnect them later. Gently pull on the connectors to release them from the terminals. Do not pull on the wires themselves. Remove all the screws from the valve allowing you to remove the entire water inlet valve.
Take the multitester and set the ohms to x 1. Take each probe to a terminal. If you see a reading of infinity the solenoid (coil) is faulty and the valve needs to be replaced.
If you have found that this part is broken, remove it and replace it with a new valve. Remember to put the screws back in place tightly and reconnect the wires, hoses and kickplate panel.
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