The dishwashers have become the ultimate household appliances for everyone because they have eliminated the hassle of cleaning up the dishes. To get the best experience, people choose the most high-quality dishwashers and are designed with automatic soap dispensers.
These soap dispensers drop liquid soap into the unit for cleaning away all the debris and grease. On the contrary, the dishwasher soap dispenser not opening is a real issue but it’s easy to fix and we have the options available for you!
Dishwasher Soap Dispenser Not Opening
1) Inspect, Please!
The soap dispenser is responsible for releasing liquid detergent into the tub (yes, the big tub of your dishwasher) when you initiate the washing cycles. In the majority of cases, there are two compartments available, sealed and unsealed.
The sealed compartment of the dishwasher is for maintaining the primary washing cycle while an unsealed compartment is responsible for prewashing. Coming back to the point, it is important to inspect the soap dispenser.
For inspection purposes, just disconnect the power source to your dishwasher and check the soap dispenser (if you don’t know, it might be attached to the door’s interior side). Now, look for the chances of discoloration, damage, or cracking on the soap dispenser.
If there is some dirt and debris, use a wet sponge to clean it up thoroughly. On the other hand, the cracked and/or damaged soap dispenser has to be replaced by a technician.
2) Check The Cap
To begin with, we are talking about the rinse aid caps because they might be the reason why rinse aid isn’t being released by the dishwasher. In the majority of cases, the issue occurs when this cap is loose and refitting will optimize the functionality.
However, if the cap is damaged or warped over time, it should be replaced. Keep in mind that this cap has the capacity to warp by the warmth of water (we all know dishwasher uses warm water for easier cleaning of the dishes).
For checking the cap, you won’t have to disassemble anything or use tools. It is generally located on the door panel’s internal side, so remove it because that’s the only way of inspection. If there are any physical changes or signs, such as discoloration, warping, and melting, you should run for a replacement.
While getting the new rinse aid cap, choose the one that’s made from high-quality plastic because it will last a long time as compared to thin plastic caps.
3) Hinge Pin And Door Spring
When the dishwasher’s soap dispenser isn’t working or opening up, you have to consider the hinge pin and door spring because they can cause issues. The door of the soap dispenser is integrated with spring-loading and has to be placed in the closed position. Now, you have to inspect the hinge pin and door spring of the dishwasher. The best thing about this solution is that there are no tools required and you won’t even have to disassemble anything.
These components can be found in the door’s interior side while some models might have them covered with the soap dispenser. That being said, you should remove additional components to expose the hinge pin and door spring.
The first step is inspecting them visually to look for signs of breakages, corrosion, and bending. If there are such signs, get them replaced by a dishwasher technician. Also, always find high-quality replacement parts.
4) Focus On Wax Motor
This solution is only suitable if you are using the latest dishwasher because a wax motor is only used in the latest models. When this wax motor stops functioning normally, the soap dispenser’s door won’t open up and the detergent won’t be released either.
This specific assembly works as a solenoid when the control or timer is activated and the piston will release the door’s catch for the soap dispenser’s catch. For inspecting the wax motor, you can use a multimeter.
When using the multimeter, make sure that you set the Rx1 settings for inspecting the motor. If the results show “infinity,” you have to call the technician because the motor is damaged. To be honest, replacing the wax motor might be expensive but that’s the only option if you want to start washing dishes again. Also, if your dishwasher is still under warranty, call the company’s customer care team to get free repair or replacement.
5) Bi-Metal Release
This component is integrated into the old dishwashers and it is responsible for operating the soap dispenser’s catch. It works through electricity as it creates mechanical actions for releasing the catch. For testing the bi-metal release of the dishwasher, you need a multimeter and we are sharing other instructions as well. First of all, the power source should be disconnected and identify the release.
Before you replace the release, make sure that you adjust the alignments with a screwdriver and test the soap dispenser. If the soap dispenser is still not operating properly, use the Rx1 setting on the multimeter to check the continuity. The defect will be confirmed when the reading shows “infinity.” If that happens, the release must be replaced. However, make sure that you buy the bi-metal release of the same dishwasher model.
6) Timer
We understand that the modern dishwashers don’t have a timer but some models still have it for operating the soap dispenser manually. The timer is designed to activate the lever that releases the catch of the soap dispenser.
For this reason, you must inspect the connection between door catch and the timer. Secondly, you must ensure that the timer’s cam is operating normally. However, if there are issues with the linkage, the timer isn’t working and is damaged.
The timer can be easily found in the control panel (you might even have to uncover it because it’s likely to be buried under other cabinets). Once you locate the timer, disconnect it and test the connections.
The connections can be checked through the Rx1000 settings of a multimeter. Now, check the dishwasher’s manual and see which reading you should get. If the reading isn’t according to the manual’s recommendations, get a new timer and install it.