KitchenAid has become one of the top brands of dishwashers in America. The reason why most people opt for this particular brand is because of three significant aspects; strong cleaning tools, huge loading capacity, and quieter operation than other dishwashers available on the market.
But just like any other dishwasher, your KitchenAid dishwasher may cause trouble after some time. One of the common issues with dishwashers is the top rack not cleaning the dishes properly.
To help you overcome this issue, we have listed down common reasons and their fixes. So if you want to fix the top rack operations yourself and do the plumber’s job yourself, you have landed in the right place.
KitchenAid Dishwasher Not Cleaning Top Rack
1) Not Enough Water
If your top rack isn’t cleaning dishes properly, check the inlet valve. If it’s clogged or broken then the water isn’t entering through the valve – causing the dishes to remain dirty. In both cases, your best bet would be to replace the valve altogether. If you try cleaning the inlet valve yourself it won’t work.
2) Clogged Wash Arm
There is a wash arm in the upper region of the dishwasher as well as the lower region. If your dishes in the top rack aren’t cleaning there might be a possibility that your upper arm isn’t allowing the water to flow properly. If you have been using the dishwasher for months and months without having trouble and now all of a sudden this occurs, know that the food particles have made a home in its upper wash arm. If the clogging is washable, try removing the gunk, and if it looks too clogged, it’s time to say goodbye to the wash arm and lodge a new one.
3) Worn out Pump Belt
There’s also a possibility that the pump belt underneath the motor is broken. If this is the case, look for the belt inside the lower panel and buy a new one according to the model of your KitchenAid dishwasher and replace it.
4) Defected Circulation Pump
Also, it’s highly likely that the circulation pump is damaged which causes the top rack to not clean your dishes properly. If you don’t know what this circulation pump does, it forces the water flow in your dishwasher with the help of an impeller and the motor.
When you fill the washer and the motor either makes a humming sound or nothing at all, chances are your KitchenAid has a burnt motor.
At this point, you need to do two things:
Number 1: make sure the motor is getting the power.
Number 2: check the circulation pump for any clogging – this will stop the impeller to turn.
If neither is making any troubles then it’s definitely the motor that needs to be changed.
Hopefully, this roundup has helped you figure out why your KitchenAid Dishwasher’s top rack isn’t cleaning the dishes properly. You can call for professional help with the circulation pump replacement if you think it requires a steadier hand. Otherwise, you can do it yourself too.
