Dishwasher repair

Standing water

Twist out the filter under the lower rack and rinse the mesh. Seeds and labels collect there and stall the drain pump. The drain hose should rise to the underside of the counter before it drops to the sink drain or disposal. Without that high loop, or an air gap, sink water runs back into the tub. A disposal installed the same day often still has the knockout plug in the dishwasher nipple, so the pump runs against a solid wall.

Dishes come out dirty

Pull both spray arms and shake them. Seeds in the jets leave the top rack dry of water. Run the kitchen faucet until the water is hot before you start the cycle. A dishwasher cannot heat a tub of cold fill water fast enough for the detergent to dissolve. Rinse aid empty shows up as spots, which is a different complaint from grit.

Leaks at the door

Look at the gasket for a flat spot or a tear. Suds pouring out the door usually mean someone used dish soap from the sink. Only detergent labeled for dishwashers belongs in the cup. Scoop the suds out, add a cup of vinegar to a heated empty cycle, and see if the leak stops before replacing the gasket.

Will not start

The door latch has to close a switch. A float in the tub that is stuck up, after a previous overfill, tells the control the machine is flooded and it will not run. Write down any code on the display. Shops use that code. The letters differ by brand, so a photo of the panel beats a description from memory.

Related note: water left in the tub.