Dishwasher Noises... normal or signs of failure

[Cropduster172]

Have a KitchenAid top control dishwasher that was here when we moved in 5+ years ago. I estimate it to be 8-10 years old.
It's a higher end model and works well. I did have to replace the top rack slide on one side and the top rack adjusters but that's it so far.
I have noticed it makes various whining and variable pitched humming and whirring sounds that I've not noticed before. Cycles fine and dishes always come out spotless.
Are those various sounds normal or initial signs of failure of a pump or something?

 

[Rand]

Not sure how we can tell over the internet.

but someone always has a sale on one.. and you can always dishes them by hand for a week or 2.. not like a washing machine.

Delivered and installed prices.
Costco
if the budget is there

if you want great value

plenty more in between.
I've had the maytag for years now and it is good.
the "higher dba" is only for the few secs the waste chopper/grinder runs
otherwise its quite quiet except for the normal water spraying off metal pans type noises.

but the bosch 800 series is legendary.

 

[97prizm]

I have a Whirlpool dishwasher which is a cousin to the kitchenaid. Mine started getting louder and leaving more water in the bottom. I pulled it out and looked at the drain line which had alot of buildup in it. I'd look at yours as my Whirlpool has two motors and pumps which isn't common. One for the arms that spin and one to pump out the dirty water.

 

[JohnnyG]

Does it have an inlet filter to the pump? If so, have you cleaned it?

 

[earlyre]

our couple year old LG started making a similar noise about a year ago... also no noticeable change in cleaning... bearing was going out in one of the pumps. luckily for us it was still under warranty, and the local appliance store where we got it took care of it.

 

[Egg_Head]

Remove the spray arms, upper and lower, can be done w/o tools on newer units. Check spray holes for blockage and back flush. Drain pump is easy to replace on those models.

 

[oldcodger]

At that age it is probably on its way out. I would not put much money in a 10 year old appliance. If you fix one thing something else will pop up.

 

[sopususer]

but the bosch 800 series is legendary.

100% agree on Bosch. We've had lots of dishwasher is various houses: GE, Whirlpool, Kenmore, Maytag, and Kitchen Aide. None were as good at cleaning and none outlasted our current almost 10 year old Bosch.

 

[spasm3]

My dishwasher makes a lot of noise when i don't help load it.

 

[Cropduster172]

Does it have an inlet filter to the pump? If so, have you cleaned it?

Yes. Routinely.

 

[Cropduster172]

At that age it is probably on its way out. I would not put much money in a 10 year old appliance. If you fix one thing something else will pop up.

Yes. That's what I'm thinking. The upper rack has been falling and I've bought the parts and repaired it but any further repairs are starting to get costly.

 

[Rand]

I just checked I acquired that maytag
Feb 22, 2021

Its been very solid with no issues. 98% of the time its quieter than its advertised dBa

If you have the $$$ you might want to splurge on a Bosch 800 series though.

 

[Cropduster172]

I just checked I acquired that maytag
Feb 22, 2021

Its been very solid with no issues. 98% of the time its quieter than its advertised dBa

If you have the $$$ you might want to splurge on a Bosch 800 series though.

I think the Bosch are overrated. I'm sticking with Whirlpool products.

 

[gasman556]

I've had whirlpool, GE, LG, and now a Bosch.

I use my dishwasher at LEAST 10-12 times/wk. I've gone through all the brands prior to Bosch at a clip of about one dishwasher every 2-3 years. The LG was the one I replaced the most on including the entire sump setup (requiring dishwasher being taken out of its alcove and entire assembly being removed en bloc and new one being reinstalled. It was a $200 gamble that got me another year or so after the repair. Ultimately it was leaking from a some connector going to a pump that was starting to get slow hence why the Bosch was bought.

I am no one's cheerleader on dishwashers, but can say (to this point) the Bosch has done the best so far compared to the other brands above. It's much faster than the LG (one cycle took 4 hrs), and has out lasted the GE/whirlpool on my brutal dishwashing regimen.

Whirlpool will likely be easier to repair than the others except maybe GE.

 

[JTK]

If it's 10yrs/old it's probably due for a pump, or a twist tie, etc made it's way beyond the filters.

One thing that is often overlooked is cleaning all the removable mesh filters on the tub. They get loaded with gunk and starve the pump. The bottom spray bar typically lifts out and there will be various disk shaped screens and filters leading to the suction of the pump.

 

[Cropduster172]

If it's 10yrs/old it's probably due for a pump, or a twist tie, etc made it's way beyond the filters.

One thing that is often overlooked is cleaning all the removable mesh filters on the tub. They get loaded with gunk and starve the pump. The bottom spray bar typically lifts out and there will be various disk shaped screens and filters leading to the suction of the pump.

I'm pretty good about cleaning those filter screens out routinely.

 

[tcp71]

When we originally reno'd our kitchen in 2002 we put in a bosch. It lasted 18 years. It was replaced with a bosch. 5 years in and counting it looks and works like new. The downside to the bosch is it doesn't have a heating element to dry dishes, but relies on evaporation which never works completely.

 

[B6_Dolphin]

Replaced a Maytag dishwasher we bought with the house in 2017 with a 39-db Kitchenaid dishwasher this past December off kitchenaid.com. Here's a link & the point-of-sale pricing, for comparison:

https://www.kitchenaid.com/major-ap...h-30+-total-wash-jets,-39-dba.kdfe204kwh.html

We preferred its front controls vs top controls. It's very quiet, other than hearing the soap door release and an occassional swish of water. Also like the 3rd rack for lids, big utensils, etc. Overall, we're happy with the purchase.

 

[Cropduster172]

Replaced a Maytag dishwasher we bought with the house in 2017 with a 39-db Kitchenaid dishwasher this past December off kitchenaid.com. Here's a link & the point-of-sale pricing, for comparison:

https://www.kitchenaid.com/major-ap...h-30+-total-wash-jets,-39-dba.kdfe204kwh.html

View attachment 269191

We preferred its front controls vs top controls. It's very quiet, other than hearing the soap door release and an occassional swish of water. Also like the 3rd rack for lids, big utensils, etc. Overall, we're happy with the purchase.

Have had good experience with KitchenAid dishwashers.
Less so with Frigidaire.
Had a Samsung that was terrible.
Have a Fisher-Paykel in our beach house that's been very solid but difficult to install as it was designed to take a matching kitchen cabinet panel and we opted for the stainless panel. But it's been solid for 6 years.
I'd go with KitchenAid or Whirlpool if I have to replace ours .

 

[blkwtr]

This is our 21 year old Bosch. We run about four full loads per week. About eight years ago it quit heating water. Turns out it was a burnt connection on the control panel. We cleaned it up and put on a drop of fresh solder and it's been running great ever since. Cost to repair: Zero!