Diswasher Circuit Board

[StPaulCityGirl]

Long story (sort of) short. My dishwasher face plate had been broken since I bought my house in 2001. I finally updated my kitchen this past fall (much of it DIY) and decided to replace the face plate so it looked nice and new like most of the rest of the kitchen. In the process of replacing it I damaged the spring to the handle. No problem, I just ordered a new spring. In the meantime, whilst awaiting the new spring, the damn thing locked shut on me! In the process of prying it open I believe I damaged the circuit board or fuses (or something electronic) because when I replaced everything and put it back together, it no longer worked (yes, it is plugged in). I am in for $200 in parts at this point (I also had to replace the handle and electronic facing which were damaged during the prying open phase of this operation) and do NOT want to buy a new one as this Kitchen Aid WAS working just fine before I started to monkey with it. I cannot find a replacement circuit board, and I'm not even 100% sure that is the issue (although, it does look a little banged up so it's a good guess). For now it works nicely as a drying rack I guess. Thoughts on how to determine what wrong with it now and if I can fix it for not too much more money? "Vanity, thy name is cracked dishwasher face plate."

[luigi49]

I am wondering if you can post a picture of the board you are talking about.  It is hard to diagnose this because we have to see the component on the boards too.   If there are IC on the board then it will be hard to repair if not then maybe it is repairable. 

[StPaulCityGirl]

I will take a pic and post soon. I have to take the %@%^$% cover off again, which is tedious. :)

[Greg]

The dishwasher won't turn on unless the circuit board knows the door is shut all the way. Look at how this information is conveyed to the circuit board, perhaps there's a little switch that's damaged or askew.

[Nords]

I will take a pic and post soon. I have to take the %@%^$% cover off again, which is tedious. :)

I can think of two choices:
1.  Take your model number to the Appliance Samurai's website at FixItNow.com.  You may find repair advice there, but after 13 years the manufacturer may have stopped stocking repair parts.

2.  Many people remodel their kitchens and then sell their relatively-new pre-remodel appliances on Craigslist for pennies on the dollar.  You may find a much better (used) dishwasher that looks good, uses less energy, and can actually be repaired from a parts inventory.

[StPaulCityGirl]

I checked the FixItNow site and it does talk about someone soldering (sp??) the circuit board after it was damaged. I don't know that I would be THAT ambitious. I hadn't thought of Craigslist, I don't know why, I use them for everything else! I guess my biggest issue is knowing it would go into a landfill when it was/should be working perfectly fine. I feel like all the years of NOT littering get voided out by throwing a perfectly good dishwasher away. And I hate losing to major appliances. I will take the pic tonight and get it posted, maybe I will post on FixIt, too. My finance brought over a fuse tester thingy so I can at least see if that is, or is not, the problem.

[Nords]

I guess my biggest issue is knowing it would go into a landfill when it was/should be working perfectly fine. I feel like all the years of NOT littering get voided out by throwing a perfectly good dishwasher away.

If you're living in a metropolitan area, I'm pretty sure that some local entrepreneur has a deal with the city trash guys.  That dishwasher will either be rehabbed for a "deep discount" second-hand appliance store, or resold on Craigslist, or cannibalized for parts.  Whatever's not used is almost certain to go to a metal/plastics recycling plant.

At least that's what happens on our island of 800,000+ consumers.  These days the city even burns most of the trash to generate 10%-20% of the island's electricity.

[FastStache]

Can you see the circuit board after you apply power? If so and you can get your hands on a manual you can do some troubleshooting.

Sometimes these boards can be diagnostic codes displayed with LEDs. It may be as simple as what someone suggested that the board doesn't sense the door is closed.