GE Dishwasher Not Heating, Drying or Cleaning? Diagnose and Repair it Yourself!

Dishwasher not doing its job? Are you noticing that the water isn’t getting hot, or the dishes come out soaking wet and, well, not clean? There are a few reasons your water isn’t getting hot. Check out the video to see how to diagnose and repair it yourself while saving a couple hundred dollars on a service call!

This video was made specifically for a GE Dishwasher, model GDF620HGJ0BB but I’m pretty confident that the diagnosis methods will work on most dishwashers.

Tools you’ll need
Screwdriver
Adjustable Wrench

Parts you “may” need

Pro Tips from the Comments Section!

2) Just because your thermal cut off didn't trip doesn't mean there's not an open circuit, use your ohm meter set at the lowest setting on ohms and you should read 0 ohms. If your meter has a beeper sound it will steadily beep. Thanks @mikescarano752 for that tip!
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Chapters
00:00 How to diagnose and repair a dishwasher that doesn’t heat up, dry or clean
02:32 How to remove a dishwasher
03:00 How to test and replace a dishwasher heating element
04:22 How to check the thermal cut off switch on a dishwasher
04:57 How to test and replace the flood or float switch on a dishwasher
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Credits
Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-ND 4.0)
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Disclaimer
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#dishwasher #homerepair #diy

[ahmedelbially]

Thank you for such a detailed video, you saved me a lot of money 🙏

[GoldenPeach-zb]

everybody stopped at heat element in their videos. Yours was the only one to point to other potential issues.

[danlower]

Great video overall. Having just done this on my end I would recommend a few things to anyone trying it:

1. When pulling the float out, put something under it so the wiring doesn't fall into the hole! The harness is short so be prepared
2. Manufacturer site for my dishwasher says these are half-inch socket screws, but mine were actually one-quarter inch.
3. There is more water in this area than i thought! Be careful in soaking it all up before removing the part.

[tbyers]

About a year ago our dishes cleanliness started to deteriorate. A white greasy residue would be left primarily on plastic. I researched high and low about dishwasher not cleaning well and everything was about impellers and filters and vinegar. THIS VIDEO got to the real issue: LACK OF HEAT! It makes sense (now) that heat is crucial to melting away the gunk on the dishes! Ten bucks and a new float sensor later, a dishwasher headed for the dumpster lives again! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I can't believe I'm so excited about a dishwasher but whatever.

[adamwade]

@9:21 i think the float switch also has a temperature sensor which controls the heating element.

[patcap]

THANK YOU! Mine wasn't heating and I watched a bunch of videos. I was confident I would know how to at least test the heating element, but, I wasn't 100% sure where to go next if that wasn't the issue. Turns out, my heating element was indeed fine and it was the flood switch. Even after cleaning it out, which improved the resistance, it still wasn't enough and I opted for a new part. I went with actual GE part and it was more expensive but worth it for that peace of mind. I just have completed my first cycle with my washer getting hot and cleaning things again. Your video helped lead me to the flood switch and identify that as the issue. THANK YOU!

[DIYMechanic]

Thanks for this video. I almost assumed it was the heater element and was going to order it. You saved me $40 on the heater element and the frustration of waiting on the part, just to find out it wasn't faulty. Looks like it's my float that went bad. Great video.

[rocknral]

The reason why the element is connected to a float switch is to make sure the element is submerged or else you'll cook it. Same as boiling the electric kettle empty.

[abhishekdasgupta]

That’s the thermistat along with float switch.
Mines not heating lately. Your detailed step by step video definitely going to help me out to get it figured out and hopefully fixed.

[petersongonzaga]

Thank yo so much! I've done so much on our dishwasher from replacing hoses etc. Then all of sudden the water wasn't "heating up." Found your video and did all the steps, and it was th flood switch! Save us from buying another dishwasher!!!

[timj]

When the water fills inside the dishwasher the float rises and completes or closes the switch allowing electricity to flow to the heating element

[madaboutplaidnw]

Just wanted to say thanks. The reset breaker worked for me.

[ffstop]

Float switch contains a thermistor used as a temp sensor and that signal is sent to a circuit board.

[johnkilman]

Thanks for taking time to do this. As fate would have it my problem was the float switch.

[alexjr]

To remove the float switch, use something small and pointy to release the two black latches on the small sides and one green latch on the large side.

[bobbyhook]

You were right on the money ...float switch only 16.99....easy to put it in and dishwasher is back to new ... didn't even have to remove dishwasher from under the counter

[geoffrundlett]

They should call it a multi-function switch. It contains a float switch to control water level but it also contains a thermistor to control heating element cycling and for reasons only GE knows, they make garbage parts where the thermistors don't last and end up "shorting out" as you showed where the old one doesn't have enough resistance to tell the control board to energize the heating element so it never comes on. The heating element is used with or without water...it can heat water to help sanitize and it can heat air to help dry. The thermistor lowers its resistance as temperature rises to ensure there is never boiling water nor burning plastic because as the resistance lowers so does the voltage drop and the control board will only energize the heating element with a certain amount of required voltage drop. Once the thermistor has a permanently low resistance value, the heating element will no longer "work" because the control board won't let it.

[shakamuni]

I think the logic of the float switch is to make sure that water is counter acting the element enough to keep it within safe operation. If there is not enough water that balancing of extreme temperatures will not happen.

[YOGiiZA]

Float switch has a thermistor in it for measuring proper temp

[kevingoodrich]

The float switch lets the unit know if there is water in the unit an its ok to heat the water. My guess at least. Thanks for the video