My KitchenAid Dishwasher Door Opens During Cycles
A KitchenAid dishwasher door that opens during cycles prevents proper operation of the appliance and serves as a point of egress for water, resulting in damage and expensive repairs to the areas surrounding the dishwasher. The door may fly open while the appliance is in use for any of several reasons, but most of the troubleshooting is relatively easy and inexpensive. A malfunctioning door lock or hinge, improper placement of the appliance or a worn door seal are some of the causes of a malfunctioning door.
Door Latch
A door latch failure may cause a KitchenAid dishwasher door to open during cycles. The door latch keeps the door firmly closed to prevent water from exiting the appliance. If the lock is faulty, broken or worn, it does not remain closed. While the dishwasher won’t start if the door latch is not completely engaged, once the machine is in operation a faulty door latch causes the door to open.
Door Hinge
A faulty door hinge may also cause the dishwasher door to be released during cycles. The hinges are just as important as the latch in keeping the door closed. Excessive roughness, such as letting the door drop open or laying heavy items on the open door, loosens the hinges or causes them to bend or warp.
Dishwasher Placement
The placement of the dishwasher may result in the door's discharging during operation. If the appliance is not firmly inserted between the floor and counter top, the door may not remain closed. If the dishwasher is lodged too tightly, this may also obstruct the door from closing firmly. In addition, if the dishwasher is not level on all sides, the door tends to open during cycles.
Door Seal
The condition of the door seal may determine if the door remains closed during dishwashing cycles. In new dishwashers or those with newly replaced seals, the door may be hard to latch for a couple of weeks. Operating the machine on the highest heat setting helps the seal quickly adjust to the door. On the other end of the spectrum, if the door seal is worn out, the door tends to swing open during cycles.
Other Considerations
If one of the dishwasher door springs is broken, this hinders the ability of the door to stay closed during cycles. As opposed to an even distribution of weight, the door is heavier on one side, making the door unbalanced. In addition, the top or bottom dish racks are not lodged correctly in the appliance, which prevents the door from staying closed during cycles.
References
Writer Bio
Terri Williams began writing professionally in 1997, serving as media manager for a large nonprofit organization where she also edited books and created promotional content. She has written extensively on business communication, ethics, leadership, management, education and health. Williams has a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
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- George Doyle/Stockbyte/Getty Images
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