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The symptoms you describe, sounds like it could be caused by a worn door seal. Over time, these seals compress to the point where they no longer seal correctly, or food particles and grime get caught between the door and seal and leave small air gaps.
The silverware tray (if located along the left or right side) can also cause damage to the door seal as utensils get caught on the seal surface as you roll the lower rack in and out of the tub. As water splashes up against the inner door facing it rolls out the bottom of the door, or down along the sides instead of staying in the tub.
Some other items that can contribute to leaking are:
1. A dishwasher that is not level, which causes the door not to seal properly.
2. The inner door panel being warped causing the door facing not to be even for the gasket to seat properly.
3,
Dish placement. If you place bowls, serving trays and large tumblers in the front row of the bottom rack on some
dishwashers it can contribute to water being deflected over the front edge of the tub and out the bottom of the door (Believe it or not, I've seen it happen).
NOTE: Most
dishwashers
do not have a seal across the front lip of the tub. That's why it's important to have a good door seal and to load it properly.
If you've loaded the dishwasher properly and confirmed it is level (front to back and side to side), then here are your options:
1. Replace the inner door panel at a cost of over $100.
2. Replace the door seal at a cost of about $35-$40.
If you need parts, they can be purchased from any of the following
websites:
searspartsdirect.com
appliancepartspros.com
pcappliancerepair.com
repairclinic.com
Use whatever parts source you like, but I have found these to be the cheapest and most reliable sites to order parts from. Shop all of them for the
best price.
NOTE: The inner door panel is usually listed under the Door Parts section. The tub gasket will be listed under the Tub Parts section.
I would pursue the cheaper option, first. Its also the much simpler option. To replace the door seal, follow these steps:
1. Pull the old door seal from the groove around the wash tub facing. Take note of which surface area of the gasket is inserted in the groove and which surface is facing the door. It may not seal properly if you install the gasket the wrong way.
2. Clean the area really well to ensure there are no food debris or soap deposits. Also clean the inner door area where the door meets the gasket. You need a clean surface for the best results.
3. Locate the center mark of the new gasket. This will be a small paint spot or small groove on the gasket (this surface is the side of the gasket that will be inserted in the groove around the tub facing). If there is no center mark, fold the gasket in half and mark the location with some chalk, or hold with your fingers.
4. Locate the top center part of the wash tub facing and align the center mark of the door gasket at that point. Begin pushing the gasket into the groove with your hands and work your way around and down along each side.
5. Make sure the gasket is inserted all the way around the tub facing to the point where it meets the wash tub bottom. You can pull the gasket out and readjust as necessary.
This repair should take you about 30 minutes or less to complete. Its simple and requires no tools. The door will be tough the shut for a while until the gasket compresses and takes the door shape. Do not slam the door if it becomes difficult to shut. Simply close the door and the push firmly at the point just above the door latch until the latch clicks. Slamming the door can damage the control panel components, the door latch and/or the hinges.
If you have questions, or require additional assistance, please post back with a complete model number so that I may be able to provide you with better service. hope this helps you.
