The soap dispenser only opens sometimes. When the dispenser doesn't open the soap is in a solid cake inside dispenser.

Soap dispenser cover will not open until front knob is at 4:30 or 5 o'clock. Turn knob to 5 o'clock and jiggle dispenser cover. If cover still does not open, is detergent caked such that door won't open? If yes, remove caked detergent. If no, disconnect power at breaker. GE repair manual says to remove screws for inner door panel and inspect detergent dispenser mechanism with lever and trip lever for broken or binding parts.

Hi

Dishwashers use Bi-Metal strip to allow the dispenser to open/close. This strip when heat up causes the soap door spring to open up the dispenser. If this strip is not heated doesn't allow the door to open. The strip may not be getting 120V or maybe disconnected. Newer (plastic liner) dishwashers use a wax motor to open the soap dispenser. The plunger inside the wax motor slowly moves and pushes the plunger and door open. And, if this wax motor doesn't receive 120 volts, then it'll not work. Please check the voltage to the wax motor/Bi-metal strip; also inspect the connections to these.

Hope this helps...

Daniel

Often times the latch needs cleaning from the accumulated calcium and soap caked around the latch. Use an old toothbrush or sometimes something a little stiffer to scrub around the latch, the dispenser cups and in the general area. If there is still accumulation a small amount of CLR [calcium-lime-rust] remover will break down the accumulation. We had a Kenmore running in very hard water situation that wouldn't open and we just left it open and didn't worry about the dispenser door releasing. We did this because we always scraped off all the food in the sink before putting dishes in the dishwasher and then ran on the water miser setting which requires only one of the soap dispenser wells to be filled.

Hi

Dishwashers use Bi-Metal strip to allow the dispenser to open/close. This strip when heat up causes the soap door spring to open up the dispenser. If this strip is not heated doesn't allow the door to open. The strip may not be getting 120V or maybe disconnected. Newer (plastic liner) Maytag dishwashers use a wax motor to open the soap dispenser. The plunger inside the wax motor slowly moves and pushes the plunger and door open. And, if this wax motor doesn't receive 120 volts, then it'll not work. Please check the voltage to the wax motor/Bi-metal strip; also inspect the connections to these. Hope this helps...

Daniel

Hi

Dishwashers use Bi-Metal strip to allow the dispenser to open/close. This strip when heat up causes the soap door spring to open up the dispenser. If this strip is not heated doesn’t allow the door to open. The strip may not be getting 120V or maybe disconnected. Newer (plastic liner) Maytag dishwashers use a wax motor to open the soap dispenser. The plunger inside the wax motor slowly moves and pushes the plunger and door open. And, if this wax motor doesn’t receive 120 volts, then it’ll not work. Please check the voltage to the wax motor/Bi-metal strip, also inspect the connections to these.
Hope this helps... Please revert for any further assistance.

Daniel

Hi



Dishwashers use Bi-Metal strip to allow the dispenser to open/close. This strip when heat up causes the soap door spring to open up the dispenser. If this strip is not heated doesn’t allow the door to open. The strip may not be getting 120V or maybe disconnected. Newer (plastic liner) Maytag dishwashers use a wax motor to open the soap dispenser. The plunger inside the wax motor slowly moves and pushes the plunger and door open. And, if this wax motor doesn’t receive 120 volts, then it’ll not work. Please check the voltage to the wax motor/Bi-metal strip, also inspect the connections to these.


Please do rate this solution and revert for further assistance.


Daniel

I bet your clumps of soap began with the beginning of the use of a different DW detergent powder.

Try this (trust me) Go buy a box of brand name Dishwasher powder (e.g. Electrosol or Cascade) Use it for two loads of dishes and report your results back here. OK?

Symptoms:
Dispenser lid is open. Caked powder at (what would be during normal operation) bottom edge of soap dispenser or caked powder fallen onto dishes or dishwasher bottom. There may be loose powder in rest of dispenser or spilled down inside door or onto dishes underneath dispenser.

Solution:
Keep the area around the soap dispenser lid clear when loading the top tray.

Explanation:
The soap dispenser needs to swing open during the wash cycle. In many dishwashers the top tray has an indentation as wide as the lid of the dispenser. This allows the top tray to be as large deep as possible while still allowing space for the dispenser lid to open. People often pack their dishwasher with things overhanging this gap.

During the wash cycle the catch will release but the overhanging cutlery or crockery prevents the lid from opening all but a few degrees. Some water will splash in but not enough to wash out the soap powder. The soap powder at the bottom of the dispenser will then cake.

When the front door is opened the spring loaded lid, which is partly open, will of course swing fully open and you'll be convinced that the lid opened normally during operation. If this is the problem then if you're very careful and open the door very slowly you can actually hear the lid flip open. Also, depending on when the lid opens, how far it opened during operation and how fast you open the door you may find soap powder spilled down to cover the dishes at the front or down the inside of the door. This happens when you first open the door and obviously there couldn't be loose powder there if the powder had emerged while there was water washing around. Seeing the lid open as you open the door is a lot harder but can be done on some machines.

If you are you using a liquid soap or packets that will be the main problem.If your unit fills with water circulates the water and drains the water,and also heaters are working then you probally need to change to cascade powder soap.The film on the dishes is soap.The unit has so much build up in it that when it gets to the rinse cycle it is rinsing dishes with soapy water.You need to get 2 medium bowls fill both 2/3 up with white vinager,place one in upper rack and one in lower rack and run unit on longest cycle letting the vinager splash out during wash.do this with no soap and no dishes.Having soft water will allow you to use less soap.

Before taking anything to bits, check you aren't just loading the machine in such a way that something (for us, it's usually a frying pan) is stopping the soap dispenser from springing open all the way. A.