What To Do If Your Dishwasher Is Not Filling Up With Water

Dishwashers have many moving parts. If your dishwasher stops filling with water, there are many little things that could potentially be going wrong to cause the problem. In this tutorial, we’ll walk you through some of the basic problems your dishwasher could be experiencing.

Check The Water Supply and Power

Before you start replacing parts, it’s a good idea to confirm that your dishwasher has power and water. You can check that the water is turned at the local valve under your sink. Check that the valve is open. Remember: righty-tighty, lefty-loosy.

Next, use a multi-meter to check that the outlet the dishwasher is plugged into has power. If you don’t have a multi-meter, you might be able to borrow one from a neighbor. If you’ve never used a multi-meter before, check out this video:

Water Inlet Valve Replacement

If your dishwasher has power and water, check the water inlet valve for functionality. The water inlet valve is located under your dishwasher. If you’re not sure how to test the water inlet valve, you can check out this tutorial online.

If your water inlet valve needs replacement, you can buy a new one online. Remember to search for a valve that works with your dishwasher’s specific make and model. Once you’ve gotten the new inlet valve, this is how you’ll replace it:

1. Shut off the power to the dishwasher at the power control panel.
2. Turn off the water to the dishwasher at the local shutoff valve under your sink.
3. Remove the toe kick plate from beneath the dishwasher. You may need a screw driver to do this.
4. Disconnect the old valve from the hoses under the dishwasher. You can leave the fitting on the valve and remove the fitting once it’s been taken out from under the dishwasher. You may need a wrench for this purpose.
5. Remove the screws that attach the inlet valve to the bracket.
6. Disconnect the valve from the power. Take the inlet valve out from under the dishwasher.
7. Detach the fitting from the old valve.
8. Wrap the threads of the new valve with plumber’s tape.
9. Attach the fitting to the new valve.
10. Attach the new valve to the dishwasher using the reverse of the process you used above.
11. Turn back on the water and power, then check under the dishwasher for leaks.
12. Test the dishwasher.
13. Replace the kick plate if the dishwasher is functioning.

This process has been documented in this helpful video:

What if it’s not the fill valve?

Although the fill valve is one of the most likely reasons your dishwasher may be broken, there are other problems your dishwasher could be experiencing. Your next course of action will be to check the float assembly and float switch.

The float is the moving part inside your dishwasher that senses the level of the water inside the unit. The float triggers a switch (creatively named the “float switch”) to turn off the water. If a piece of debris becomes caught in the float assembly or in the switch, the water could remain permanently off. A float that is stuck in the off position will be located up high on the float assembly. The switch will be located near the top of the float assembly. Check both for debris.

That’s it. We hope that following these instructions will help you fix your dishwasher. Do you have other suggestions? Leave your comments in the box below! We’d love to hear what’s worked for you!