Sunday, April 7, 2019

DISHWASHER UPDATE


Springtime comes to the Valley (behind Methodist Church on Broadview, Lewiston)

The other day I saw Mike carrying the space heater from his office to storage. “Oh-oh,” I said to myself, and sure enough, the seasonable temps we had enjoyed suddenly dipped into cooler temps and early spring rains. This is Idaho, you know – or close enough – and it’s too soon to count on consistency. A cheery fire burns in the little stove this morning, sending welcome warmth into the house.

Followers may wonder if we ever replaced the problematic Kenmore / Whirlpool dishwasher. No – not yet. While I’ve moved beyond the disappointment of having purchased a lemon, Mike is still disgruntled.

Daffodils finally bloom
“Our first dishwasher was a portable,” said Mike, speaking of his growing-up years in Mississippi. “It would break, and Dad would fix it.”

I’m not sure Mike should compete with his dad on this issue. Times have changed. I really think the days of “dad fixing it” are about over, but whatever . . .

But the other issue in the back of my mind is that I’m not sure we can do better. I’ve read review after review about machine after machine, and there isn’t a model with consistently good reviews. I know – they say that mean people will sabotage product ratings by writing poor reviews for the fun of it, but having had a bad experience, I can relate to the problems reported, including: failure to clean dishes, trouble with mother board, poor customer service, delayed response (or no response) from repair service, costly repairs, and continued issues despite repair. It’s enough to make me think twice.

Daffodils -- and the promise of more blooms
So, Mike pulled the dishwasher out – again – and we checked it over. We identified nothing because we know nothing. We pushed it back, and then it wouldn’t come on at all, so we pulled it back out. Mike fiddled with connections again, and we just left it extended from the counter for a week while I continued to use it. If I tried long enough, I could eventually get it to run. Mike checked connections again, and when it would run consistently, he carefully pushed it back under the counter.

Meanwhile, it seems to run with a bit more vigor, but I still don’t trust it. I keep my soapy sponge at the sink and clean the dishes as I load them. I also examine them as I take them out.

And that’s where we are today. KW

6 comments:

Hallie said...

Well, if there's an electrical short, you could get a new wiring harness for $130, but with regard to the water pressure, I read that if it's a sump/motor assembly it's more feasible to replace the unit.

Chuck said...

Well, Hallie is the expert. She is undoubtedly right, as she is in most things.

Kathy said...

Replace the unit? You mean -- buy a new dishwasher? Someone told us that if your dishwasher is older than ten years, repair it. If it's less than ten years, buy a new one. That would seem to say there's a problem in the DW industry. I think it's a combination of electronics and the desire for a quieter machine. We paid about $500 for the dishwasher and then half that to have it repaired. I'm not for putting more money into it. I'll wash the dishes by hand first.

Hallie said...

That Uncle Chuck--he's got a good head on his shoulders. He really sees things my way. ;)

Chris said...

So sorry your saga continues. (I actually thought I'd commented on this post, but apparently not . . .)

Kathy said...

Hi Chris!
I thought you had commented, too. You said you keep telling Brunhilda you love her. Maybe it was in an email.