How to Repair a Noisy Frigidaire Dishwasher

Alex HDishwasher Repair

Your dishwasher makes an assortment of noises, such as, the sound of water rushing through the inlet valve and the hum of the motors running. However, when those noises are replaced by an odd whining or grinding sound your Frigidaire dishwasher model FGCD2444SA is telling you a component is no longer functioning properly. While there are a number of potential malfunctions that cause a dishwasher to make loud and unusual noises, the two most common issues are listed below with a step-by-step repair guide to help you repair the problem.

Before starting any of the repairs listed below, unplug your dishwasher and turn off the water running to the appliance. During the repair you’ll encounter sharp objects, which is why work gloves and safety goggles should be worn as you replace the malfunctioning parts.

Circulation Pump

The circulation pump in your dishwasher pushes water through your appliance’s spray arms. A malfunctioning pump can cause your dishwasher to exhibit a variety of symptoms; one being an unpleasant whining noise. If you believe the circulation pump is the reason your dishwasher is emitting abnormal sounds, the part will need to be replaced.

How to Replace the Circulation Pump in Your Frigidaire Dishwasher

  1. Before you can access the circulation pump, you’ll need to remove the dishwasher from underneath your kitchen cabinet. To do so, open the dishwasher door, and pull out the bottom dish rack. Then, unthread the screws at the top of your dishwasher that secure the appliance to the counter. Open the cabinet door that leads to your sink, and disconnect the dishwasher drain line and fill line. Some water may spill out of both lines, so have a towel nearby to wipe up any puddles. Now head back to your dishwasher, and pull the appliance forward. Once your dishwasher is free of the kitchen cabinet, slowly tilt it backwards and lay it on its rear panel.
  2. With the dishwasher laying on its back, you can now remove the circulation pump from the bottom of the appliance. Start by unthreading the two screws that secure the retaining bracket to the pump. Then, pull the bracket off the part. Next, disconnect the wire harness that runs to the top of the circulation pump. Now that the bracket and wire harness are detached, you can pull the circulation pump off the dishwasher.
  3. The new circulation pump comes with two O-rings. The larger ring fits into the top groove near the bottom of the pump, and the small ring fits into the lower groove. After you’ve attached both O-rings, head over to your dishwasher, and clean out any gunk that has accumulated in the circulation pump housing. Once the area is gunk free, push the pump into the housing and reattach the mounting bracket to hold the component in place. Then, reconnect the wire harness to the top of the circulation pump.
  4. Now that the new circulation pump is installed, you can put the dishwasher back under your kitchen cabinet. First, carefully stand the appliance up. Then, slide the dishwasher back a few feet, so it is closer to the opening underneath your counter. Next, push the drain line and the fill line through the holes in the cabinet’s side wall. Once the lines are through the opening, push the dishwasher halfway under the counter, and then go underneath your sink to reattach the fill line and the pump line. After both lines are secure, finish sliding your dishwasher under your counter. Finally, reinsert the bottom dish rack and secure the dishwasher to your cabinet with the two screws you removed earlier.
  5. Plug-in your appliance, and turn the water running to it back on. To ensure the noise has stopped, run a wash cycle while your dishwasher remains empty.

Drain Pump

As the name implies, the drain pump in your dishwasher pushes water out of your appliance and through a drain hose. If the part begins to malfunction, it can start making unusual sounds as it moves waste water out of your dishwasher. To stop the noise, you’ll need to replace the faulty drain pump.

How to Replace a Drain Pump in a Frigidaire Dishwasher

  1. To remove your dishwasher from underneath your kitchen cabinet, follow step number one, which is provided in the above repair guide. However, instead of laying the appliance on its back, this time lay it on its side panel to easily access the drain pump on the bottom of the dishwasher.
  2. Once you’ve gained access to the drain pump, disconnect the two wires running to the pump terminals. Then, with a towel placed directly under the pump, unthread the screws securing the component to the dishwasher. With the screws removed, pull the drain pump out of the pump housing.
  3. Before installing the new drain pump, clean out any debris you find in the pump housing. After the area is spotless, insert the motor end of the drain pump into the pump housing. Then, secure the component by rethreading the screws you removed. Once you’re sure the drain pump is properly installed, reconnect the two wires to the pump terminals.
  4. With the new part in place, lift your dishwasher back up and slide it closer to your counter, Then, run the fill line and drain line back under your sink. Next, push your dishwasher a little further under your cabinet, so you can reconnect the drain line and fill line to the air gap and hot water valve. After both lines are firmly connected, you can slide the dishwasher all the way under your counter top.
  5. To finish off your repair, plug-in your appliance and turn the water back on.

Other Potential Malfunctions

  • A defective water inlet valve can lead to your dishwasher making an unpleasant buzzing or vibrating noise as it fills with water. Unfortunately, the cause of this issue is simply old age, which leads to the diaphragm in the inlet valve to become misshapen.
  • The wash impeller is part of the circulation pump. It helps push water through the dishwasher spray arms. Oftentimes, the blades on the impeller can warp, which leads to them scraping against other components in the circulation pump. Luckily, in most dishwashers, you can replace the wash impeller without needing to replace the entire circulation pump.

If your dishwasher is unusually loud, and you’re not sure what’s causing the noise, please contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our highly trained appliance repair technicians.

How to Replace Your Whirlpool Refrigerator’s Water Tank and Filter Head Assembly

Alex HRefrigerator Repair

If you have a leak in the inside of your Whirlpool refrigerator, the water tank and filter head assembly could be at fault. This is the part that connects the water supply line behind your refrigerator to the filter and then to the inlet valve. If you live in an area with hard water, buildup can clog or crack through the tubing. Replace the assembly by ordering part #WP12956202. Then follow these steps to do the job yourself.

1. Unplug the refrigerator and turn off the water supply.

Any time you repair an appliance, unplug the machine first. Because you’re replacing part of the water system, turn off the water supply at the local shut-off valve behind the fridge, too. You’re even going to be replacing the part that connects directly to the supply line. So disconnect the supply line from the water inlet valve at the base of the refrigerator while you’re behind the appliance.

2. Dismantle the refrigerator interior.

The assembly is mostly inside of the refrigerator, so you have to dismantle some of the inner paneling.

To get started, open the doors and remove the right side’s shelving.  Just pull up to remove the hooks from the rear brackets and then pull them out.

Next, locate the water filter cover at the top of the refrigerator. Press down the tab to open the covers. Turn the filter counterclockwise and fully remove it. Press the back of the cover panel free of the hinge pin and then pull the whole cover panel out of the refrigerator. Set it aside.

Next, you will be removing the interior access panel in the middle of the right back paneling inside the refrigerator. This is the panel with the four small holes around the perimeter. To remove it, insert a flathead screwdriver into each of the holes to depress the locking tabs. For the top two holes, press in towards the opposite hole. For the two lower holes, press the screwdriver down to disengage the tabs. Tilt the panel down and wiggle the bottom free from its mounting tabs. Set the panel aside.

After that, remove the upper access panel. All you have to do is insert your screwdriver into the central hole along the bottom and disengage the locking tab by pushing it up. Then just pull the panel out and set it aside.

Now you have access to the water tank at the back of the refrigerator’s interior, as well as the filter head running up the back and into the ceiling.

3. Remove the old water tank and filter head.

The water tank may still have water in it. Before you start removing it, set a towel at the bottom of the refrigerator to catch any leaks. Then start to remove the old parts.

First, loosen the housing that holds the filter head at the ceiling. Do this by prying open the mounting tabs toward the front of the housing and then rocking the back of the housing free until the housing is supported only by the lines running up to the filter head.

Next, press down the tabs at the top of the blue water inlet valve so you can pull the small tube free from the top. Once it’s free, you can remove the transparent support housing around the tube.  Also, pull the water line to the left out of the mounting tabs. Then separate the housing bracket completely from around the filter head and set the housing aside.

Move to the rear of the refrigerator and locate the water inlet tube that you disconnected at the start of the repair. Loosen the screw that holds the tube in place. Push it down and remove the plastic retaining clip from around the tube. Then remove all the screws holding the lower rear access panel in place. Set the panel aside.

Return to the front of the refrigerator. Start removing the columns of the water tank from the retainer clips. Once they’re all down, carefully pull the water inlet tube into the body of the refrigerator. 

4. Install the new water tank and filter head.

Push the inlet tube into the hole at the bottom of the refrigerator. Feed as much of the length through the hole as possible.

Next, align the new water tank in the back of the refrigerator so the inlet tube is to the right. Press the columns of the water tank into the retaining clips until you hear them click and engage. You may have to do one column at a time to make sure everything fits properly. Return to the rear of the refrigerator. Remove the protective cover at the end of the new inlet tube. Then put the old plastic retainer clip on the new tube.

Reattach the rear access panel. Slip the water inlet tube through the bottom cutout and the power cord through the top cutout so nothing gets pinched. Then secure the panel with the screws around the perimeter.

After that, attach the water inlet’s retaining clip to the middle of the panel and attach the inlet tube itself to the water supply line.

Go back to the front of the refrigerator.

Now you can install the new filter head attached to the water tank. Take the transport tube support from the old assembly and attach it to the filter head’s inlet tube. Also, attach the filter housing to the filter head. It should snap into place around the arms at the top of the filter head.

After that, reattach the water tube to the inlet valve. Pry the blue valve slightly forward so you have more room. Then push the tube firmly into the valve. It should go all the way in until you reach the wider portion of the tube. Then push the valve back into place.

Fit the longer water line into the groove along the left side of the cavity. Once the tubes are in place, attach the new filter head to the top of the refrigerator. Line up the back of the filter head assembly into the rear of the cavity and then press the cylindrical housing into place. You should be able to hear all of the locking tabs engage.

4. Reassemble the refrigerator interior. 

Start by reattaching the upper inner access panel. Hook the top of the panel over the arms near the filter head assembly. Then swing the panel until its flush with the pack of the refrigerator. Press it firmly into place. Next, install the lower cover. Slip the bottom of the panel into the groove, and then press the rest of the panel flush with the back of the refrigerator until the locking tabs engage.

After that, install the water filter housing cover. there is a hinge pin on either side of the filter head housing. Slide the matching hole of the hinge at the back of the water filter cover over one arm. Then slightly stretch the other side of the cover to reach around and grab the hinge arm on the other side. Be careful that you don’t crack the plastic. Before you reattach the water filter, twist and remove the bypass cap inside the filter head. Twist the water filter into the new filter head clockwise. Then snap the water filter cover shut. Reinstall the shelves, shut the doors, and plug the refrigerator in.

Also, turn the water supply back on. If you have more appliances you want to repair, browse our repair guides or contact our team at Fred’s Appliance Service.

How to Disassemble a KitchenAid Double Wall Oven

Alex HOven Repair

The KitchenAid double wall oven, model # KODE500ESS, is the oven discussed in the following article. It is a 30-inch, convection oven designed to evenly bake your favorite bread, desserts, roasts, casseroles or whatever else your heart fancies. If you own one of these ovens or are considering purchasing one, it would be helpful to know a few things about the relative ease it takes to maintain and repair. Why would anyone want to know how to take apart any oven let alone a double wall oven? There may come a time when a sensor, thermostat, or heating element fails to function, and it would be beneficial to know how to disassemble the oven in order to access any part that needs to be removed and replaced.

How to Perform this Procedure Safely

Throughout this article, you will find caution alerts signaling you to be careful as you proceed. A part may be heavy, fragile, or comprise unseen sharp objects.Before you begin any appliance repair project, please remember to unplug the appliance from its power source or shut off the breakers that control the oven.

How to Remove Either Oven Door

Many people are surprised at how heavy the oven door is so be careful as you attempt to remove it from its hinges.

  • Completely open the oven door.
  • Rotate both door hinge locks toward the oven. This will release the door hinges from the oven, so you can remove it.
  • Close the door to a 45-degree angle, grab each side of the door and pull it toward you to remove.
  • Set the oven door handle side down on a protective blanket or some other soft surface.

How to Access the Broil Element and Oven Sensors

  • Be careful to avoid sharp edges when removing and replacing heating elements and oven sensors.
  • Remove all oven racks to gain clear access to the rear of the oven.
  • Use a ¼ inch nut driver to remove the screws from the bracket that holds the heating element to the rear of the oven.
  • Remove the two screws that hold the upper heat shield in place.
  • Carefully pull the heating element away from the back of the oven and disconnect each wire from its connector.
  • Remember to connect heating element wires are completely connected to their accompanying terminals.
  • Realign the broil element and its shield by inserting the oven sensor through the large hole located in the element bracket.
  • Realign the smaller front shield and fasten in place with the two screws you removed.
  • Replace the rear bracket screws.
  • With the ¼ inch nut driver remove the screws that hold the oven sensor bracket in place.
  • Gently pull the sensor toward you until you see its wire connector. Avoid allowing the wire to slip through the rear panel or you’ll be pulling the double oven out of its cabinet just to correct this mishap.
  • Disconnect the wire connector.
  • When installing a new sensor, remember to connect the wires to their connector first.
  • Feed the wire through the rear panel and secure the sensor bracket with its screws.
  • After reconnecting the element and sensor, replace the oven racks.

How to Disassemble the Oven Door

One of the main reasons you would disassemble the oven door is to replace damaged door hinges.

  • Use a Philips screwdriver to remove four screws that secure the inner door frame to the outer door assembly.
  • Remove the frame and be careful of sharp edges.
  • If you are replacing a door hinge lift the window pack from the outer door assembly. Remove two screws that secure the hinge as well as the middle screws that hold the window pack bracket.
  • With the screws removed, slide the old hinge assembly out.
  • Install the new door hinge by sliding the assembly into the outer door frame.
  • Replace the screws and tighten.
  • Reassemble the door by placing the window pack in the outer door assembly. Be mindful to ensure the engraved notations are visible.
  • Realign the inner door frame on the outer door assembly.
  • Replace and tighten the four screws on the door assembly with the shorter screws going into the bottom of the frame.
  • Reinstall the door by sliding the door hinges into their designated hinge slots at a 45-degree angle.
  • Lower the door to its fully open position and rotate the hinge locks forward.

How to Remove and Replace a Damaged Control Panel

For some reason one or more components are not functioning properly. After performing some basic tests, you’ve decided that the control panel is damaged and must be replaced. Follow along to learn how to access and replace a broken control panel.

  • Remove the four screws, two on each side, that hold the oven frame to the cabinet.
  • You will need an extra pair of hands to help you slide the oven about 4 inches out from its cabinet.
  • With a ¼ inch nut driver remove the two screws, one on each side, to remove the control panel mounting brackets.
  • Remove the four screws that secure the panel assembly.
  • Lift the control panel up to remove, careful of sharp edges.
  • Disconnect the communication wire and ground wire from the control panel.
  • Install the new control panel by connecting the communication wire and ground wire to the user interface board.
  • Align the control panel to the frame and replace the four screws that secure the panel to the mounting bracket.
  • Realign the mounting bracket and secure with its two screws.
  • Slide the oven back into its cabinet.
  • Ensure the side trim pieces are in place and secure the oven frame to the cabinet.

How to Access the Upper and Lower Thermostat and the Cooling Fan

One of the signs that your oven has a blown or damaged thermostat is the oven is not heating correctly. Unfortunately, the entire double oven must be removed to access the thermostat.

  • Remove both oven doors in the manner discussed above.
  • Remove the bottom vent and remove the oven racks.
  • Remove the wall frame.

Now you are ready to remove the entire oven but find someone to help you because you will have a difficult time removing it by yourself.

  • Remove the entire oven from the cabinet and set it on a piece of cardboard, old carpet, blanket so your floor is protected.
  • Use a ¼ inch nut driver to remove the both rear access panels being careful to avoid any sharp edges.
  • In order to access the lower thermostat, remove the cooling fan blower first.
  • Remove the blower fan access panel and disconnect the baking element wires.
  • Disconnect the power cable from the blower fan assembly, remove the fan assembly and set aside.
  • Use a ¼ inch box wrench to remove the bracket screws holding the thermostat in place.
  • Use a piece of tape to help indicate the thermostat wire orientation. It does matter which wire goes to which terminal.
  • Attach the wires to the new thermostat and place it where the old thermostat was located. Tighten the thermostat in place with the screws you removed.
  • Reposition the cooling blower fan assembly on its brackets and tighten it down with its screws.
  • Reconnect its power wire.
  • Button up the access plate.
  • Remember to reconnect the bake element wires.
  • Replace the rear access panel.
  • Get someone to help you lift and slide the double oven back into its cabinet.
  • Button up the frame with the screws you removed.

Please note that you must access the rear panels if you want to replace a heating element, thermostat, or cooling blower fan assembly. If you are having any other problems with your double wall oven, you may need the assistance of a professional appliance repair company.

How to Repair a Noisy GE Microwave

Alex HMicrowave Repair

Nothing beats the convenience of warming or cooking your food in a microwave, especially when your day is jam-packed with work and family. Unfortunately, after years of use, your GE microwave model JNM1541DPWW can start emitting loud and concerning sounds. If a humming, grinding, or whining noise is coming from your appliance, the repair guide provided below can help you pinpoint and replace the malfunctioning component.

Discharging the High Voltage Capacitor

Warning: Microwaves maintain a large amount of electricity after they are unplugged. Which is why, replacing internal components without the proper training is extremely dangerous. If you are not a professional appliance repair technician, please contact one to perform internal repairs.

Your microwave is equipped with a high voltage capacitor, which makes the appliance capable of shocking you even after you have unplugged it. The high voltage capacitor stores large amounts of electricity and must be discharged before you attempt to repair your appliance. If you do not feel comfortable performing this task, or you do not have adequate experience, we recommend hiring a trained appliance repair technician to repair your microwave. However, if you do plan on discharging the high voltage capacitor, the steps below will help you.

  1. Before starting, make sure you are wearing work gloves and safety goggles. Unplug your microwave, and if it’s mounted to your cabinetry and wall, uninstall it and place it on a flat surface. Then, open the microwave door, and take out the microwave’s glass tray and support.
  2. Using a Phillips screwdriver, unthread the mounting screws holding the grill to the microwave. Then, slide the grill over and lift it up and off your appliance.
  3. Carefully lay your microwave on its rear panel, and unthread the screws attached to the appliance’s bottom panel. Then, disconnect the wire harness and pull the panel off your microwave.
  4. Next, stand your microwave back up, and remove all the screws securing the microwave cabinet to the appliance. Once the screws are out, take the cabinet off the microwave.
  5. Now locate the high voltage capacitor. To discharge the capacitor, use an insulated pair of needle nose pliers. Touch the metal ends of the pliers to the capacitor’s terminals at the same time. Make sure you do not touch the metal on the pliers with your hands. When the metal touches the terminals you will hear a loud pop. Continue to hold the pliers in place for a few seconds. You may want to perform this task a couple of times to ensure the high voltage capacitor is fully discharged before you move on to repairing your microwave.

The Magnetron

All microwaves are equipped with a magnetron. The magnetron generates the microwave frequency, which in turn creates the heat that warms or cooks your food. A properly functioning magnetron emits a low hum during operation. When the magnetron is failing that hum can turn into a high pitched hum or a growling sound. If the magnetron in your microwave is faulty, it will need to be replaced. However, if you do not have experience working on a microwave’s internal components, we suggest hiring a trained repair technician to complete the job.

How to Replace the Magnetron in Your GE Microwave

  1. Once you have followed the directions above and discharged the high voltage capacitor, you can locate the magnetron and start the replacement process. To do so, first, disconnect the wires running to the magnetron. Then, unthread the mounting screws securing the component to the inside of the microwave. Next, pull the magnetron out of the microwave slightly, and detach the wires running to the thermal protector. Now you can completely remove the failing magnetron from your appliance.
  2. Before you can install the new magnetron, you need to take the thermal protector off the old component. Once the thermal protector is no longer attached to the defective part, retrieve the new magnetron and attach the thermal protector to it.
  3. Now you can install the new magnetron. Begin by reconnecting the wires to the thermal protector. Then, align the magnetron with its mounting bracket, and rethread the screws that hold the part in place. Lastly, reattach the wire connector that runs to the component.
  4. With the new magnetron in place, you can start reassembling your microwave. First, reattach the microwave cabinet and secure it with all the screws you took out earlier. Next, lay the microwave down and reinstall the bottom panel. Don’t forget to reconnect the wire harness you disconnected during the disassembly process. Once the bottom panel is reattached, stand your microwave back up, and reconnect the appliance’s grill. Then, open the microwave door, and replace the glass tray and support.
  5. After you are done reassembling your microwave, you can reattach the appliance to the mounting brackets on your wall and cabinet.

The Drive Motor

Your microwave’s drive motor rotates the appliance’s glass tray. If you hear a grinding noise as the tray is turning, a failing drive motor is most likely the problem. The only way to get rid of that annoying noise is by switching out the faulty drive motor for a new one.

How to Replace the Drive Motor in Your GE Microwave

  1. For this repair you do not need to discharge your microwave’s high voltage capacitor, but you still must unplug your appliance before you begin the replacement process.
  2. Once your appliance is no longer plugged in, use a Phillips screwdriver to unthread the screws securing the bottom panel to the microwave. Then, lower the bottom panel and allow it to hang from the back of the appliance.
  3. Detach the wire harness running to the motor and take out the screw holding the drive motor to the bottom of the microwave. Once the screw is loose, rotate the motor clockwise and pull it off the drive coupler.
  4. Grab your new drive motor and push the shaft into the opening in the drive coupler. Rotate the component counterclockwise to slide the tabs on each side of the motor into the slots on the bottom of the microwave. Then, rethread the mounting screw to secure the part, and reconnect the motor wire harness.
  5. Close the bottom panel and reinstall the screws you removed earlier.
  6. Plug your microwave back in and warm up some food to ensure the repair got rid of the grinding noise plaguing your appliance.

While the magnetron and the drive motor are two of the more common causes of a loud microwave, there are other faulty components that can lead to the same symptoms. If you’re not sure what part is malfunctioning in your microwave, please contact us today and one of our highly trained appliance repair technicians will be happy to diagnose and repair the unusual sound coming from your microwave.