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Jinxed Myself By Talking Up My GE Cafe Dishwasher - Now It Won’t Run

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May 25, 2025, 01:53 PM
PASig
Jinxed Myself By Talking Up My GE Cafe Dishwasher - Now It Won’t Run
GE Cafe dishwasher installed in September 2022 has been trouble free until today.

I noticed last night it seemed like it was making a strange hum sound when it was running that did not sound quite right. Went to start it today and it will fill up, but it just will not run. It just sits there.

I flipped the breaker in an attempt to reset it but not working. Also took the lower washer arm assembly apart to check for clogs and everything looks OK.

When I hit the restart button on it, it will drain the sump so the drain pump seems to be working.

I’ll hit the start button and it will fill back up and then it just sits.

Do I have a bad washer motor? I think that’s what it’s called? All the controls seem to work, it’s got power and it will drain like I mentioned before.

Just will not run.

HELP!!!


May 25, 2025, 02:03 PM
4MUL8R
My dishwasher failure sounded just like yours.

The problem was a steel pin from a cheese grater jamming the pump impeller. Easy fix. Just have to remove the pump and open it up. Remove the debris. Reinstall.


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Trying to simplify my life...
May 25, 2025, 02:10 PM
Bytes
We have an LG and it had a ton of problems. Replacing the circuit board in the door fixed everything. I would suggest you start there. Good luck, I had a ton of fun figuring out a circuit board problem. FYI, YouTube is your friend on kitchen appliance issues.

LG = sucks IMHO
May 25, 2025, 05:29 PM
400m
My GE was 5 years old to the month. Twice I repaired it. Not doing it a third time. I installed the Bosch 500 series on Mother’s Day. Good riddance.
May 25, 2025, 06:59 PM
PASig
So I just pulled it out and there’s all this black dust on the right hand side, I guess that is a pretty good indication that my circulation pump is shot? I guess I should just go ahead and replace it?





May 25, 2025, 07:13 PM
400m
It’s cheaper than a new one for sure. I’d dig into it and find out for sure if the circulation pump is locked up.
May 26, 2025, 06:02 AM
gearhounds
A timely thread for me. Our over 20 year old dishwasher has suddenly stopped drying as the heating element ring seems to have quit. It’s not a HUGE disaster as opening soon after running allows residual heat to slowly evaporate the remaining moisture but I’d like it to do what it should. Is this something easy to figure out? I am loathe to buy new as they seem quite unreliable.




“Remember to get vaccinated or a vaccinated person might get sick from a virus they got vaccinated against because you’re not vaccinated.” - author unknown
May 26, 2025, 10:09 AM
4MUL8R
These devices are NOT complicated. YouTube and the big appliance parts online sellers have all you need -- info and replacement stuff.

A resistive heating element lasting 20 years is good. Replacing it could be two hours work?


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Trying to simplify my life...
May 26, 2025, 01:17 PM
PASig
quote:
Originally posted by 400m:
It’s cheaper than a new one for sure. I’d dig into it and find out for sure if the circulation pump is locked up.


I don’t like the look of all that dust, so I’m just going to replace that pump, it was $116 from Parts Doctor.

The drain hose looked a little brittle and yellowed as well, so I’m replacing that while I’m in there.

Kind of disappointing that I’m having to do this less than three years in, but the dishwasher does see heavy use, we make a lot of dishes with three young children. There are days where we are running 2 to 3 loads a day, every day.


May 31, 2025, 01:58 PM
PASig
Well, the circulation pump arrived, and I went to go install it today and it turned out to be a lot more involved than I thought, going by YouTube. I ended up having to disassemble the entire sump assembly, and then when that was out, I found out my sump seal was all rotted out and crumbling in my hands

The dishwasher is 2 years and 8 months old, WTH!

The only thing I can think of that cause this is just the heavy use plus, I have been using citric acid powder in the past year to clean the dishwasher periodically and maybe I was using too much or putting it in right there by the sump where it was getting in and sitting?

Now I’m paranoid about using that stuff.

So now I get to wait another couple of days for a new sump assembly to arrive because you just can’t buy a gasket, you have to buy the entire piece. Confused


May 31, 2025, 02:11 PM
ridewv
Sorry to hear this, you shouldn't be having to repair it already. Mine's 23 years old now and I've not done anything to it, although it doesn't run 2 times a day, more like once every other day. LOL now I've jinxed mine!


No car is as much fun to drive, as any motorcycle is to ride.