10 Reasons Your Whirlpool Dishwasher Not Spraying (+Fix)

A whirlpool dishwasher is among the best dishwashers that can make your life easy in case of washing dishes. It sprays the soapy water around the dishwasher and makes your dishes crystal clean. But it can suddenly stop working and stop spraying water inside the dishwasher.

If your Whirlpool dishwasher is not spraying water, there could be problems with the water supply, clogging of the circulation pump, a broken or clogged spray arm, or even a damaged or clogged water inlet valve. To fix the issue, you need to check each of these parts and clean or replace them.

In this article, I am going deep down into why your Whirlpool dishwasher is not spraying, and I will also discuss the solutions. So, keep reading.

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Why is my Whirlpool dishwasher not spraying?

Here I will share with you 10 common reasons why your Whirlpool dishwasher is not spraying.

1. Circulation pump issues

A circulation pump is one important component that helps spread water inside the dishwasher.

With the help of a pump motor and impeller, it pumps the soapy water inside the dishwasher and sprays it through the spray arms.

The circulation pump is located bottom side of the dishwasher, under the spray arm.

 But sometimes the circulation pump stops working and water stop spraying inside.

 There can be many reasons why the circulation pump stops working.

The first reason can be the circulation pump is blocked.

Sometimes food particles, debris, or hair particles move through the spraying water and get stuck into the circulation pump.

And it resists the movement of the circulation pump. 

The second reason may be that it becomes faulty after being used for a long time.

That’s why it’s not able to pump the water.

How to fix it?

To fix these issues, first, you should know what happened to the circulation pump.

For this, you should follow the direction below.

Before doing that, disconnect the dishwasher from the power supply.

  • First, you will need to remove the bottom dish rack, the bottom spray arm, and the part connected to the spray arm.
  • Once it is done, remove the filter and get access to the circulation pump, which is on the pump’s outer side.
  • Check the blades to see if they are moving smoothly without any resistance.
  • If not, you should check behind the pump blades and remove the clogged particles.
  • If you do not find any particles, then it may be the circulation pump has become faulty. You should then replace it with a new one.

2. Clogged spray arms

Spray arms are long narrow plastics that look like ”arms” that help in water spraying around the dishwasher and washing the dishes.

There can be two or three spray arms present in a dishwasher.

Mostly you can find one under the bottom dish rack and over the circulation pump.

It is long, and its length is the same as the dishwasher’s width.

There have small pores in the spray arm that help in spreading water inside the dishwasher.

But food particles, debris, and dirt can somehow occupy the pores and get stuck inside them.

And that can be one of the reasons why the dishwasher might not be spraying water.

And the other reason may be the spray arms are broken.

How to fix it?

You should access the bottom spray arm to check and resolve the issue. 

And to do this, you should follow the below steps.

  • The first step is to remove the dish racks and get access to the spray arm.
  • Once you get the spray arm, remove the bolts and screws and bring the arm outside the dishwasher.
  • Then clean the pores properly. If the pores are too clogged, or the spray arm is broken from overloading the dishwasher, you should replace it with a new one.
  • You must pull the lower spray arm and get it out of the dishwasher.
  • Now, get the new spray arm and push it down in place of the old one.
  • Once you hear a click sound, it means that the spray arm is attached. You can rotate it to check if it is working properly.
  • To get access to the upper one, remove the upper rack and remove the water supply hose.
  • Now, disconnect the spray arm and place the new one. Spin it to ensure it is working properly.

3. Overloaded dishwasher

Sometimes you overload the racks of the dishwasher to save water or electricity.

As you do it, the height of the dishes stops the spraying of water inside the dishwashers.

It blocks the holes and clogs up the holes of spray arms with food or dirt particles sticking on the plates or dishes.

And it can be one of the reasons why your Whirlpool dishwasher might not spray water.

How to fix it?

To fix the issue, ensure you are loading limited dishes as per the space inside the dishwasher.

Do not load too many dishes at once.

4. Water inlet valve issues

The water inlet valve is directly connected to the home water supply.

It controls the water flow into the dishwater.

The water inlet valve shuts and opens as needed to ensure sufficient water availability.

The valve also restricts the overflowing or flooding of water into the dishwasher.

You should check the water inlet valve once if your Whirlpool dishwasher is not spraying water.

As the water inlet valve is connected to the hose pipe or the home water supply, it can get clogged with food particles, debris, or any other particle contaminated with the home water.

And day by day, more particles add to it, becoming dense, and finally, it stops water from flowing.

And the other reason might be that your water inlet valve is burned out from overusing or short circuits.

How to fix it?

  • Disconnect the dishwasher from the power and water supply.
  • Remove the outer and inner control panels.
  • Then remove the bottom access panel by removing the screws in it.
  • Once done, you can find the water inlet valve is connected to the hose of the home water supply.
  • Disconnect the water supply line from the water inlet valve and also remove the screws that hold the water inlet valve.
  • Pull the water inlet valve and disconnect the wires.
  • Remove the round brass ring and clean the valve.
  • Check if you smell burns or can see the smoke. If it smells, congrats, you have to replace it with a new one.

5. Water supply valve issues

The water supply valve is the main component that controls the flow of water from your home’s tank to the dishwasher.

If the dishwasher is powered on and you can hear the sound of the machine but not any water sound, then you should check your home’s water supply valve instead of the machine.

There have many reasons why your water supply valve is not working.

First, the valve may be turned off or not set properly.

Second, the valve is clogged, and the pressure needs to be set properly, or it may leak.

How to fix it?

To fix the issue, observe the water supply valve closely.

To do that, you can follow the below steps.

  • The first thing you should check is if the water supply valve is leaking or not. If yes, you should tighten the nut of the water supply valve. To do this, you need just a wrench.
  • After tightening the valve, if it is still leaking, you should replace the water supply valve with a new one.
  • To replace the water supply valve, you first have to shut off your home’s main water supply line.
  • Then, lose the screws using a wrench and rotate the water supply assembly 3-4 times.
  • Once it loses, pull off the assembly.
  • Next, unscrew the nut using the same wrench.
  • You can install the new valve by replacing it with the old one.
  • When you pull out the old water supply valve, check if there are any particles clogged inside the valve.
  • If you find any particles and dirt, clean them.
  • The next step is setting the valve with the proper pressure, so water can flow inside the dishwasher easily.

6. Wash Impeller issues

The wash impeller forces the water so that it sprays through the spray arm inside the dishwasher and can clean the dishes.

There are two impellers in the dishwasher, one is the drain impeller, and the other is the wash impeller.

The drain impeller is located at the bottom of the dishwasher, while the wash impeller is under the tub.

The drain impeller drains water through the pipe into the drain line.

And the wash impeller pumps the soapy water inside the dishwasher to clean the dishes.

If the wash impeller is damaged or clogged, it stops working and won’t spray water into the dishwasher.

How to fix it?

To fix the wash impeller, you should follow the steps:

  • First, make sure you disconnect the power supply line and water supply line.
  • Then remove the racks.
  • Once done, remove the spray arm and filters one by one.
  • Then unthread the pump cover.
  • Now you can access the circulation pump, and near the pump, you can find the wash impeller.
  • Once it is accessed, check if there have any clogs inside the impeller and clean it.
  • After cleaning, if it is still not working, you may damage the impeller from long use.

Then you should replace the impeller and install a new one.

7. Clogged chopper blade

The chopper blade is a multitasker component that helps wash the dishes, spray water, and chop the food particles and debris into small parts that can move easily outside the dishwasher.

But if the chopper blade clogs, it stops working, and it can cause your dishwasher not to spray.

How to fix it?

To fix the issues, you should follow the steps.

Before starting, make sure you turn off the power supply.

  • First, remove all the dish racks.
  • Remove the bottom spray arm.
  • Now unscrew the cover under the spray arm and filter assembly and remove it.
  • Then remove the foreign object protector.
  • Remove the pump inlet protector.
  • Now you will get access to the chopper blade.
  • Check if any food particles or dirt are clogged on it and clean it.
  • If you smell any burn, it is a sign that the blade is damaged.
  • Using a screw to pull out the sharp chopper assembly to replace the blade.
  • Now install a new food chopper assembly there based on the dishwasher model.

8. Float switch problem

The float switch is located at the bottom of the dishwasher tub.

It helps to prevent the overflow of water inside the dishwasher.

The float switch will turn off when the water overflows inside the dishwasher and stop the water flow.

That is how it works.

But what happens if the float switch doesn’t work properly?

What happens if it becomes faulty?

If there is no water left in the dishwasher, then the float switch assumes that it is flooded and the switch is off, and that’s why water spraying stops.

How to fix it?

There is no other easy fix than replacing the float switch.

Make sure you disconnect the electricity before following the steps.

  • Open the dishwasher door.
  • Remove all the screws using a screwdriver.
  • Now pull the outerdoor pannel.
  • Remove the screws of the access panel and pull it outside.
  • Once it is done, remove the left locking tab on the float switch and open the left side cover.
  • Then disconnect all the wires.
  • The next step, remove the left locking tab and open the left side.
  • Remove the old float switch and install a new one inside it.
  • Reassemble all the parts and try using the dishwasher.

9. Controller board not working properly

The electronic control board manages the dishwasher’s working like washing, drying, and draining.

But somehow, the controller board can be damaged, which can delay the cycle, and the dishwasher can stop spraying.

How to fix it?

For this, you should replace the controller board with a new one.

To do this, you can follow these steps.

  • The first and most important step is disconnecting the electricity from the dishwasher.
  • Open the dishwasher door.
  • Use the screwdriver to remove all the screws.
  • Now pull out the control board panel with the outer door panel.
  • Disconnect all the wires from the controller board.
  • Now pull out the controller board outside the dishwasher and replace it with another new controller board.
  • Reassemble the parts and check if the issue is fixed.

10. Damaged pump motor

If you have already checked all the previous reasons and fixed them and still the dishwasher is not working, it can be the problem with the motor pump.

The motor pump is the engine of the dishwasher.

The entire dishwasher works with the help of the motor.

The motor pump helps the controller pump rotate and spray the water inside the dishwasher.

But if the motor pump gets clogged or stops working, the water will not spray inside the dishwasher.

The motor pump is located at the bottom of the dishwasher and connected to the circulation pump.

How to fix it?

To fix this issue, you should access the motor.

  • Firstly you should disconnect the power and water supply of the dishwasher.
  • Next, you should open the window of the dishwasher and remove the upper and bottom dish racks.
  • Once done, remove the bottom spray arm, upper spray tool, and the two filters.
  • Now remove the bottom access panel.
  • Once it is done, disconnect the water supply line from the water inlet valve. And also, disconnect the wires.
  • Now rotate the water inlet valve and remove it.
  • Now push the pump and the motor up to release it from the dishwasher.
  • Now go inside the dishwasher and disconnect the wires from the circulation pump assembly. Now bring it outside.
  • Check the circulation pump motor assembly to see if anything gets stuck into the pump motor. If you do not find anything, it can signify a damaged motor.
  • Now you should replace it. You can replace it on your own or call a technician.

Final words

This article has all the possible reasons why your Whirlpool dishwasher might not spray water. Inspect the dishwasher thoroughly and find out the exact problem so you can fix it.

Ensure you disconnect the power supply whenever you check the dishwasher for safety. And I suggest you clean your dishwasher once a month. And if you can not resolve the problem with the dishwasher on your own, seek professional help.

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Reference: Whirlpool Dishwasher manual.

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Jeniffer Smith

Hi, I am Jeniffer Smith, a housemaker and blogger, and I grew up in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. I have been researching and fixing appliances and other things around the home and kitchen from a young age to help my single mother. Every time something went wrong, I couldn't rest until I fixed it. And ever since, I have enjoyed fixing things around my home, and I am always ready to help my friends and family with advice and hands-on help. Since we were always looking for affordable ways of fixing things, we rarely hired experts and tried to fix most things ourselves. That interest brought me to write for this blog, as I realized my knowledge could help many people trying to fix things around their homes on their own without spending hundreds of dollars.

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