MDB8959SFH4 Dishwasher - Overview

Pulled dishwasher from under counter, attached link to spring, hooked spring back into frame/chassis, threaded link through pulleys, attached other end of link onto door, reinstalled dishwasher under counter. All's well. Note-I purchased an extra link anticipating that the other one will fail. They're cheap enough.

Caviat: The actual repair is less than 15 minutes, but I spent a lot of time playing with it before I figured out it was that easy and fast. You don't need to remove the dishwasher from the counter to do this. And it will probably help to look at the new part closely so you can understand where the retainer clip is to press it and release the old pump.

First remove the water from the dishwasher pan that would not drain with a wet/dry vac. Otherwise the water will all drain on the floor when you remove the pump. Then remove the two screws on the kickplate on the front of the unit below the door. Remove the kickplate/maintainence access cover. The drain pump is on the right about 8 inches in. Using two hands you grasp the drain pump with your right hand and use the left hand to push the retaining clip down. Then the drain pump will rotate 1/4 turn counterclockwise and can be removed without pulling the dishwasher out. There is likely to be some water leak out that was traped in the pump housing that you can not reach with the vac. Disconnect the wire. Connect the wire to the new pump, put it in place and 1/4 turn clockwise to install it. Replace the kickplate and you're done.

1. Open the dishwasher and remove the two plastic grommets about halfway down on either side of the opening. Then remove the two screws under the grommets.

2. Remove the kick plate under the door. May have to lower unit by turning the feet using the adjustable wrench.

3. Make sure you have enough slack in the water input line and electrical wiring that you can pull the dishwasher out about 12 inches or more.

4. There is a spring and nylon rope link on both sides of the unit. Probably just one link is broken, but the replacement comes with two, so you can replace both or save one as a spare. Look at the good side and it should be pretty self explanatory how it attaches. I found it easiest to first thread the link around the lower pulley, then attach the link to the spring, then spring to the rear support, then the link to the door.

5. Reverse (2 to 1) to reinstall the dishwasher.