MDB8959SFZ4 Maytag Dishwasher - Instructions

I basically used the instructions provided with the "Your Order Has Shipped: email from you. It was quite easy. Thank You!.

The rubber door seal was easy after watching the video. I key point however is that you do have to stretch the seal just a little bit. The video says not to. If you don't like I didn't originally, the seal will only extend from one side to the other without about an inch excess that folds on the bottom of each side. The door still leaked a little without the excess folded on each side. I did one side at a time and pulled out the new seal along the side before curving to the top, and just stretch it slightly to allow the excess. This stopped the leak.

The lower door seal was ok to do. The most important step there is to remember how the front door panel is installed. Taking pictures before and during removal may help. It is awkward to do by yourself, but can be done. I found that putting a balled-up towel at the top of the door helps when trying to reinstall the front panel.

Pull the old seal out and push the new seal in. Done. Easy. The only issue is the door is still leaking and I have to replace the seal and the plate that goes across the bottom of the door.

Order both this seal and the seal for the bottom of the door at the same time.

simply line up the new pin with the rectangular slot in the kick panel and metal panel behind, slide the pin in and turn it with a flat blade screw driver.
NOTE: the original pin was black. A black replacement part cost $29 plus shipping! A knock-off pin was only $6 plus shipping. I got the cheap one and colored it with a black Sharpee marker before installation.

1. Remove front of door with torx screws around inside top and sides of door.
2. Unclip and remove plug with two wires for dish soap solenoid. You may have to lie on your back or use a mirror to see the location of the small clip retaining the plug.
3. Unclip and remove dispenser module. Here's the rub: the clips used to retain the unit in the door panel of my dishwasher are tabs cut in the stainless steel cut-out and rolled back at a 90 degree angle to retain their springiness. They seat against the back edge of three plastic ridges along the top, bottom and one along each side of the dispenser module. The key is to remove the module without permanently bending these tabs, thereby losing their springiness and destroying their ability to clip tight against the new module to hold it in. I had some success slipping 3 pieces of flashing under the stainless tabs along the top and sides of the old module, allowing the plastic retaining ridges to ride under the tabs all together and move forward to disengage the clips without permanently bending the tabs.
4. Reassembly is just the reverse.

Removed the inner panel, remove electrical connection to dispenser, remove dispenser, metal tabs that hold it in, are a bit hard to pry metal tabs, and when installing net dispenser tabs are also a little difficult to pry tabs to install but doable. So far works like it should.

unplug, disconnect water, remove all screws holding the machine in the cabinet. slide out the machine to access the 4 bolts hold the rail. Have a prop to hold basket in place as you remove old rail> Plastic clips front and back, hold the basket to the rail. Be careful not to break, not include with the replacement rail. If you are not handy with tools and no insight...hire it done

Due to the way I installed the appliance originally it was not necessary to disconnect supply water nor the drain connections. When the cord broke the spring came out of the point of connection to the appliance. It some "finagelling" to reattach the spring.After some "select vocabulary" it hooked into the correct spot and the rest was history.

Initial inspection of the issue and research suggested the door latch was malfunctioning / broken. I bought the part and expressed it home. The installation involved removing the door screws on the inside of the door, separating the front and back panels, unplugging the door latch, removing it from its niche and popping in the new one. Reverse the take apart and it was done. Very simple swap. Hardest part was juggling the two halves of the door and preventing the door for trying to close in the process as the bulk of the weight is in the outside half of the door.

The new part did not fix the issue. The door strike was the next part that could be broken / malfunctioning. I ordered that part as well and replaced it. In the process of replacing it I found that the original door strike had been installed upside down. I am guessing it was installed at just the right pitch, or maybe even bent at the manufacturing facility, so that it latched. No idea how it managed two years like that. I installed the new one correctly and the door latches perfectly. Both parts I removed from the unit I will retain if my new parts should fail in the future.

removed kick panel with screwdriver, 90 degree turn of screw. Put towel under drain pump. Disconnect drain hose by loosening spring clip with pliers to provide access to pump. released spring clip on old motor while turning counterclockwise to separate pump from drain reservoir. inspect drain reservoir from inside machine to remove any foreign objects. Installed new pump by indexing attachment flanges to notches in reservoir and turning pump clockwise until locking tab makes audible click. reattach drain hose insuring hose is contacting "stop" ribs on drain hose pipe. Run wash cycle on machine to insure there are no leaks. Re-attached kick panel.

Float switch right in front. Did not remove dishwasher. Used small flat screwdriver to un clip cover. Very soft and easy. Unplug and it slides out.
Same with the water inlet. Did not remove and used a screwdriver and small channel locks. Turn off water. Remove hose and remove screw. Slides out. Very easy.

My husband did the repair. It was very easy. He basically just popped off the old wheels and popped on the new ones.

Pulled washer out far enough to put 2x4’s under front feet. Removed front panel, I clipped wire connector and unplugged it. Pushed plastic locking lever in and twisted unit counterclockwise. Wiped inner rim and reversed above procedure to assemble.

pulled the dishwasher out (took the most time-1 hour) and 30 min. to install new door balance kit and springs. Replace both sides while the unit was out.

Ordered a new pump (after a online diagnosis). Followed the instruction video on the website...also took the time to replace the discharge hose due to residue buildup...tested dishwasher (one cycle). Slide dishwasher back into opening....DONE. Works perfectly. THANKS