KitchenAid dishwashers are built on Whirlpool's global platform — KDTM, KDPE, KDTE, KDFE, and KDTE700 series. The chopper-blade drain pump is the platform signature: it grinds food instead of using a manual filter, which is great until a label or twist-tie wraps the blade and stops drain flow. Part of our full KitchenAid appliance repair coverage and our Twin Cities dishwasher repair service.
Same-day windows
Call before 2pm weekdays.
OEM KitchenAid parts
Pumps, sensors, control boards stocked.
1-year warranty
Parts and labor in writing.
$149 trip fee
Fully waived with repair.
Quick answer
Most KitchenAid dishwasher repairs run $185–$465 all-in. The flat $149 trip fee is waived when you approve the repair. The most-common KitchenAid failure is a clogged chopper / sump assembly causing standing water at the bottom — diagnosed and cleared on the first visit. Door-latch and control-board failures cluster at year 6–9 on KDTM and KDTE units.
KitchenAid dishwasher failures
Most common cause: Clogged chopper blade or sump filter on KDTM / KDPE / KDTE units (label, twist-tie wire, or fibrous food wrapped on the chopper), or a failed drain pump motor on units past year 5–8 with hard water.
What we do: Pull and clean the chopper + sump filter. Test drain-pump motor for current draw; replace with OEM if confirmed failed. Verify two drain cycles before closing.
$185–$345 all-in
Most common cause: Failed door-latch microswitch (most common at year 6+), broken touch-panel ribbon, or a main control board that's lost the wake-from-sleep cycle.
What we do: Test latch switch continuity, inspect ribbon for steam damage, replace OEM latch assembly or touch panel as found. Main board only when latch and panel both test good.
$215–$385 all-in
Most common cause: Worn wash-pump impeller, plugged spray-arm jets from hard-water scale, or a stuck diverter motor that won't shift between upper and lower spray.
What we do: Inspect spray-arm jets and de-scale, test diverter motor for rotation, replace OEM diverter or wash pump as indicated.
$285–$485 all-in
Most common cause: Worn door gasket (the L-shaped tub-edge seal), failed sump grommet at the heating-element pass-through, or a cracked overflow at the soap dispenser.
What we do: Dye-test the leak path, replace OEM gasket / grommet / dispenser as found, verify two cycles dry.
$215–$365 all-in
Most common cause: 6-4 is a flood / overfill, 8-1 / 8-2 are touchpad communication faults, 9-2 is a wash-motor fault. All point to specific components — we read the diagnostic mode before quoting.
What we do: Run the KitchenAid service-diagnostic cycle, read stored fault, replace the OEM component (float, touch panel, wash motor) called out by the code.
$245–$465 all-in
Error codes
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 6-1 | Cycle power-up fault — control board |
| 6-4 | Float switch / overfill — float assembly |
| 8-1 | Touch panel communication fault |
| 8-2 | Touch panel stuck button |
| 9-1 / 9-2 | Wash-motor / drain-motor fault |
| 10-1 | Heater open or heater-relay fault |
| 10-3 | Drying fan fault on heat-pump units |
Coverage
We dispatch from the Twin Cities daily — same flat $149 trip fee across every city we serve.
FAQs
Most often it's a clogged chopper / filter assembly on the KDTM / KDPE / KDTE platform — a label, twist-tie wire, or fibrous food has wrapped the chopper. On older units (year 5+ with hard water) it's a failed drain pump motor. Both are single-visit fixes at $185–$345 all-in. We diagnose which one before quoting.
Most KitchenAid dishwasher repairs are $185–$485 all-in (parts + labor + the $149 trip fee, which is credited to the repair). Chopper / drain cleaning $185–$245, drain pump $245–$345, door-latch / touch-panel $215–$385, wash pump / diverter $285–$485, gasket / leak repair $215–$365.
Almost always yes. KDTM, KDPE, and KDTE built-in dishwashers run $900–$1,500 to replace and another $200–$400 installed. Parts availability on the Whirlpool global platform runs through year 12 minimum. A $215–$485 repair extends life 5+ years easily.
Mostly yes — KitchenAid dishwashers ARE Whirlpool's premium-trim build on the same global platform. Chopper assemblies, drain pumps, wash pumps, diverters, heating elements, and door latches cross-reference. Touch panels and door trim are KitchenAid-specific.
Yes — chopper assemblies, drain pumps, wash pumps, diverter motors, door-latch switch assemblies, touch panels, door gaskets, sump grommets, heating elements, and main control boards are stocked across KDTM, KDPE, KDTE, KDFE, and KDTE700 models.
Yes — every KitchenAid repair includes a 1-year written parts-and-labor warranty. If the same failure returns within 12 months we come back free.
