Having trouble closing your dishwasher door? Or is a flashing light puzzling you? Let's see what's going on.

Door won't close

Are protruding utensils or small items in the way? If not, it may be food particles along the door seal that are preventing the door from sealing properly.

If the door still won't close, here are a few more possible causes.

Door spring tension
The door spring tension should be tested before the dishwasher is installed. You can do this by having someone else hold the dishwasher (so it doesn't tip over) while you open and close the door a few times. If the door closes or falls open under its own weight, the door tension needs to be adjusted.

How you adjust this depends on the material of the tub, stainless steel or plastic.

Dishwasher is not level
Make sure your dishwasher is level. The leveling legs should support it, and the rear wheels should be flat on the floor. It should also be square in the cabinet. If it's not, the door won't seal properly.

Detergent and rinse aid dispenser issues

Detergent remains in the dispenser
Is it caked in the dispenser? Older detergent will clump when exposed to air and might not dissolve well. Store detergent in a tightly closed container in a cool dry place to keep it fresh for as long as possible.

If it's not caked in, but still remains in the dispenser, the upper rack may need to be moved up higher. Sometimes the upper rack can block the detergent dispenser from opening completely.

Rinse aid dripping from the dispenser
Make sure the rinse aid cap is completely closed and in the lock position. Then check to see if the "O-Ring" is properly seated in the corresponding groove of the Rinse Aid Cap. If the "O-Ring" is missing, cut, or crimped, you'll need a replacement.

Lights

Cycles/Options lights
If you're seeing these lights, your cycle or start-up was interrupted. Possible causes: door was opened or a power failure occurred mid-cycle. To get your dishwasher moving again, make sure the door is completely closed and press Start/Resume.

Sanitize light
If this option is selected, the dishwasher will heat the final rinse water from 145°F to 155°F, and hold the temperature there for 10 minutes. This sanitizes the dishes. But if the water didn't get hot enough, or if the cycle was interrupted, the Sanitize light will blink. Check the water temperature by running hot water in the sink for about 30 seconds and using a thermometer to see if the temperature is at least 120°F.

Rinse Only light
This will flash if multiple keys are stuck. Press each key one at a time to find the key with a problem, or press Cancel.

Source: amana.com.

Having trouble closing your dishwasher door? Or is a flashing light puzzling you? Let's see what's going on.

Door won't close

Are protruding utensils or small items in the way? If not, it may be food particles along the door seal that are preventing the door from sealing properly.

If the door still won't close, here are a few more possible causes.

Door spring tension
The door spring tension should be tested before the dishwasher is installed. You can do this by having someone else hold the dishwasher (so it doesn't tip over) while you open and close the door a few times. If the door closes or falls open under its own weight, the door tension needs to be adjusted.

How you adjust this depends on the material of the tub, stainless steel or plastic.

Dishwasher is not level
Make sure your dishwasher is level. The leveling legs should support it, and the rear wheels should be flat on the floor. It should also be square in the cabinet. If it's not, the door won't seal properly.

Detergent and rinse aid dispenser issues

Detergent remains in the dispenser
Is it caked in the dispenser? Older detergent will clump when exposed to air and might not dissolve well. Store detergent in a tightly closed container in a cool dry place to keep it fresh for as long as possible.

If it's not caked in, but still remains in the dispenser, the upper rack may need to be moved up higher. Sometimes the upper rack can block the detergent dispenser from opening completely.

Rinse aid dripping from the dispenser
Make sure the rinse aid cap is completely closed and in the lock position. Then check to see if the "O-Ring" is properly seated in the corresponding groove of the Rinse Aid Cap. If the "O-Ring" is missing, cut, or crimped, you'll need a replacement.

Lights

Cycles/Options lights
If you're seeing these lights, your cycle or start-up was interrupted. Possible causes: door was opened or a power failure occurred mid-cycle. To get your dishwasher moving again, make sure the door is completely closed and press Start/Resume.

Sanitize light
If this option is selected, the dishwasher will heat the final rinse water from 145°F to 155°F, and hold the temperature there for 10 minutes. This sanitizes the dishes. But if the water didn't get hot enough, or if the cycle was interrupted, the Sanitize light will blink. Check the water temperature by running hot water in the sink for about 30 seconds and using a thermometer to see if the temperature is at least 120°F.

Rinse Only light
This will flash if multiple keys are stuck. Press each key one at a time to find the key with a problem, or press Cancel.

Source: amana.com.