How to Replace the Heating Element in Your Dishwasher

On many dishwashers, the heating element is the exposed loop that runs along the bottom of the tub. It heats the water during the wash cycle and helps raise the temperature inside the dishwasher during drying. When it fails, dishes may come out cool, cloudy, greasy, or still wet at the end of the cycle. Replacing the element is a straightforward DIY repair that typically takes about 30 to 45 minutes, even if it’s your first time doing it.

Full safety notes below

What the Heater Does and Why It Matters

The heater assembly is one of the hardest-working parts in your dishwasher. Depending on your model, it might be a standalone heating element mounted in the bottom of the tub, or it could be integrated with the circulation pump as a single unit.

Its job breaks down into two main functions. First, it heats the wash water during the cycle. Detergent needs hot water (around 120°F to 150°F) to dissolve grease and break down food particles effectively. Without it, your detergent is basically just sitting there. Second, the heater kicks on during the dry cycle to evaporate moisture off your dishes. That’s why a failed heater leaves everything dripping wet.

For most American-market dishwashers from brands like Whirlpool, GE, Maytag, KitchenAid, and Frigidaire, the heater element is a ring or bar mounted in the base of the tub, connected with a couple of wire terminals that pass through the bottom panel, which we’ll cover here.

Some brands, particularly Bosch and other European-style dishwashers, bundle the heater right into the circulation pump assembly. If you’ve got one of those, you’re essentially replacing the pump and heater together. We have a detailed guide on replacing a Bosch dishwasher circulation motor and heater assembly if that’s your setup.

Signs Your Heater Has Failed

Here’s what to look for:

• Dishes come out cool to the touch instead of hot

• Water doesn’t seem hot during the wash cycle (you can carefully crack the door mid-cycle to check for steam)

• The heated dry option has no effect: everything is still soaking wet

• Your dishwasher displays an error code related to water temperature or heating

• The element is visibly cracked, blistered, or has a burn-through spot

• A wash cycle runs much longer than normal as the control board waits for the water to reach temperature

If you’re seeing a couple of these at the same time, the heater is almost certainly your problem.

Testing the Old Heating Element

Before replacing the heating element, test the old one to confirm it has failed. This only takes a minute with a multimeter and helps make sure you’re replacing the part that’s actually causing the problem.

With the dishwasher unplugged or the circuit breaker switched off, disconnect the wires from the heating element terminals. Set your multimeter to resistance (ohms), then touch one probe to each terminal.

A working heating element will typically show a measurable resistance reading, often somewhere between 10 and 30 ohms, although the exact range varies by model and element wattage. If the meter displays OL, infinity, or another open-circuit reading, there’s a break inside the element and it needs to be replaced.

If the element has continuity and its resistance falls within the expected range for your model, the heating problem may be elsewhere in the dishwasher, such as the temperature sensor, wiring, or control board.

Tools You’ll Need

This is a straightforward repair, and the tool list reflects that:

• Torx or Phillips-head screwdriver (depends on your model)

• 1/4-inch nut driver

• Multimeter

• Towel or small container for catching residual water

• Needle-nose pliers (helpful for wire connectors)

• Flashlight or headlamp

One thing we always tell people: have a phone handy and snap a photo of the wire connections before you disconnect anything. It takes two seconds and saves you from staring at loose wires later wondering which one goes where.

Safety First

Disconnect power to the dishwasher before you start. Either unplug it from the outlet under the sink or flip the breaker at the panel. Don’t rely on just turning it off at the control panel: that doesn’t cut power to the components.

You’ll also want to shut off the water supply to the dishwasher. The valve is almost always under the kitchen sink. Once power and water are off, you’re safe to work.

Keep a towel nearby. Even after the last cycle, there’s usually a bit of water sitting in the sump at the bottom of the tub. It’s not a flood, but it can catch you off guard when you start disconnecting things.

Step-by-Step Element Replacement

Here’s the trickiest part most people don’t expect: on many models, you need to access the bottom of the dishwasher to disconnect the heater terminals. That means either pulling the dishwasher out from under the counter or tipping it back carefully. We’ve done hundreds of these, and pulling it out is almost always the easier route. It sounds like a bigger job than it is: usually just a couple of mounting screws at the top and the water/drain lines underneath.

1. Remove the lower dish rack and spray arm so you have a clear view of the tub floor. The spray arm typically just lifts off or unscrews counterclockwise.

2. Remove the lower kick plate (the panel at the very bottom front of the dishwasher). This is usually held on by two screws or clips.

3. Disconnect the water supply line and the drain hose from under the dishwasher. Have your towel ready: a little water will drain out.

4. Remove the mounting brackets or screws securing the dishwasher to the countertop. These are typically at the top front corners.

5. Carefully slide the dishwasher out from the cabinet. Go slow and watch that you don’t snag the electrical supply wire.

6. With the dishwasher pulled out, you can now access the underside. Lay it on its back if needed, or work from underneath. You’ll see the heater terminals poking through the base of the tub, usually two metal posts with wire connectors pushed onto them.

7. Take a photo of the wiring. Then use needle-nose pliers to gently pull the wire connectors off the heater terminals. Don’t yank the wires themselves. Grip the connector.

8. The heater element inside the tub is typically held in place by a mounting nut or bracket on the underside. Remove the retaining hardware. Some models use a rubber grommet and lock nut; others use a metal bracket with a screw.

9. From inside the tub, carefully lift the old heater element out. It may take a little wiggling to free it from the rubber grommets.

10. Set the new heater assembly into position. Make sure the terminals pass cleanly through the holes in the tub floor. Seat the rubber grommets properly: these are what keep water from leaking through.

11. From underneath, reinstall the retaining nut or bracket. Snug it up firmly, but don’t over-torque it. You can crack the tub floor if you go too aggressive, and that’s a much bigger problem.

12. Push the wire connectors back onto the terminals. They should click on securely. Match them to your photo.

13. Slide the dishwasher back into place, reconnect the water supply and drain hose, and reattach the mounting brackets. Put the kick plate back on.

14. Inside the tub, reinstall the spray arm and lower rack.

Need More Help?

Heater assembly designs vary quite a bit between brands and models, so if your dishwasher looks different from what we’ve described here, don’t sweat it. When you’re ready to find the right part, grab your model number and head over to our repair help section to match the exact heater assembly for your machine. And if you get stuck mid-repair or want a second opinion before you start, our community over at the AppliancePartsPros forum is full of techs and experienced DIYers who are happy to walk you through it.

Written by: AppliancePartsPros Team