How to replace the sump and motor on a Whirlpool dishwasher

Is your Whirlpool dishwasher leaving puddles on your kitchen floor? If a faulty sump and motor assembly is the culprit, you’re not alone. Dive into our step-by-step guide—complete with a helpful how-to video—and discover how you can tackle this repair yourself, ensuring a leak-free dishwasher in no time!

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On a Whirlpool dishwasher, the sump and motor assembly is responsible for circulating water. Over time, the sump or its seal may become damaged, leading to water leaking under the dishwasher. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you’ll be able to successfully replace the sump and motor assembly, restoring your Whirlpool dishwasher yourself. Let’s get started!

Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqt9rGNEQYI

The information in this article may not apply to your specific appliance model. We recommend consulting your manufacturer’s documentation or contact us with any questions.

What you’ll need

• 5/8” wrench
• 5/16” nut driver
• Small flathead screwdriver
• Phillips screwdriver
• Pliers
• Towels

Safety precautions

• Always power off and unplug your appliance or switch off the circuit breaker before attempting any maintenance or replacement work. This keeps you safe by preventing any risk of injury from electric shock.
• Turn off the water supply at the outlet before beginning repairs to any appliance parts that hold water. Have towels ready for any residual water in the system when removing parts. 
• Wear insulated work gloves to protect your hands from sharp metal parts, pinching hazards and debris.
• Don’t test wiring with a multimeter for live voltage if you’re unfamiliar with how to prevent short circuiting when testing. 
• When working with wires, avoid touching any exposed wires or terminals. If you need to touch a wire, use a non-conductive tool or wear insulating gloves to prevent electrical shock.
• Take your time and don’t rush while working to prevent accidents and personal injuries.
• Work in a well-lit area so you can clearly see and access the interior parts.
• Clear your workspace of clutter and other obstacles. Keep children and pets away from the work area.
• Never work on internal parts with bare wet hands. Make sure the work area is completely dry.
• Check your user manual to see if there are specific installation or safety instructions for your part or appliance. 
• Be gentle when handling or removing parts. Excessive force might damage the appliance or cause injury.
• Wear safety glasses when working with chemicals, dust or cleaning large debris to prevent injury. 
• If the appliance has recently been used, give it plenty of time for any heating parts to cool down before working on it. 

Replacement steps

Removal

1. Disconnect the fill line and drain hose. Place a towel down to catch any water that may be still in the lines. 
2. Disconnect the fill line from the hot water valve. Turn the water valve off, then use a 5/8 inch wrench to loosen the hose. Unscrew the hose by hand and set it aside.
3. Locate the drain hose and use a 5/16 nut driver to loosen the clamp. Once the clamp is loose, remove the hose and set it aside.
4. Open the dishwasher door and remove the lower rack.
5. Remove the lower spray arm by grabbing the base and turning it counterclockwise to unlock it. Lift it off and set it aside.
6. Remove the filters by turning the coarse filter counterclockwise and lifting it out. The fine filter can be lifted out as well.
7. Remove the diverter cap by using a small flathead screwdriver to lift it up over the locking tab. Turn it so it’s past the tab, then release the tabs while turning it to remove it completely.
8. Use a Phillips screwdriver to remove the screws that hold the mounting brackets to the countertop.
9. Lift up on the dishwasher door and use it to carefully pull the dishwasher out partially. Then, grab the frame and pull it out completely.
10. Place a towel on the floor and lay the dishwasher on its back by carefully leaning it back.
11. Access the sump and motor assembly, which is held in place by three locking tabs.  
12. Move the clamp on the drain hose up using pliers and pull the hose off, swinging it out of the way.
13. Use a small flathead screwdriver to press on the locking tab of the wiring harness and unhook it from the motor.
14. Press the locking tab around nine o’clock on the drain pump, then turn the pump counterclockwise to remove it from the sump.
15. Unplug the wiring harness from the circulation motor using a small flathead screwdriver to press the locking tab, then lift the harness out.
16. Turn the turbidity sensor to unlock it, then pull it out.
17. Fold all the wires and remove them from the holder using a small flathead screwdriver to press the release lever.
18. Turn the three tabs that lock the sump into the tub to unlock them.
19. Press on the additional locking tab with a flathead screwdriver and push on the sump to break it free. Let it drop into the tub.
20. Line up the drain hose fitting with the cutout and push the sump assembly through.
21. Put the dishwasher back on its feet. Open the dishwasher door and pull out the motor assembly.

Installation

1. Clean the lip where the sump and motor assembly sits and wet it with water.
2. Wet the seal as well for easier installation.
3. Insert the back of the sump and motor assembly first, ensuring the drain hose fitting goes through the cutout.
4. Drop the assembly down and align the pin correctly.
5. Push down until the seal is evenly seated all the way around. Make sure the front tab and front are locked in place.
6. Put the dishwasher back on its back and lock the three tabs to secure the sump and motor assembly in place.
7. Attach the wiring harness to the motor by lifting the locking tab, pushing it over, and ensuring it locks.
8. Install the turbidity sensor by lining it up and turning it to lock it in place.
9. Place the wires into the holder and secure them by pressing the release lever with a small flathead screwdriver.
10. Attach the drain pump by aligning it with the locking tabs and twisting it to lock it in place.
11. Connect the wiring harness by inserting it into the holder and plugging it into the motor, ensuring it locks securely.
12. Attach the drain hose to the fitting and use pliers to compress the clamp and move it down for a tight seal.
13. Put the dishwasher back on its feet by carefully lifting it and setting it down.
14. Push the dishwasher back into place, ensuring the lines are not caught on anything.
15. Reconnect the drain hose to the air gap and use a 5/16 inch nut driver to tighten the clamp.
16. Reconnect the water supply line by lifting the tab with a screwdriver and turning it to lock it in place. Ensure the hose is lined up correctly while tightening it.
17. Put the filters back in by locking the coarse filter underneath the tabs and turning the fine filter to lock it in place.
18. Put the lower spray arm back by lining it up with the base and turning it to lock it in place.
19. Place the lower rackback into the dishwasher by setting it on the door and pushing it back in.
20. Close the dishwasher door, plug it back in, and turn the water back on.
21. Run a cycle to check for any problems.

Additional information

Thanks for reading! We hope this guide helped you replace the sump and motor assembly on your Whirlpool dishwasher. 

If you still need some replacement parts, grab your model number and head over to AppliancePartsPros.com. We offer over two million parts and most orders arrive in two business days. If you need some help with finding the right part or placing an order, you can contact our team at 1 (877) 477-7278.

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