I read the tip from this site that it could be the turbidity sensor and ordered the part hoping for an easy fix. And it was! The detergent pods were not dissolving because the water was not getting hot. I was willing to change out the heating element, but tried this first since it was a much easier project and was less money.
Just needed to take the front door panel off (screws surrounding door on inside) and the bottom plate to access the mechanics underneath. No tools were necessary to replace the turbidity sensor itself, which is on the right toward the back a bit, so a flashlight is handy to find it - rotate to remove and then disconnect the wiring clip. Reverse to replace it, screw the door panel back on and viola! Easy peasy.