Amana Dishwasher: not drying

Professional Repair Guide

What is this symptom?

Is your Amana dishwasher leaving dishes wet even after a complete wash cycle? This common issue can be caused by insufficient rinse aid, a blocked vent assembly, or even a faulty thermostat. Understanding the reasons behind this can help you enjoy perfectly dry dishes every time.

Urgency: Medium

Important Tips for Amana Models

  • Amana documentation notes use of Heat, Pro Dry, or Extended Dry options and generally recommends professional help if basic measures don’t resolve drying issues.
  • Specific issues like wiring harness or control board faults can affect drying and require diagnosis per model specifics.

Possible Causes

Insufficient or no rinse aid

How to Identify: Rinse aid dispenser empty or malfunctioning cap; dishes have large water droplets and streaks especially on plastics.

Part: Rinse aid dispenser and rinse aid

Blocked or malfunctioning vent assembly

How to Identify: Vent doesn’t open or is obstructed; steam cannot escape during drying.

Part: Vent/vent motor

Faulty high-limit thermostat or temperature sensor

How to Identify: Heater doesn’t stay on long enough; inconsistent drying results; thermostat fails continuity tests.

Part: Thermostat/temperature sensor

Electronic control board or wiring issues

How to Identify: No power to heating element/vent despite correct settings; visible burnt or stripped wires.

Part: Control board, wiring harness

DIY Solutions

Refill and check rinse aid dispenser

Easy 2-5 minutes
  1. Locate rinse aid dispenser on dishwasher door.
  2. Open cap, refill to recommended level, and ensure cap seals properly.
  3. Run a normal cycle with heated dry option enabled.

Select appropriate dry cycle options

Easy 1-2 minutes
  1. Review dishwasher control panel for Heat, Pro Dry or Extended Dry settings.
  2. Select a cycle with the highest heat/drying option for the load.
  3. Avoid quick wash cycles that may skip heated drying.

Rearrange dishes for better airflow

Easy 5-10 minutes
  1. Remove and rearrange dishes to avoid overcrowding.
  2. Place items at angles to allow water runoff.
  3. Ensure no large items block spray arms or airflow paths.

Professional Repairs

Replace faulty heating element

Estimated Cost: $30 - $80 for part plus labor

Replace vent assembly or vent motor

Estimated Cost: $50 - $150 for parts plus labor

Replace high-limit thermostat or temperature sensor

Estimated Cost: $20 - $60 for part plus labor

Diagnose and replace control board or wiring harness

Estimated Cost: $100 - $300

When to Call a Professional

Heating element tests open on multimeter or visibly damaged
Vent assembly does not open or operates improperly
Thermostat or temperature sensor fails testing
Control board or wiring appears damaged or unresponsive

Preventive Maintenance

  • Refill rinse aid: Poor drying due to lack of rinse aid
    Frequency: monthly
  • Clean dishwasher filter: Water circulation issues and improves overall performance
    Frequency: monthly
  • Inspect vent for debris: Vent blockages that hinder drying
    Frequency: every 3 months

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Amana Dishwasher not drying?
Common causes include insufficient rinse aid, blocked vent assembly, or a faulty thermostat.
How do I fix Amana Dishwasher not drying myself?
Check and refill the rinse aid, select the highest heat dry cycle, and rearrange dishes for better airflow.
How much does it cost to fix not drying?
Repair costs can range from $30 for parts to $300 for complex issues like control board replacements.
When should I call a technician for not drying?
Call a technician if DIY solutions don't work or if you suspect a faulty heating element or control board.

References & Sources

Community Analytical Insights

Analysis based on real user discussions from appliance repair communities

Can I Fix This Myself?

50%
DIY Success Rate Difficulty: Either

Common Issues Reported by Users

  • Heating element failure (1 mentions)
  • Control panel malfunction (1 mentions)

User Suggested Solutions

  1. Replace the heating element with part W10518394 and run a service cycle to release the heater lockout.

    Success rate: 50.0%

  2. Check control panel and power connection.

    Success rate: 0.0%
Analysis based on 2 community discussions
View Sources

Data compiled from real discussions on r/appliancerepair and r/Appliances:

  1. Amana dishwasher not drying
  2. Amana Dishwasher Heating Element Replacement

Community Discussions

stopped drying

Replace the heating element with part W10518394 and run a service cycle to release the heater lockout.

DIY View on Reddit →

Source: Reddit r/appliancerepair

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