Where Is the Thermal Fuse on a KitchenAid Dishwasher?

Safety First

Before you begin the appliance troubleshooting or repair process, it is absolutely essential that you observe the appropriate safety precautions. Start by unplugging your KitchenAid dishwasher from its electrical source. Locate your home's electrical service panel and identify the circuit breaker, or breakers, that correspond with the dishwasher. Flip the appropriate circuit breaker into the "Off" position and leave it there until you have completed your repairs; this eliminates the risk of electrical injury.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't actually need a complete toolkit to successfully troubleshoot or repair many of the appliances in your home. Troubleshooting or replacing thermal fuses in appliances such as dishwashers and clothes dryers is something you can do using common tools that you're likely to already have lying around the house. A Phillips screwdriver and flat-head screwdriver are the only tools you will need to access the thermal fuse in a KitchenAid residential dishwasher.

Though the idea of disassembling your dishwasher can seem a little intimidating, accessing the appliance's thermal fuse is surprisingly simple. Open the dishwasher and locate the control panel screws on the top inside of the door; remove the screws using the Phillips screwdriver. Close the dishwasher door. Grab the sides of the control panel and pull it toward you; the panel will fold out, exposing the control board cover. Remove the control board cover to access the thermal fuse. Press the tabs on the left side of the cover to release them; use the flat-head screwdriver to release the tabs on the bottom and right side of the cover. Set the control panel cover aside.

Examine the exposed components to locate the thermal fuse in your KitchenAid dishwasher. The thermal fuse is positioned in the upper left-hand corner of the control board assembly. Look for a thin plastic component that is approximately 1¼ inches long and has two tan wires connected to it; this is the dishwasher's thermal fuse.