The short answer
When the Arctic Wind ADWSS dishwasher leaves water on the floor, the door seal and the door itself account for most of it. Detergent foam, a plate pushed proud of the rack and a gasket with a set in it all put water over the lip of a tub that is otherwise sound.
What you see on the ADWSS line
- Suds on the floor or visible in the tub — A detergent problem rather than a seal problem.
- Damp behind the machine or at the side of the cabinet — A connection weeping rather than the appliance leaking.
- The leak only happens on some loads — An item deflecting spray at the door - look at what those loads have in common.
- NEAR MISS - condensation on the front after a hot cycle — Vented steam settling on a cold door is normal on many machines and is not a leak.
Ranked for the ADWSS line
- Door gasket displaced, dirty or taking a set — Most likely here: Soil and grease build up along the lower run of it, and a gasket held off its seat by that build-up leaks at exactly the point where the water is deepest. This is the stainless-panel line of the family; its finish siblings carry the same machine behind a different door, which matters here only where the door itself is part of the fault. The stainless door on this line is the heaviest panel the family is built with, which loads its hinges and its seal harder than the painted-panel siblings do.
- An item deflecting spray at the door — Second: A tray, a baking sheet or a tall plate in the front row turns the spray straight at the inside of the door and over the lip of the tub.
- Sump seal, pump seal or a cracked tub fitting — Third: Reaching any of it means the machine out and on its side, which is not owner work.
Check in this order, and why
- First - Run a finger along the whole gasket, feeling for grit, a fold or a flat — Water marks concentrated at one point of the door frame will line up with what you find. That is the order the roster on this page dictates, not a generic sequence.
- Second - Note whether the leak happens only on certain loads — Leak on tray loads and no leak otherwise is a loading fault and needs no repair at all.
- Third - Check whether the water arrives under the kick panel with a dry door — Dry door and wet floor at the front-centre is the signature of a leak from beneath the tub.
Before you open anything
Safety
Power off at the breaker and water off at the valve, in that order, before the machine is moved. Bail the sump before pulling it forward, or it will empty onto the floor. A dishwasher comes out on feet that catch on flooring, so take it slowly and with a second pair of hands, and dry the floor before anyone works kneeling on it.
Models in the ADWSS family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| ADWSS24EL | arctic-wind:dishwasher:adwss |
When to call a technician
The line is the tub lip: water going over it is an overflow problem and mostly yours, and water coming out from under it is a seal problem and is not. Call immediately for any leak that is reaching flooring, a neighbouring cabinet or an electrical outlet, and switch off at the breaker before mopping.
Nearest pages of this class
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
