Maytag Dishwasher Heating Element Replacement

How the element drives drying#

The heating element is a resistive calrod that converts electricity to heat, visible as a loop of exposed metal below the lower spray arm. A relay on the main control board switches it, and depending on the model it runs on either 120 volts or 240 volts. On Maytag dishwashers with a stainless tub, the element works with a condensation drying system: it heats the final rinse water to roughly 160 degrees F, and afterward the stainless walls cool faster than the dishes, so moisture condenses on the tub and drains away. That means a failed element shows up as poor drying long before anything else.

The element also matters for the sanitize cycle. To meet NSF sanitizing standards a dishwasher must reach a high rinse temperature — on the order of 150 degrees F or more — and a weak or dead element cannot get there, so a sanitize cycle that no longer sanitizes points straight at the element or its relay.

Symptoms of a failing element#

• Dishes stay wet at the end of the cycle because the rinse water never heated.
• Water is not hot during the wash, leaving greasy residue.
• A visible break, blister, or burn spot on the element loop.
• The dishwasher trips the breaker, which usually means the element has shorted to ground.

Element overview#

Replacing the element#

1. Disconnect power at the breaker.
2. Remove the lower rack and locate the element loop and its two terminals.
3. From beneath the tub, disconnect the wiring and remove the mounting nuts that secure the terminals through the tub floor.
4. Lift the old element out, fit the new one with fresh seals at the terminal points, and secure the nuts.
5. Reconnect the wiring, restore power, and run a heated cycle to confirm it warms.

Breaker trips, warranty, and testing#

A dishwasher that trips the breaker deserves special care: a calrod element that has cracked and shorted its internal wire to the grounded sheath draws a fault current the breaker catches, and that is a genuine electrical hazard, so stop using the machine until the element is replaced. Before ordering, test the element for both continuity end to end and a short to the tub — a good element shows continuity between its terminals and none to ground. It is also worth checking warranty coverage first, since some Maytag components carry an extended term and a covered element may cost only labor. Finally, confirm the relay on the control board is actually switching the element, because a stuck-open relay produces the same no-heat symptom as a dead element, and replacing the element will not fix a relay fault.

Prevention and lifespan#

A dishwasher heating element commonly lasts 8 to 12 years. The main enemies are hard-water scale that builds on the loop and reduces its efficiency, and running the machine with large debris that can rest against the hot element. Keeping the filters clean and periodically descaling protects both the element and the rest of the machine, and it helps the drying system perform as designed. If drying has slowly worsened over months rather than failing outright, suspect scale and a weakening element together, and test before assuming the worst.

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