Well, the gremlins are back once again...

I worked on cleaning out (once again) all the water inlet lines, as this unit was down to getting less than a cup of water on its own. To use it, we had to constantly monitor it even worse than before and always add water at the right times.

In a fit of rage, I started to take out the DW to just replace it with a used unit. When disconnecting the water inlet hose from under the sink, I happen to see something that was 98% clogging the water inlet line. Okay, so I cleaned it out and flushed the water lines, put things back together, and Wow! The unit actually filled with water all on its own!!! It started up and the spinners spun like there was no tomorrow. I'm so happy, I'm almost having the Big-O watching this thing work. Then, boom. It's dead, Jim. It's other old problem comes back to haunt me.

Now the unit switches itself completely off after 10 minutes from starting. Repeat, reset, kill master power, retry, etc. Time and again it dies at the same point - 10 minutes into the cycle. :mad: After about 10 or more attempts to restart, it finally starts and keeps running. Say the little kitchen appliance prayer over it.

Now at least when it runs, there is water in it and the spinners can be seen flying around when you open the door, the water is hot and steamy, and life looks good. I have not had a good chance to see how it actually cleans yet, but it should do a good job at this point.

Anyhow, I'm babbling... When I run the Field Service Test as can be seen on page 4, upper right hand column, of this link:

http://www.servicematters.com/maytag...s/16026390.pdf

it fails with the Light Wash LED flashing. According to this document, this means "Motor - low current" (not to be confused with the other possibility of "Motor - high current"). Three times in a row it failed with this same error code, so I guess it really means it.

What does this really mean, and what should I check now? As I sit here typing this, it has finally succeeded in making it past the critical first 10 minutes, so the motor is actually working.

Could this field test result also mean that the actual power getting to the unit is faulty and not necessarily that the DW itself is having problems? I ask, as I am having weird electrical problems now with some of my circuits and this might be a new one with problems. :confused:

What's a girl to do..... thanks for any help!

Dobermann

Well, it has been some time now, and this unit is still doing this with the same error code. I have since changed the circuit breaker to this power line thinking that maybe the breaker was marginal giving it marginal power interrupts. No good.

What does this "Motor - Low Current" mean? Do I have to change the motor now or is it something leading up to the motor? When it dies, just like before, it is after it fills with water making me have to first do the 2 minute cancel cycle to pump the water out (which it does okay).

I could really use some guidance on this, as it is the constant subject of frustration in our household and I am the only one who has the patience to put up with it to eventually get it to work after hours and hours of attempts. And this is getting quite old...

Seems like a bad control board AP4009231, But I would confirm with a meter to verify it's not the motor going bad.

Oh, and I don't have a meter nor have I ever used one to know how to use it...

I don't mean to appear stupid or ungreatfull, but I don't know what an amprobe is, don't own one and having not ever seen one, can't say as I would even know how to use it. Do you happen to know what the error code means? Is it saying it is not getting enough power on the low circuit? Too much power? etc?

It finally worked again last night at about 3am after maybe 15 or so attempts over the course of 3 or 4 hours. Once it makes it past the first 15 minutes or so, it will stay running. I know you said you thought it might be the control panel <again>, but is there anything different that happens in the motor that is only during this time period? Because of its symptoms and my lack of an amprobe to test, that is the key to confirming what is wrong without just simply changing out the motor ($) and hoping for the best.

Thanks for your help,
Dobermann