We purchased the Frigidaire dishwasher (FDB1500LFQ2) about 4-5 years ago. I did the installation and it seemed to be working find for the first couple years. When the dishes in the top rack were not coming out clean I started to clean out the baskets in the bottom. We also started using vinegar during the washes too. For the past month I have noticed that the dishes in the top rack are not getting clean. I checked the top rack to see if there was anything plugging the holes in the spray arms and didn't find any blockage. After reading several of the posts I decided to run some tests myself. When I would run the wash cycle I noticed that the top spray arm wouldn't move during the entire wash cycle. When I would spin the spray arm water would come out of it but it just doesn't spin. My dishwasher also has a button to allow me to only wash the top rack and when I push that button I can hear the dishwasher run but the top spray arm still doesn't spin.

Is there a filter or something that could be blocking the hose that goes to the upper part of the dishwasher? I am temped to take the dishwasher out this weekend to take a look at the motor and check the hose. I would hope that someone would have a suggestion to help me fix it without having to remove the dishwasher.



FYI, We have a well and we have hard water. I have to clean out the filters on all of the faucets in the house two times a year with CLR.

I have poured CLR into the dishwasher and let it soak for an hour or more several times in the past and that seemed to help. We also use white vinegar during almost every wash cycle. We have also used several of the different kinds of dishwasher cleaners too.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

Here are the parts
Replacement parts for Frigidaire FDB1500LFQ2 DISHWASHER | AppliancePartsPros.com

You may have to open up the pump and clean/check it. You should be able to do this from inside the tub.
If you click on a part's picture a new page will open that often has more info and a Q&A section about that part which may be useful.

Often poor wash is due to a low fill.
They usually fill to just under the heating element.
Often if it is a low fill issue, you can hear it, the pump will be noisy because it is sucking in air.
You can check this by adding a quart or two of hot water after each fill during a cycle. If it now washes OK then I would check the screen filter on the input side of the water valve for a partial plug. If dirty clean it. Do not permanently remove it from the valve as it is there to keep crud out of the valve which could hold it open and cause a flood.
Just be careful to not over fill it.

Well, here is the update to my dishwasher problems. Last night when I got home from work I found a box on my door step. In the box was the replacement sprayer arm for the upper tray. When I took the old one off I found that the rubber gasket that is at the back of the old one was about half as big as the new one. I installed the new spray arm and tested the dishwasher. During the initial test I found that the sprayer arm was actually working! Who would have guessed that there wasn't pressure up against the water hole in the back of the dishwasher preventing enough water pressure to get out to move the spray arm?

On to the second part. I have been noticing that there really doesn't seem to be enough water in the bottom of the dishwasher during a normal wash cycle. The float seems to be working so I don't think that is a problem. Is there a filter or screen between where I connected the hot water connection and where the water enters the dishwater? I don't see one on the schematics.

Thanks again for the help.