I've been told this 18 month old machine is actually a Kitchen Aid product, thus I'm assuming well engineered? It seems to start normally with a drain cycle but pump makes whirring sound as it's pushing out water for about 3 secs. stops and produces a clicking sound for a few seconds, and repeats that sequence about 5 times, then lights go out and machine is off. On occasion it has gotten through this cycle into the fill & wash cycle before shutting down. Once it seemed to have gotten completely done although it never went into the "heated dry" cycle.

On advice, I replaced the main control board, to no avail. Next I laid it on it's back and disassembling the drain pump, found a chewed up toothpick, checked the main pump impeller and the heating element for proper continuity. I reassembled and ran it but nothing has changed.

I accept the fact that Repairing these electronic machines often means just R & R-ing modules, sensors, solenoids, etc, but how is a guy to know which is the faulty piece. I'm trying to attach an mp3 of the whirring & clicking sound.

Is replacing the drain pump a logical next "shot-in-the-dark"? TD

Good suggestion. It's so easy to overlook the simple obvious problem. I'll check that ASAP. TD

Thanks for the update. If the pump is bad you can obtain one right here @ Whirlpool WPW10531320 Pump-Drain - AppliancePartsPros.com
Let us know how it turns out.

Upon closer inspection I discovered the drain pump impeller wasn't as free as I thought. It was very dry when I last had it out and it did spin easily, so I dismissed it as a problem. This time when I removed it, it had just been immersed in hot water and it barely turned. A little Perry Mason work revealed quite a bit of my wife's long hair wrapped around the tiny impeller shaft which when soaked with hot water expanded and was causing the shaft to bind up. That could explain the random behavior and it was likely bound to greater or lessor degree from time to time.

My suggestion of hair nets in the kitchen was not well received so I'll just plan on checking that first if the problem re-occurs in the future.

Thanks for the help. TD