KitchenAid dishwasher control board removal from bracket

General
1

Please make sure to click on General above and select the correct appliance type first.

Brand:KitchenAid
Model Number:KDFE204KWH3
Main Symptom:bad control board
What happens & when:No power

Error Code (if any):
Parts or tests already tried:
Photos / video link:

2

For the KitchenAid KDFE204KWH3, the control board is mounted in a plastic control housing/bracket inside the door. If you already have the inner door panel off and are mainly trying to get the board out of the bracket, the key is that it is retained by plastic locking tabs—it does not simply pull straight out.

Control board removal from the bracket

  1. Turn the dishwasher breaker OFF. Verify the dishwasher is dead before handling the board.
  2. Remove the screws around the inner door panel while supporting the outer panel. Separate the panels enough to access the control assembly.
  3. Locate the main control board/control housing near the top portion of the door.
  4. Take a picture of all connectors before unplugging anything. Release each connector by its locking tab; pull on the connector body, not the wires.
  5. If necessary, release the complete control housing from the door so you can work with it where you can see the retaining tabs.
  6. Look along the edges of the circuit board. The board is held in the plastic bracket by small molded plastic tabs/clips.
  7. Starting at one end, use a small flat screwdriver to gently push the plastic retaining tab away from the edge of the board.
  8. While holding that tab released, lift that edge of the board just enough to clear the tab. Don’t lift it very far yet.
  9. Work your way along the bracket, releasing the remaining tabs one at a time. Once all of the tabs are clear, slide/lift the control board out of the housing.

Important

Don’t pry against the electronic components or bend the circuit board. Those plastic tabs can also snap fairly easily, so move each one only far enough for the board to clear it.

If the board seems completely loose on one side but still will not come out, don’t force it. There is usually another retaining lip/tab on the opposite edge that still needs to be disengaged.

For the no-power complaint, I would also verify 120 VAC actually reaches the dishwasher/control before condemning the board. If you have a multimeter, I can give you the exact next checks for this model to determine whether the control board is actually bad.