Our KitchenAid dishwasher (ours is a KUDS30IXSS4, but I think this applies to any KitchenAid with an adjustable top rack) is just over one year old and the rollers on the upper rack are already broken, which causes the rack to come off the rails. The plastic tabs holding the rollers on break:
I couldn’t find a DIY on this and was nervous about breaking more cheap plastic bits while making the repair, so here you go. Rollers are part of the rack adjuster assembly, link is to Amazon which seemed to have one of the cheapest prices. Even if only one of them is broken probably not a bad idea to just do both of them, as this is likely a cheap plastic temperature cycling issue and when one goes they are probably all on the verge of going.
Taking the rack out is easy, just flip the little retaining clips at the end of the rails to the open position.
The three lower clips holding the roller assembly to the rack are easy to remove. The outer ones just slide to where a cutout releases the assembly (pop the long slider one off the rack).
The middle clip is removed by squeezing the tabs together, you can do it with your fingers, or gently with a screwdriver (if you are going to break something this might be it).
The adjusting gizmo has a door with two tabs on the top and a couple of pins on the bottom. Pry the pins clear of the body with a screwdriver, then slide the door down and off.
Putting it back together is the opposite and easy. I don’t think you can goof up on this, but the thinner arm of the blue springgy thing needs to fit into the roller assembly, not sit on top of it.
Poor design/cheap materials. If I were a competitor I would jump on this. Appliances should not break after 14 months.
no doubt. we have the KUDS35FXBL5, with the same wheel set up. at 15 months, they died, and the top rack fell out, breaking a number of items. i replaced both sides – and made sure the top rack is kept in the lowest position to reduce stress on the wheels. now we are at 21 months, and i inspected them again, and the wheels are still attached with all their tabs, but the they seem to have a high level of wear. It appears that the metal rails the wheels ride in have very sharp edges, that scrape the wheels. i wonder if the resistance from the wheels scraping on that rough edge is a contributing factor to the premature failure. it’s bull that dishwashers at this price point are breaking like this after only months.
looking at their website, it looks like they’ve redesigned the upper rack wheels.
Thomas this sounds great & as a pensioner I need an thrifty
more permanent repair vs. Plastic parts that will break again.
However I got lost rounding 2nd base. Can you give us some
diagrams & even some photos to help my inner Rube Goldberg.
I hope you can take the time to reply (facing divorce)!
Many thanks, BV
Kitchen aid is a bad product. I had a Jenn Air for 12 years with 0 problems and excellent cleaning , no rinsing EVER . Then a salesman talked me into a kitchen aid , worst decision ever . Not happy with any aspect of product . Light went out on panel right off the bat and wheel broke within 18 months. Just overall a cheap made , expensive product .
I just had the same problem with the upper rack falling out of the dishwasher when I pulled in out to start to fill the rack. After my husband and I worked on trying to get the upper rack back in the dishwasher for over an hour, I finally called the appliance store where I purchased my dishwasher for a service call and they came with a replacement kit to fix the problem, they knew right away what was wrong. The replacement kit now has metal parrs to replace all the plastic parts which were junk. While they said they wouldn’t charge for the replacement kit they did charge a $95.00 service call. If kitchen Aid manufactures a diswasher with defective parts they should not only pay for the replacement kit, but also the service call to replace these parts. The price one pays for a dishwasher, it certainly should last more than two years. I have crossed Kitchen Aid Appliances off my list for any future purchases.
Their is a upgrade kit available on Amazon that replaces the cheaper parts. Look for whirlpool rack adjuster kit. DIY video on YouTube shows how to assemble.
Hi,
Do you have a link or the exact name of the upgrade product you purchased?
Mine just failed. The appliance store where I bought it says KA is replacing it on recall.
No they haven’t. I have had mine for 6 years and just this past year I have been loosing the left front wheel 4 differnet times. I had one instance where the bracket broke in half but it is the wheel. I have bught a number if the brackets to replace but I can’t keep this BS process up.
We have the same dishwasher, purchased 17 months ago with the exact same problem. Called Kitchen Aid and they will not admit that there is a design flaw with the upper rack. They tried to sell me an extended warranty, and when I declined, finally offered to replace the part for free if I would pay for the service, which I also declined. VERY DISAPPOINTED with Kitchen Aid, as I always thought they produced quality products. Won’t be purchasing their products again.
I have had same problem with wheels breaking. Have now gone through 3 sets of wheels in 3 years. First kitchen aid lasted 20plus years. Second about 10 years and the third about 2 years? Look inside and you can see how cheap the plastic parts are
The KitchenAid dishwasher we replaced in our remodel was over 15 years old. We replaced in for color, not function. Our current KitchenAid (manufactured by Whirlpool) dishwasher had the same upper rack wheel malfunction after less than 10 MONTHS! I was given the same run around via the Extended Warranty (which is a fraud, stay away from them) and after purchasing was told it did not apply to the racks repair. Whirlpool was very sympathetic and in addition to sending me complementary parts advised me how to get a refund on the false warranty scam.
Same issue but only 8 months in!
I fixed this junk myself. Crude – but it works. Get:
-Needle nose pliers
– large curtain hook (or any bendable but stout wire that will hold its shape) that you can bend using the pliers.
– hard rubber washer from sink repair kit – size one that fits inside the wheel but catches the lip inside the wheel. Those conical types.
Bend out and size the wire of the curtain hook/wire. Cut so about 2 inches long so its manageable.
1. Twist a SMALL curl at the end with the pliers, bend curl so 90 deg. to wire.
2. Run the washer (conical end out) and wheel up the wire – the curl end holds the rubber washer into the wheel — curl should lay flat on washer.
3. Gingerly feed and bend the wire through the hole on the side of the plastic stud (where the tabs broke) – around the inside of rack, & out the other hole next to stud and bend back into the rack & hook the end so it will not move. The front wheel feed to front of rack, rear wheel to rear. otherwise there is no place to hook the end.
4. Pull snug to hold the wheel in — it will not turn loosely, but it does not matter – it will still slide along the rail. Be sure aligned.
5. Install and check fit — I had to tweak the wire and flatten the curl end a bit more — the curl end should be up against the washer or it will not slide good.
Some American ingenuity — more than Kitchen Aide has exercised. Good luck.
thanks Rich…I will give this a try. Less than 2 years in I have bought the original and then replaced both sides once already and now am facing # 3 on one side…my backside has been stretched enough by these bandits & I will never ever buy another Kitchen Aid appliance in my life and I will bad-mouth their engineering to anyone within earshot whenever discussing kitchen appliances
Rick please see erroneous reply to Thomas intended for you
and your clever idea. BV
The first time this happened I got the whole assembly replaced under warranty. This time I used these instructions. Pretty straightforward, but a bit fiddly. Thanks for posting them!
At this rate, I will need to do this repair annually. This same dishwasher has had 3 other independent repairs under warranty (water pump, grinder, electronics panel). I am not whelmed. I’ll probably never buy Kitchen Aid again as a result. But the thing was too expensive to just toss. I expect next time I’ll have to buy new clips… the plastic really seems to get brittle quickly.
Very disappointed , Have owned 4 Kitchen Aid dishwashers in
the homes I have owned- poor quality rack wheels 3 broke dish washer looks 5 years old after 7 months -paid extra money for the upgraded model – like I said owned in past no problems – NEW is
not same quality product as past.
I also owed Fridge – disposal – Ice maker – Microwave -in past
Think think you should pass on this Brand for the price
Same story for me. Thanks for the link. Guess I need to bookmark it for next year…
This has also happened to us, 3 times in less than 2.5 years. The first time I paid for the part and service, the second time they paid for the part, and finally just now, Kitchenaid is paying for the part and service tech to come fix both sides. It is ridiculous that this part breaks so frequently. I called Kitchenaid and registered a parts complaint, and there were previous complaints as well, but not enough to trigger a recall. I hope everyone can call in a parts complaint, especialy if you are replacing this part yearly.
This was excellent in helping me get started on repairing the darn thing. It made it easier to find the parts and order them. Thank you for posting this info. I made a video of my repair to help out next time that I have to do it, which according to the comments about this poor design, happens frequently.
http://youtu.be/TCC6gTu3un0
Thank you for the video!
I just did a simple fix with a piece of thin coated wire. Similar in idea to the previous post. Cost – few inches of wire.
Wrap the thin wire around the wheel.
Make two small notches on the outside of the plastic wheel – each notch 180 degrees from each other on the wheel.
Pull the two ends of the wire through the inside of the wheel – attached to the two notches.
Thread the two ends of the wire through the hole in the plastic assembly where the plastic axel broke.
Twist tie the wire ends taut so that it holds the wheel in place.
Slide top draw back in. The wheels do not spin anymore, but they glide just fine on the metal rails.
I agree completely. I always thought that Kitchenaid was the best. My dishwasher is not even 2 years old. We have already paid for one service call because some “pin” ? broke. Then the top basket adjuster pins broke. When I called to ask how to install-no help and no directions came with the part. Then I go on line to look for help to install and all I find are bad reviews and many people having the same problems that I am. I will not buy another Kitchenaid either. I am shopping for a new stove and will not even look at them. The parts are soooooo cheap.
Great help! Thanks for the instructions! And yes, I am disappointed with the dishwasher. At least next time, I will know what to check out in regards to the top rack!
Dishwasher less than two years old. Was able to order the adjustable arm parts but needed this website to dismantle the broken part. When I called customer service for directions I was told they didn’t have any. I would need a repair tech. Wasn’t happy about that. This will need to be replaced on a regular basis. Not happy with Kitchen Aid right now.
Same as several comments. Less than 18 months old and on 3rd repair. First door seal. Then thermostat now rack wheels. I bought for the brand and will never again. Have had 3 calls on my 8 month old French door fridge under warranty but still a pain. I think kitchen aide is junk and will never buy again.
Same problem as reported by others. The top rack falls off.
Things go wrong with many products, and we judge companies by how they handle problems. KitchenAid has serious leadership problems given the way their staff respond to calls for help, and the extended warranties don’t cover an obvious design flaw.
Too bad – another American company down the tubes. At least GM tried to maintain their reputation.
The pump went out after 8 months and now the rollers gave in after 16 months. Looks like they designed poor product to boost spares sales. No more – when the rollers break next time the dishwasher is going to the recycling station.
I too have a 2 year old machine with the same problem – wheel assembly on the top rack has broken for the second time in 24 months. Called the world headquarters number – asked for Kitchen aid parts supervisor – was just informed that they have a new wheel assembly that should fix the problem. ( I was not this successful in my first attempt this morning – so I tried again) Do not purchase the extended warranty as I was informed this is a “cosmetic”problem, not a functional problem and therefore these parts are not covered. Makes no sense. Fingers crossed that the wheel assembly is truly a permanent fix.
Here’s a cheap, quick fix until new parts arrive:
http://www.DiyRibbonMic.com/dishwasherfix
Supplies:
4 pennies, solid wire (craft wire or small electrical wire), a small drill.
1. Drill two small holes on either side of Lincoln’s head in each penny. They don’t need to be precise.
2. Pass a 6″ long wire through the holes in the pennies so both ends poke out the same side.
3. Place the penny on the outside of the wheels, wires going through the wheel.
4. Mount the wheels on what’s left of their hubs, and twist the wire down on the inside of the mounting plate, securing the wheels to the rack, being held in place by the penny.
Works like a charm.
– Rick
Hello Rick,
I used your ‘fix’. It took just a few minutes to complete. I used 24 gauge galvanized wire from the local home improvement store, $4. The machine has gone through 2 cycles and all is well.
Unlike some, I really like this dishwasher. It cleans well and is amazingly quiet. As such, I’m not about to throw the baby out with the bathwater. However, I agree that it is disappointing to see so many reports of this problem, with no apparent change to the design.
Thanks again,
John M.
I bought kitchenaid for quality. Boy what a shocker.cheap plastic rollers that easily fail and no help from kitchenaid. Through buying their products their name is tarnished.
From then on, Kitchenaid is on my black list. My dishwasher is two years old and those whells fell off again last night. I had just replace them. Shame on them for not helping us.
Yup, same old same old. I count myself lucky, took 2 years for the problem to crop up in my case. On hold for half an hour with KitchenAid, then transfered, on hold for another 15 minutes then “click.”. Looks like I need to find a few pennies and a drill.
Same problem, right around 2 years in.
The warranty document appears to cover “nylon dish racks” for 5 years. I will call them and try my luck.
http://www.kitchenaid.com/digitalassets/KUDS35FXSS/Warranty_EN.pdf
Thank you, Scott. Our rack broke Thanksgiving night, perfect timing. Just called Kitchenaide and they are sending replacement parts without any problems. They said they could send service call, but we are just going to fix ourselves. They said they have made changes to make parts more durable. I love this dishwasher,so I am very happy it wasn’t a big issue.
kenmore has the same wheel assembly. Ours has broken four times in less than a year. Sears will not fix it for free. I figured out that I could run a Zip tie through the center of the wheel, and it holds it in place so that it can slide along the track.
Wheel holder just broke for a second time, we are getting about 18 months out of them with pretty light usage. Based on comment above calling KitchenAid to see if they will replace under warranty, this time and I am going to ask them to pay for last time too.
Good Luck! you’ll just get the run around.
No run around. They mailed me two rack adjuster assemblies with no charge. I had already ordered a couple to make the repair, so now I have two spares.
This Kitchenaid upper rack track is a real piece of junk. After contacting them repeatedly they just want to send a tech out when they already been here. They have said: their is nothing they can do. It’s just inferior. Take it into consideration befor you by a Whirlpool/Kitchenaid product. I know I will!!!
I am so frustrated, purchasing parts again. I think it is the 4th time! This part should not be made of plastic. It can’t seem to handle the heat, the wear, and the weight of the dishes in the top rack. They really need to address this problem.
Today, I contacted, via telephone, KITCHENAID and told them the story about the rollers failing on my 14 month old dishwasher and that it was totally unacceptable. Guess what?
They are sending out a service man in three days with new METAL replacements for the rollers at NO CHARGE. I am so happy that Kitchenaid has seen that the previous rollers were not working, and now, step up to the plate and fix the problem.
I have Kitchenaid dishwashers that are decades old and they still wash beautifully, without ANY repairs! It is good to see
that they realize they made an error in not accepting the responsibility for the defective rollers. Now they want to make it right and I hope those of you who have problems with the upper rack will contact Kitchenaid Appliances and give them the opportunity to correct the problem. I believe you will be pleasantly surprised.
Phone number direct to Kitchenaid Appliances:
Major Appliances
1 (800) 422-1230
Never again will I buy another Kitchenaid product. This diskwasher has been repair prone from 6 months in. Warranty did cover leaks but not the roller repair,extended warranty wont cover rollers either,think they knew something? Oh,im in the process of replacing my 4th set.
I had the same issue with my 18 month old Kitchenaid. I refused to buy a replacement part that I believe will have the same problem again. I fashioned a spoke with JB WaterWeld putty and it has been holding 3+ months. This fix is less than $10 and 10 minutes. I share in case it will help someone else. Otherwise my dishwasher functions fine.
The rack design sucks. Easy fix and low cost. Maybe a nickel.
Zip ties. When zip ties wear. Do it again. Going on two years now after fixing it.
I have a permanent fix for the ill designed upper rack.
Buying these parts will replace the faulty upper rack rails, and plastic wheeled gliders with ball bearing rails – KitchenAid redesigned the upper rack system – they knew this rack design was faulty, which is why they’ve updated it:
(1) W10462359 Track, Assembly (left Hand top rack rail)
(1) W10462358 Track, Assembly (right Hand top rack rail)
(2) W10546503 Adjuster Assembly (you need 2 of these)
I have pictures. Feel free to contact me with questions. thomsshea AT gmail dot com
Thomas, where did you purchase these parts? Did you call KitchenAid directly? We are needing our second replacement of the plastic clips and would like a more permanent solution.
Thanks!
I replaced a kitchenaid dishwasher with a new model because we remodeled, The old one was running strong..this one is pure junk..the upper rack comes off the track and falls on the open door below.. This happened after just a couple of weeks. The quality of the plastic racks and roller system is a poor design.So much for buying from an American company
I replaced a kitchenaid dishwasher with a new model because we remodeled, The old one was running strong..this one is pure junk..the upper rack comes off the track and falls on the open door below.. This happened after just a couple of weeks. The quality of the plastic racks and roller system is a poor design.So much for buying from an American company
Loved the quick fix with zip ties. Am making that my go to, as replacing a zip tie now and then is LOW effort and low cost.
We purchased a KitchenAid dishwasher (model # KUDS30IXSS4) 3 1/2 years ago. The plastic clips that hold the upper rack broke 2 different times…this was shortly after the warranty expired…so I paid both times for the repair. KitchenAid did finally replace this faulty plastic clip with a metal clip on all of their dishwashers…but they called it an “upgrade” and not a “recall”…so they did not reimburse me for the almost $300.00 I had spent on previously repairing the faulty clips. Shortly after the plastic clips broke the second time the dishwasher made a “funny” noise. I shut the washer off and restarted it… upon restarting …it seemed fine. However, shortly after this it stopped cleaning the dishes. This was right in the interim when KitchenAid replaced the faulty plastic clip and went to the metal clip. What we did not realize is that pieces of the broken plastic went down into the “chopper/grinder” and broke that section of the dishwasher. When the repair man finally realized what had happened and why the washer was not cleaning we called KitchenAid. I asked KitchenAid to step up and take responsibility for the faulty design and they declined…saying that there was not enough evidence/proof that it was faulty design. Needless to say…I will never purchase another KitchenAid/Whirlpool product only because the will not step up and take responsibility for their product. Final note…this new repair will cost another $300.00.
Five years ago when we built our dream home, I furnished the kitchen with Kitchen aid appliances, and these dishwashers have been a nightmare. The first one lasted three years and then stopped working when it imploded! Yes, you read that right—the top stainless steel interior tub wall had caved in . It took two months and many phone calls/ photos for them to finally believe me & get someone out to see it and replace it (after we paid an “administration fee” of $161.06). So in Feb. 2014, we got a replacement dishwasher installed. Now I have the same problem all of you have had with the wheels on the top rack. The cheap plastic spokes have broken, the wheels fall off, and the rack falls out. I called 1-800-422-1230 as Charlotte suggested, and they would not give me the part to correct it. They wanted to sell me the part. so then they gave me the direct line to Whirlpool in Mich. 1-877-663-3157. I spoke with Andrew who agreed to send me the part for free after I told him about all the problems I have had, and the many reports I have seen on line. Hopefully, the metal part will end this latest problem.
What I want to know is what is the address of corporate headquarters. I want to send all of the parts that have fallen out of the dishwasher. I am few up with their product.