During dishwasher cycle soap dispenser won't open. at the end the soap tab is lying on the floor of the dishwasher.

Whirlpool dishwashers use a wax motor or a solinoid to release the door at a specific time during the cycle. So for proper cleaning the soap cup is nessesary . The part isn't that expensive and fairly simple repair.

Yes that's normal for that machine. The soap has to be washed out of the soap drawer by the top spray arm turning, and that's usually the problem - the arm isn't turning. Check both spray arms for blocked jets at the very end - remove blockages with a pin and water flow from tap. In the worst case, you may need a new spray arm - but they are usually cheap.
More points to remember - on a rapid 30 minute wash program only, if you are using wash tablets, don't put them in the soap drawer as there wont be enough time for them to dissolve. put the tabs in the cutlery basket. Also - a dishwasher is not a garbage disposal unit, and uneaten food must be scraped of plates before putting them in the dishwasher. Run a dishwasher cleaner through now and then, or do a full program wash with nothing in the machine to clean it out and to keep spray arms clear.

Make sure that there is nothing blocking the soap door from opening fully when the dishwasher is shut. This happened to me and I also thought that the soap door was opening during the cycle when it actually only partially opened during the wash and then popped open fully when I opened the dishwasher at the end of the cycle. So some, but not all, of the soap was used.

Most of the time the dispenser unit fails. It has a wax motor syetem and it just fails. Since you have to takethe door apart,I would suggest calling for service.

Good Luck!

2 things will lead to soap not dissolving, first is cold water, so make sure you have hot enough water. second and more likely is the dispenser is not opening at the proper time , instead fully opens at end of cycle during the dry cycle never even getting wet, and washing dishes with no soap, id replace the dispenser or make sure your not stacking items in front of dispenser hindering the opening. also powder is best, tabs and gelpack put undo stress on the dispenser door not always allowing full operation...

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its either the dispenser or the timer/pcb.

both have a wax motor on them that needs to be replaced you just remove the panel and replace the wax motor is what its called

THIS IS JUST A SUGGESTION: TAKE SOME WARM TO HOT WATER AND POUR IT DOWN AND AROUD THE DISPENSER.
SOAP CAN "CAKE-UP" AND MAKE THE THE DISPENSER STICK. IN THE MEAN TIME YOU CAN PUT YOUR DETERGANT IN A COFFECUP ON THE LOWER RACK AND ACHIEVE THE SAME RESULTS. ALWAYS USE THE LEAST AMOUNT OF SOAP POSSIBLE.

GOOD LUCK

I had the same problem with my GE Adora. The dishes were getting cloudy and the soap dispenser would not open. Turns out the hard water deposits were causing the soap dispenser to stick shut. I purchased and used Dishwasher Magic which is a dishwasher cleaner designed to remove limescale, rust and buildup. I used as directed and now my dishes are sparkling and the soap dispenser pops right open.