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The soap dispenser on our Kenmore Elite dishwasher (SEARS part number 8558128) will not stay closed. The little latch mechanism appears to be working, but the spring on the lid's base keeps the lid wide open at all times. I have examined the pop-up dispenser lid to see if some sort of plastic tip held by the latch after soap is added is broken off- this may be the case but I cannot see any damage where such a lip may have broken off. Does the latch catch the lid by snapping onto a plastic lip? If so it may well be broken off and thus require a whole new dispenser at $72.
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What do you mean "keep dispensing soap"? Is this a GE dishwasher with an automatic soap dispenser? Or do you mean that the soap lid won't latch or stay closed? Or are you talking about the rinse-aid dispenser leaking rinse-aid (which is fairly common)?
RoselsRose, Thanks for the info about your grandson coming bye the dishwasher and messing with the dial! My son (14 month old) did the same thing and the soap dispenser door/latch would not stay closed. It just kept springing back open. I thought for sure the latch was broke until I saw your post and went to the outside dial and brought it back to off. Sure enough, the soap dispenser door stays closed. You just saved me an expensive repair! Thanks!
Often times the latch needs cleaning from the accumulated calcium and soap caked around the latch. Use an old toothbrush or sometimes something a little stiffer to scrub around the latch, the dispenser cups and in the general area. If there is still accumulation a small amount of CLR [calcium-lime-rust] remover will break down the accumulation. We had a Kenmore running in very hard water situation that wouldn't open and we just left it open and didn't worry about the dispenser door releasing. We did this because we always scraped off all the food in the sink before putting dishes in the dishwasher and then ran on the water miser setting which requires only one of the soap dispenser wells to be filled.
I have replaced a dish washer soap dispenser once. Not hard to do. Need the make and model number. This dispenser is activated mechanically so there may be a broken latch or spring in the dispenser. Check the dispensers operation manually and see if it appears to be operating normally.
From your description even when the soap dispenser opens it is opening late which is why all the soap does not dissolve.
Try adding only half as much soap and see if it opens then - even a little spilled soap catching on that little latch mechanism can cause it to be difficult to close and stick opening.
Also make sure that the spring that controls the door is not broken.
its possible to have a faulty dispenser, but i would look for other reasons first. Im a big powder user and proponent. powder just breaks down better in hot water.Have found that by using the tabs(whoch im sure the gel packs could give same issue) that they dont really fitting the dispenser as well they're a little tight to close the door and the spring action of the dispenser is sometimes not enough with te extra pressure from the tablets.also ck to make sure youre loading it correctly and nothing is blocking the water form spraying into the cup fully emptying it
Make sure the dial that you turn to start the dishwasher is all the way to the beginning. Sometimes my little grandson comes by and plays with it, turning it. I load, add soap and the dispenser won't close. I check the outside dial, and sure enough, set it to the very beginning and the dispenser locks in place!
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