Suds are left in the bottom after the cycle - KitchenAid Dishwashers

Soft water ---- you need to check your water softener Brine tank to see that it has enough salt. The etching is from "Hard" water.

HI- Ah yes, the suds. Your flood switch has probably been tripped. Unplug the machine or flip the breaker. Remove the lower kick panel and you'll see the white plastic bottom of the dishwasher pan. This is designed to catch the water (or suds) if there is a leak or the water (or suds) over fill it. This will take awhile but get some pliable rag and carefully put it in the space between the bottom of the dishwasher and the pan. There is a styrofoam float on the left side about halfway back, this has to be down for the dishwasher to advance the cycle and get out of drain mode. Just keep soaking the water up (you kinda have to go over the plastic lip of the pan and down wherever there is an opening large enough to get the rag into. Once it is pretty dry it should run ok. Regarding the suds. If you get the machine to run ok then start a rinse cycle and once the water is done filling open the door and add about 4 tablespoons of any cooking oil to the water. Shut the door and let the machine run for about 10 seconds, open the door check to see if there are still a lot of suds, if so cancel the cycle to drain the machine and repeat. Hope this helps, good luck.

Dishwashers shouldn't have suds so somehow dishwasher liquid was introduced to the dishwasher. Vinegar, alcohol, or a small amount of cooking oil might help eliminate the sudsing.

SUDS error is usually an Overdose of Detergent detected during the Wash Cycle.
The motor control unit senses a suds lock condition by analyzing the current draw on the drive motor. If "Sud" is displayed a potential suds lock is detected. This may signify a bad pump, an extra heavy load, excessive detergent, or excessive suds.

If too much detergent was used, run the unit through a Rinse/Spin cycle, then a Normal cycle, without adding any detergent. This should clear the unit of the excess detergent.

Check the drain hose and make sure it is not plugged or kinked.

If none of this fixes it then further testing would require opening of cabinet and follow trouble shooting steps on the tech sheet located inside bottom lower panel. To remove bottom lower panel there are 3-4 screws at bottom of panel remove them and pull out and down on panel to remove.
If you are not comfortable with this I would recommend calling for service.

sprinkle some cooking oil in tub this will desolve the suds apperantly u used reg. dish deg.

Suds? If you use dishwashing detergent you shouldn't get suds. If a small amount of sink type dish soap is left on a dish before loading it into the dishwasher this can happen. I would use several rinse and drain cycles with the racks and dishes removed until the suds are gone.

Never use any type of liquid dish soap made for sinks. The same thing that makes suds in the sink will make even more in the dish washer.

Hope this helps!

Have you checked it is draining properly? Partially-blocked drainage would likely be detected and cause the dishwasher to stop mid cycle, with soap suds left behind. I would check (1) the drain filters inside the dishwasher and (2) that the hose is not kinked (3) that all the S-bends etc where the dishwasher hose connects to the drain under the sink are clear.

Hi smiller8565,
There is 3 basic problems that will cause a dishwasher to not clean the dishes. You can check these problems and see if any will solve your problems.
1: If there is water or suds left in the dishwasher after the cycle is complete. This will cause dirty water to be used in the final rinse and the dishes will not get clean.
2: The pump that supplies water to the spray arms is jammed or defective and unable to pump the water properly, thus causing the dishes to remain dirty.
3: Timer, the timer is not allowing the machine to work in the wash cycle.
The solutions for these 3 are as follows.
1: check the drain line for blockage, if you have a disposal make sure it is clear and water flows down the drain properly. If you have suds left in the dishwasher, clean them out and run a couple cycles with not detergent to rinse away the old suds.
2: Look down in the bottom for any obstructions in the pump. Popcorn seeds, broken glass, etc.
3: If the unit is skipping the wash cycle you will most likely need a new timer or control assembly.
Good luck and I really hope this will Fix Ya
Mike

Check the exit hose for blockage and kinks,
open the bottom access panel (3 screws front bottom)and then open the filter access and look for debris, some extra water will spill!!,
check the manual for more in this area
http://adcxns1.whirlpool.com/Service/SrvTechAdm.nsf/2cd44500d572193285256a45004fd9d6/eab852a13fbc842085256aa200643dd6/$FILE/Duet%20Job%20Aid.pdf

Just take off the bottom kickplate (3 screws on the bottom). You'll see the pump front and center. Twist the front face of the pum slowly to the left. All the trapped water will flow right out towards you. There could be a sock or some other debris there. Unclog, screw that faceplate back in and start it up.