Water is not circulating. machine runs full cycle but when opened, soap is in a mushy lump, not dispersed or dissolve, and dishes are still soiled

assuming you are using the correct dishwasher detergent type and quantity recommended for the dishwasher, the likely cause for detergent not dissolving is that the water is not circulating well enough through the wash arm. Check the wash arms are clean. Do dishes come out clean? Run the dishwasher with a cup correct side up on the top rack. If it is empty at end of wash then there is no water in the top arm.

Is the detergent dispenser door open during wash cycle?
Also lack of adequate wash water template can cause detergent to remain undesolved. Hope this helps.

Is the water coming on? Is water hot enough? Is washer overloaded, water jets aren't hitting the soap? Maybe try a different brand of soap tablet? Run the dishwasher in "heavy soil" mode which will use hotter water and run for longer?

Either:

1. the water does not get into the dishwasher open the dishwasher 3-4 times during cycle, you should see some water at least once, if not - check water valve, water level float and water pressure.
2. the pump is clogged - there is water, the motor will run but no water is circulated. Check pump filters, check chopper and impeller.
3. motor in main pump is not working - could be caused by something stuck on the impeller or chopper or could be a problem with the motor itself or control board. Check if line voltage is coming to the motor during wash/rinse cycle.

Good luck,
Vlad
First Choice Appliance

I will assume a few things as you do not indicate which unit you have.

You have a soap dish with a door that should open at the correct point in the cycle. That is probably not happening. You can tell for sure if the soap dish door is still closed at the end of the cycle.

If the door is still shut then something could be jamming it or it is faulty.

Take a look at the dish door and look for soap residue and dirt etc collected around the hinges and the clip holding the door shut. Clean it out.

Open and close the door by hand a few times to ensure it operates freely.

No Go ?

The timer tells the door when to open and close. If the door is faulty or the timer is not sending the signal then the soap will not dispense.

To test the soap disperser you would open the door and move the timer to the position where the soap should be dispensed. Then put a test light across the terminals on the dispenser to see if it is getting a signal. If there is power then the disperser is faulty. It now power the timer is faulty. You would replace the part accordingly.

It is hard to explain in detail how to do the test as I don't know the exact unit.

Short term solution until you get it properly fixed is to use the puck or dissolving package type cleaner. Just put it in the bottom of the machine at the start or open the door mid cycle (unit stops when you open the door) and toss it in. It will work for now.

Hope this helps you with some direction. Please rate this answer if it helps you get started.

Most diswashers have a complete cycle that lasts over an hour. The machine fills with about 1.5-2 quarts of water, rinses the dishes for a few minutes, then empties the water, then fills again with new water and rinses for a few more minutes, then empties. This is to get a good bit of the looser gunk off the dishes, and to soften up any other stuff that has dried on there. Then the machine fills a third time, the soap door pops open, and it washes for a much longer time to hopefully dissolve away pretty much anything left on the dishes. Then it empties, and does a rinse the soap off cycle, and usually a final cycle that rinses again with a little bit of rinse agent to help them dry quickly.

The whole process uses about 2 gallons of water.

If the DW does not drain the pump could be clogged or has failed. That would also cause the spray arms not to rotate and not circulate water to dissolve the soap or clean the dishes

Maybe that is a bit much... I thought of something else you might check... there is a screen at the bottom of the dishwasher... make sure it is clean so that water can keep recirculating.

The thing about adding water is that if you add the water at the beginning, it is going to circulate for 3 minutes or so and then dump out the water and attempt to refill. Most machines do a couple "rinse off" cycles before the soap dispenser opens and the machine washes the dishes for a long time. So you have to put the water in after you hear the dispenser "pop" open.

I'm not completely sure about the Kitchen Aid, but their might be a way to adjust the time that the water inlet valve stays open at the beginning of the cycle... you'll have to check your manual.

Either:

1. not enough water gets into the dishwasher. open the dishwasher 3-4 times during cycle, you should see some water at least once, if not - check water valve, water level float and water pressure.
2. the pump is clogged - there is water, the motor will run but no water is circulated. Check pump filters, check chopper and impeller.

Good luck,
Vlad
First Choice Appliance

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...

Either:

1. not enough water gets into the dishwasher. open the dishwasher 3-4 times during cycle, you should see some (quite some) water at least once, if not - check water valve, water level float and water pressure.
2. the pump is clogged - there is water, the motor will run but no water is circulated. Check pump filters, check chopper and impeller.
3. motor in main pump is not working - could be caused by something stuck on the impeller or chopper or could be a problem with the motor itself or control board. Check if line voltage is coming to the motor during wash/rinse cycle.

Good luck,
Vlad
First Choice Appliance