GE GDT695SSJSS – Wash motor failure Repair Guide

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Model: GE GDT695SSJSS
Brand: GE
Model Number: GDT695SSJSS

🔍 Problem Description

Listen for humming; test motor windings; check motor capacitor

📋 What You’ll Need

  • Wash motor
  • Motor capacitor
  • Multimeter

    • 🔧 Step-by-Step Repair Instructions

      🔧 Step 1: Listen for humming sound from motor

      1. Clear all dishes, utensils, and racks from inside the dishwasher completely.
      2. Close the dishwasher door until it latches securely – you’ll hear a distinct click when the door catch engages.
      3. Press the Power button located on the top edge of the door, approximately 3 inches from the right side.
      4. Select the Normal wash cycle by pressing the cycle button once – the cycle indicator light will illuminate.
      5. Press the Start button, which is positioned directly to the right of the Power button.
      6. Stand directly in front of the closed dishwasher door with your ear approximately 6 inches away from the center of the door.
      7. Listen during the first 30 seconds after pressing Start – the circulation pump motor should produce a low-pitched humming sound at approximately 60 Hz frequency (sounds like a sustained “mmmm”).
      8. If you hear the humming sound, the motor is receiving power and attempting to run – this indicates the motor windings are intact but the pump may be jammed or the motor capacitor has failed.
      9. If you hear absolutely no sound at all, check the control panel display for error codes – any flashing lights or numeric codes indicate different failure points.
      10. If you hear clicking sounds instead of humming (3-5 clicks then silence), the motor is not engaging and the issue is likely the motor relay or control board.
      11. Press and hold the Start button for 3 seconds to cancel the cycle.
      12. Open the door and press Power to turn off the unit.

      🛠️ Step 2: Test wash motor windings with multimeter

      1. Set your digital multimeter to the ohms (Ω) setting at 200 ohms range or the continuity setting with an audible tone.
      2. Locate the wash motor at the bottom center of the dishwasher tub, directly beneath where the lower spray arm connects.
      3. Find the motor’s wire harness connector—a white plastic rectangular connector with 5 terminals positioned on the right side of the motor housing.
      4. Press the locking tab on top of the connector and pull it straight away from the motor to disconnect it, revealing 5 metal terminal pins on the motor.
      5. Identify the terminal positions looking at the motor connector face: from left to right, they are labeled L1 (far left), L2 (center-left), Ground (center), Capacitor (center-right), and Neutral (far right).
      6. Touch one multimeter probe to the L1 terminal (far left) and the other probe to the L2 terminal (center-left).
      7. Read the resistance value—you should see between 3 and 8 ohms. Record this number.
      8. Move one probe to the L1 terminal and touch the other probe to the motor’s metal housing or ground terminal (center position).
      9. The meter should display “OL” (open line) or infinite resistance, indicating no short to ground exists.
      10. Repeat the ground test by touching one probe to L2 terminal and the other to the metal housing—again, you should see “OL” or infinite resistance.
      11. Test the capacitor terminals (center-right position) to neutral (far right position)—you should see between 10 and 20 ohms.
      12. If any reading shows 0 ohms to ground, the motor windings are shorted and the motor requires replacement (part number WD26X23874).
      13. If any winding shows “OL” or infinite resistance where you should see 3-20 ohms, the winding is open and the motor has failed.

      ⚙️ Step 3: Check motor capacitor with capacitance meter

      1. Locate the motor capacitor, a cylindrical component measuring approximately 1.5 inches in diameter and 3 inches tall, mounted on the side of the circulation pump motor assembly at the bottom left of the dishwasher tub.
      2. Set your digital capacitance meter (minimum 50µF range) to the capacitance testing mode, typically marked as “CAP” or “µF” on the dial.
      3. Touch one meter probe to the top terminal marked “C” (common) on the capacitor.
      4. Touch the second probe to the terminal marked “F” (fan) or the adjacent unmarked terminal.
      5. Read the displayed value on your meter. The GE motor capacitor (part WD18X10011) should measure between 10µF and 12µF at room temperature.
      6. Record this reading and compare it to the specification printed on the capacitor body, which reads “10µF ±5% 370VAC.”
      7. Disconnect both meter probes and rotate the meter probes to opposite terminals to verify the reading – you should get the same measurement within 0.5µF.
      8. If your reading falls below 9.5µF or above 12.5µF, the capacitor has failed and requires replacement.
      9. If your reading shows 0µF or “OL” (overload), the capacitor is completely dead and must be replaced.
      10. If your capacitance meter has an ESR (Equivalent Series Resistance) function, switch to this mode and test the capacitor – a good capacitor reads below 5 ohms, while readings above 10 ohms indicate internal degradation requiring replacement.
      11. Remove the capacitor by pulling it straight up from its mounting clip if replacement is needed, or leave it in place if readings are within specification.
      12. A passing capacitor test combined with other symptoms indicates the motor itself may be faulty rather than the capacitor.

      🔩 Step 4: Inspect motor for visible damage

      1. Locate the circulation pump motor assembly at the bottom center of the dishwasher tub, directly beneath where the spray arm attaches.
      2. Examine the black plastic motor housing for cracks, focusing on the seam where the motor casing meets the pump volute (the spiral-shaped housing). Run your finger along this seam to feel for any separation or gaps wider than 1/16 inch.
      3. Check the motor shaft extending from the top center of the motor housing. The shaft should be straight with no lateral movement exceeding 1/8 inch when wiggled by hand.
      4. Inspect the white plastic impeller at the base of the spray arm mount. Look for missing or broken fins – there should be 6 intact fins spaced evenly around the impeller.
      5. Look for brown or black burn marks on the motor housing exterior, particularly near the bottom where the electrical connections enter. These appear as discolored streaks or circular marks.
      6. Examine the rubber motor mount grommets (4 total) located at each corner where the motor assembly sits in the mounting bracket. Press each grommet with your thumb – it should compress and spring back. Replace if any are cracked, missing chunks, or remain compressed.
      7. Check the wire harness entering the motor at the 4 o’clock position (when viewed from above). The rubber boot covering this connection should have no tears or splits exposing bare wires.
      8. Smell the motor housing for burnt electrical odor (similar to burnt plastic or hair). A strong burnt smell indicates internal winding damage.
      9. Spin the impeller clockwise by hand – it should rotate smoothly with slight resistance. Grinding, clicking, or complete binding indicates bearing failure.
      10. Look inside the pump housing below the impeller for foreign objects like broken glass, bones, or plastic fragments that could damage the motor during operation.

      đź“‹ Step 5: Replace wash motor or capacitor if faulty

      1. Disconnect the three wire harness connectors from the motor—one large 6-pin white connector at the top of the motor housing and two smaller 2-pin connectors on the right side of the motor body.
      2. Remove the single ground wire attached to the motor housing using a 5/16-inch nut driver, turning counterclockwise 3 full rotations.
      3. Unscrew the 4 mounting bolts securing the motor to the sump assembly using a 10mm socket wrench—one bolt at each corner of the motor mounting bracket.
      4. Rotate the motor assembly 15 degrees counterclockwise while pulling downward to disengage the motor shaft from the pump impeller coupling.
      5. Remove the old motor from the sump housing and set aside.
      6. Align the new motor shaft with the circular impeller coupling opening (located at the top center of the sump assembly) and insert the motor shaft fully until it seats with a metallic click.
      7. Rotate the motor 15 degrees clockwise to lock the shaft into the coupling.
      8. Install the 4 mounting bolts finger-tight, then torque to 18-20 inch-pounds in a cross pattern (top-left, bottom-right, top-right, bottom-left).
      9. Reconnect the ground wire and tighten the nut until snug (approximately 15 inch-pounds).
      10. Reconnect all three wire harness connectors—push each connector until you hear and feel a distinct click indicating the locking tab has engaged.
      11. Locate the cylindrical capacitor mounted to the motor housing—a silver or black cylinder 1.5 inches in diameter and 3 inches tall.
      12. Disconnect the two spade terminal wires by pulling straight off the capacitor terminals.
      13. Release the metal mounting clip by squeezing the spring tabs on both sides simultaneously and sliding the capacitor upward out of the bracket.
      14. Insert the new capacitor into the mounting bracket until the clip clicks into the groove around the capacitor body.
      15. Push the two spade terminals firmly onto the new capacitor posts until fully seated—red wire to the right terminal, black wire to the left terminal.

      đź›’ Recommended Products

      Here are the recommended products for this repair: