Why doesn't my dishwasher door close and latch?

WARNING!

To avoid personal injury or death, disconnect your appliance from its power source before you start any troubleshooting or repair work. Use caution when working inside any appliance.

Dishwasher Door Gasket or Seal

If your dishwasher door is giving you a problem check the door seal, hinges, door latch, and the door springs. Open the door and look to see if anything is blocking it from closing completely. Look at the racks to see if any dishes are getting in the way. If you have a new dishwasher or have just replaced the seal on your old one, the seal may not be broken in yet and the door may not latch properly until the seal is broken in. Just give it some time, and after some use, it will usually start sealing well on its own. Some newer models require you to push in on the center top of the control panel as you're latching the door.

Dishwasher Door Latch

The door is held on by a pair of door hinges. They help to make sure that the door closes and seals properly. When the door is open, they are very vulnerable. Children sit on them, parents trip over them. These types of things can cause the hinges to bend and make it difficult for the door to close. Once the metal has been weakened, it is best to replace the hinges. If you try to straighten them back to the shape they were in before, they will usually just bend again.

Dishwasher Door Springs

At the top of the door is the door latch. This is where the door latches closed and activates the door switch. Usually you can adjust these and resolve the problem. If your model isn't adjustable, you'll need to check for other causes. If the latch is no longer working, simply replace it.

To make it easy to close the dishwasher door, there are two springs, one on each side, that act as counterweights for the door. If one or both is broken or overly stretched, the door can become difficult to lift closed. If you notice a bad spring, you should replace both springs.

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Common Dishwasher Repair Problems and Solutions
1. Why does an error code display? 2. Why doesn't my dishwasher work at all? 3. Why are the dishes still dirty? 4. Should I pre-wash my dishes? 5. What's the best way to load the dishwasher? 6. Why aren't my dishes dry when the dishwasher finishes? 7. Why does the dishwasher seem like it is not advancing? 8. Why is there no water entering the dishwasher? 9. Is dishwasher detergent safe for my family? 10. Why doesn't the detergent cup open? 11. Why won't the dish water drain?		12. Why is my dishwasher leaking? 13. Why is there water dripping from a vent? 14. Why doesn't my dishwasher door close and latch? 15. How do I get the best cleaning from my dishwasher? 16. What should the water temperature be? 17. Why is my dishwasher beeping and lights blinking? 18. Why is the inside of my dishwasher discolored or stained? 19. Why does my dishwasher have an odor? 20. Why is my dishwasher filling with water when it is not being used? 21. Why is my dishwasher making noise? 22. How much and what kind of detergent should I use?		23. What can I do to get rid of spots on my glassware? 24. Why is my glassware scratched and cloudy looking? 25. Why do my racks roll in or out when the door is open? 26. What can I do to fix my rusty racks? 27. What do all the indicator lights mean? 28. Why do I smell plastic burning in my dishwasher? 29. What is the correct procedure for starting my dishwasher? 30. How do rinse aids work? 31. What is dishwasher salt? 32. Why aren't the sprayer arms turning? 33. Why is there still detergent in the dispenser when the dishwasher is done?

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Adapters Cleaners Conversion Kits Dishrack Inserts Disposer Connectors Drain Hoses Drain Valves		Door Springs Fill & Water Valves Handles Heater Elements Motors & Pumps Racks Rack Repair		Roller & Wheels Silverware Baskets Wash & Spray Arms Trim Kits Touch-Up Paints Universal Parts and Accessories Water Inlet Valves

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