9 Reasons Your Amana Dishwasher Does Not Dry (+Quick Fix)

The primary function of a dishwasher is to clean the dishes, but that’s not the end of the cycle. Drying the utensil is the final yet most important step for any dishwasher.

In the last few days, I have noticed my dishwasher is not drying up the dishes well, so I decided to run a few checks to find the underlying problems, and in this article, I will share the same with you.

If your Amana dishwasher is not drying the dishes, you must start by checking the rinse aid and ensuring it’s full. The next step would be to check the vent that lets the steam in your dishwasher, which helps dry the dishes. Lastly, check the heating element and make sure it’s working.

This article will help you understand why your Amana dishwasher might not be drying and all the steps by which you can fix it. So, keep reading.

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Why is your Amana dishwasher is not drying?

I know how it feels when the dishwasher doesn’t dry. 

If you have an Amana dishwasher, I can help because I have some experience dealing with it.

I remember my dishwasher not drying because I didn’t load the dishes properly. 

And another time, the heating element was faulty.

But there’s more to it than these two reasons.

So, let’s understand.

1. Not loading the rinse aid

It won’t be very pleasant to unload wet dishes from dishwashers frequently.

But, don’t worry as you can fix this issue yourself without the technician’s help.

You can solve the issue by simply loading the rinse aid. 

In the Amana dishwasher, there will be an in-built rinse aid dispenser which you can find next to the detergent dispenser. 

When the rinse aid dispenser is not loaded with the rinse aid, dishes will remain wet, and you can even find white spots on them.

Rinse aid is the liquid that helps to dry the dishes at the end of the washing cycles.

Rinse aid has a surface-active agent to reduce the surface tension of water.

This mechanism lets the water slide off the dishes easily. 

If you have hard water connected to your dishwasher, not using a rinse aid will cause the minerals to deposit at the dishes’ surface, reducing the hygienic look. 

How to fix it?

Loading the rinse aid dispenser is not complicated.

  • First, locate the built-in rinse aid dispenser next to the detergent dispenser. 
  • Manually open the cap of the dispenser.
  • Check for the level of rinse aid already present. If the rinse aid is not already loaded, then reload it.
  • Also, check if the dispenser’s cap is damaged, which can also cause the issue. 

To avoid this issue, load the rinse aid at least once a month.

I personally like the Finish Jet-Dry Rinse Aid, which is readily available on Amazon.

If you continuously run the dishwasher more than two times a day, you can load the rinse aid as needed by checking the level of the dispenser.

After this step, run the dishwasher to see if the issue gets solved.

If not, try finding some other fault as mentioned below. 

2. Not reviewing the settings

Each model of Amana dishwasher has different features and settings. 

When you are unaware of the settings, you may face the issue of it not drying.

Educate yourself about the settings and functions using the user manual. 

On the dishwasher’s control panel, you will find the drying setting.

In some models, there will be an option to choose the intensity of the drying.

You can choose the drying setting based on the load of dishes you are going to wash.

How to fix it?

Fix the setting by following these steps:

  • Locate the dry heat option setting.
  • Switch on the heated dry option.
  • Ensure the button or the control panel is not faulty.
  • When the washing cycle is complete, open the door to let the remaining water evaporate.

If this is why your Amana dishwasher is not drying, you will get dry and fresh dishes at the end of the cycle.

3. Not loading the dishes right

If you have recently installed the dishwashing unit, you may not know how to load the dishes correctly.

This had happened to me and hindered the machine’s drying efficiency.

Follow these to load the dishes:

  • Give the bottom rack to plates: It’s recommended because bottom racks are usually designed to hold the plates. Make sure there is enough space between the plates for better air circulation. The drying will not be very effective if they are placed very close to each other.
  • Place bowls at the top rack: Place the bowls upside-down so the water won’t collect inside the bowl.
  • Spoons and folks loading: In the Amana dishwasher, there is a separate bowl or cup for loading spoons and folks. Load the spoons in that specified cup for a better cleaning and drying option. If you put those on the top rack, there is the possibility of them falling and blocking filters or spray arms. Put knives in separate bowls with the sharp edge pointing down.
  • Large dishes loading: It’s better to wash the large dishes separately because water blocking is possible. While loading those large dishes, ensure they are not closed to the doors as it may block the detergent.

4. Faulty vent

After testing all the ways mentioned above, if your dishwasher still doesn’t dry, it may be a vent issue. 

If you are wondering what a vent is, it is the part of a dishwasher appliance that generates hot steam during the wash cycle.

A faulty vent won’t open, which won’t dry the dishes and leave white spots on them. 

Here is how you can check the working condition of a vent:

  • Begin by cutting off the electric source to avoid danger.
  • Wear gloves to safeguard your hands from injury. Now remove the screws from the panels. 
  • Separate the control board panel.
  • Now you can locate the vent at the top left side of the inner panel. 
  • To remove the vent, you must rotate the outer covering in a clockwise direction. Now, you can detach the vent from the inner panel.
  • Next, check if the vent is struck at the closing position. If that’s the case, consider replacing it.

After replacing the new vent, the dishwasher should dry well. 

If not, there’s some other problem.

5. Faulty vent fan motor

The vent fan motor is the part of a vent.

It will aid in fastening the drying process at the end of the cycle. 

You can locate the vent fan motor through the same process mentioned in the previous section.

  • Locate the vent fan motor.
  • Try to rotate the fan blade manually. 
  • If you don’t find smooth movement, check for any obstruction.
  • Remove the obstruction if there is any. 
  • Sometimes fans won’t move despite no obstruction. It indicates the faulty condition of the vent fan motor.
  • Replacing it is the only solution. You can choose to do it by yourself or seek the help of a technician. 
  • In cases of fans moving smoothly, you can check it with a multimeter. A multimeter is a device used to check the continuity of the motor. If it shows continuity, then there is nothing wrong with it. If not, replace it.

6. Unsuitable water temperature

Water temperature can also cause the issue of your Amana dishwasher not drying.

Dishwashers will efficiently dry if the water temperature is 120°F.

You can use a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the water connected to the dishwashers.

If it is not up to 120°F, you can adjust the water heater’s settings. 

While altering the setting of the water heater, be cautious of the possible risk of causing burn and danger when kids can access the water taps.

7. A faulty heating element

The Amana dishwasher has a heating element to heat the dishes during the drying cycle.

It will produce a temperature of around 110-170°F. 

This temperature warms up the dishes to let the water evaporate.

Here is how you can locate the heating element of the dishwasher: 

  • Open the door to find the tub inside the dishwasher.
  • The heating element is the thin, circular tube found inside a tub. 
  • It will be connected with two terminals to the tub.
  • Reach out to the wires only after turning off the electricity. 
  • You can get to the wires by the lateral kick plate board of the dishwasher. 
  • You will find two screws at the top of the panel.
  • On the lower end, there will be two terminals with two wires. 
  • Pull off the wires from the terminals. 
  • Now test it with the multimeter to check the continuity of the heating element. 
  • Multimeter settings will be in ohms. Reading must show between infinity and zero.
  • If the multimeter needle does not move and shows infinite resistance, it indicates the faulty heating element. Consider replacing it.

8. High limit thermostat fault

A high-limit thermostat is responsible for controlling the internal temperature of the dishwasher.

It prevents the dishwasher from getting too hot.

If the dishwasher overheats, the thermostat will switch off the heating element.

Thus, you will get wet dishes at the end of the cycle.

Here is how you can test the working condition of high limit thermostat: 

  • Turn off the electrical connections before testing. 
  • Get the essential things like screws, multimeter, light, and voltage tester handy. 
  • You can find the thermostat at the bottom of the tub. Consider having someone to assist with light to locate it well. 
  • You can find a round silver-colored disk attached with two wires. Those are thermostats. 
  • Now you can remove those wires from terminals and remove the thermostat with the help of screws. 
  • Use a multimeter to check the thermostats by fixing the dial at Rx1. 
  • While checking, the reading should drop to zero. 
  • If not, it’s a sign of a defective thermostat. Replace it with a new one.

9. Control board fault

The Control board carries the monitoring functions like draining, washing, and drying.

However, this fault rarely occurs.

Make sure you checked all the issues mentioned above before inspecting the control board.

In this case, you need to be technical enough to fix the issue. 

This is how you can replace the control board if you find it faulty:

  • With the help of a screwdriver, remove the screws fixed to secure the control board.
  • Take off the control board from the tabs by giving manual pressure. 
  • Remove the fuse from the tab with the help of a small screwdriver. 
  • Now cut the ribbons that are connected to the control tabs. By doing so, you can take off the old control board. 
  • Now, it’s time to install the new control board. 
  • Commence it by putting the tabs in their respective slots.
  • Connect the ribbon, fuse, and wires from the old board to the new board. 
  • Replace and secure the board with the screws. 

Quick note: You might need specific tools to diagnose and fix some of these problems; in such circumstances, a household tool kit is always recommended. If you don’t have one, then check out this amazing tool kit on Amazon; I personally recommend this to everyone.

How do I get my dishwasher to dry better?

  • After completing each washing cycle, open the dishwasher door to let the steam evaporate. Unload the dishes after this process.
  • While unloading, empty the bottom rack and move to the upper racks.
  • Ensure the regular checking of the limit switch because a faulty switch will not let the heating element function.
  • Check the dishwasher’s drying for dirt deposits and clean it regularly to increase drying efficiency.
  • Maintain the temperature of the water heater to 120°F.
  • If your model has an extended dry option, then it’s recommended to use the same for optimal drying of dishes.

Final thoughts

You can enjoy the fruitful benefits of an Amana dishwasher if properly maintained. It’s recommended to use a premium rinse aid to ensure the longevity of the dishwasher. Using normal detergent can hamper the functionality of the machine. 

If your Amana dishwasher doesn’t dry the dishes, it can be solved with a simple method in most cases. You need to check out the possible issues by checking the different parts of the dishwasher, as I mentioned, and fix the issue as soon as you identify it.

If you still can’t solve the drying issue of the Amana dishwasher yourself or find a problem that requires a plumber’s help, call the technician to solve this issue efficiently.


Reference: Amana Official Troubleshooting Guide.

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Jeniffer Smith

Hi, I am Jeniffer Smith, a housemaker and blogger, and I grew up in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. I have been researching and fixing appliances and other things around the home and kitchen from a young age to help my single mother. Every time something went wrong, I couldn't rest until I fixed it. And ever since, I have enjoyed fixing things around my home, and I am always ready to help my friends and family with advice and hands-on help. Since we were always looking for affordable ways of fixing things, we rarely hired experts and tried to fix most things ourselves. That interest brought me to write for this blog, as I realized my knowledge could help many people trying to fix things around their homes on their own without spending hundreds of dollars.

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