Samsung DMR78 (DMR77) Dishwasher Repair Manual

[Kixtosh]

I have one of the infamous Samsung DMR78AHS dishwashers.  Can anyone tell me where to find the manual for this machine? I think the DMR77 and DMR78 models are almost identical, and that the last three letters in the model designation don't mean much (color differences, etc.).

I found a reference to it in this thread:

http://appliancejunk.com/forums/index.php?topic=8007.msg37796#msg37796

But I did not find it listed here:

http://appliancejunk.com/forums/index.php?topic=9457.0


So why do I want the manual? Well, since I'm already here, and I'd like to share my experience if I'm able to fix this, the dishwasher basically stopped working properly after about 14 months:

• Dishes were coming out with more and more of a thin film of deposits on them. I removed the whole bottom filter assembly (under the bottom propellor), and found the entire area filled with brown greasy gunk of some description. I cleaned that all out, and everything worked better for about two months, but now it's doing the same thing all over again.
• I also discovered that some plastic tabs had broken off the top height adjusters. This is apparently a common problem, and the design has been strengthened twice already, so I'm hoping the new ones will not break if I can get the darned thing working properly first. I never found these, so I'm wondering if they are still lost inside somewhere, and causing the first problem above to happen.
• Finally, I now get a 9E error. Apparently this can be caused by the sensor (I think), on the outside left area of the main tub. I'm trying to remove that to clean it out, but I can't get the thing come off.

Any help finding a link to the manual, or advice about the repair, would be very welcome! My wife is about to throw the whole thing out with the trash.

[AJ]

Can anyone tell me where to find the manual for this machine?

http://appliancejunk.com/forums/index.php?action=store;sa=view;id=149

[Kixtosh]

Got it, thanks!

[AJ]

Your welcome,


I have not had a chance to look over the service manual and I don't have any experience with Samsung dishwasher, but maybe another tech will have some words of advice for us.


Let us know what you find or if you have any other questions.


 

[JWWebster]

Show some pix

[Kixtosh]

Thanks for the comments, guys! I was working on the machine all this time.

The service manual was quite helpful. Basically, I removed all the pumps from underneath the machine. There's an access panel. I checked for stuck pieces of anything broken, and found none. These are:

1) The drain pump.
2) The circulation motor (drives an impeller in the sump, and the waste "disposer" blades).
3) The distributor motor (drives a "valve" mechanism, I think, inside the sump area).

I also checked that sensor case, when I got it removed. There weren't any tricks in the service manual for this, it's just very fiddly to remove. It had enough gunk in it that this might have been the cause of the 9E errors (low level, I think). It's clean now.

I'm coming to the conclusion that either something isn't working at all (perhaps that distributor valve), or the seals are not doing their job. The whole inside of the sump area, underneath the filter was disgusting, with caked on brown gunk. The walls and every part of the machine is covered in whitish deposit of some sort. Maybe it's soap scum, but it's very dirty looking compared to the inside of a family member's much older Bosch (also with a stainless interior).

I'll didn't take any pics, unfortunately, but the seals I am worried about are described by Sears partsdirect.com here:

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/part-model/Samsung-Parts/Dishwasher-Parts/Model-DMR78AHSXAA0000/1482/0130000/50039656/00004
http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/part-model/Samsung-Parts/Dishwasher-Parts/Model-DMR78AHSXAA0000/1482/0130000/50039656/00005

The enlarged images from those links are attached. In the first diagram (what Sears calls the base) you'll find part 3, the case assembly; and part 2-5, the sensor case. I had trouble separating the two, and trouble getting the two pipe fitments off from the rear of each.

The seals are listed in the second diagram (that Sears calls the pump assembly):

- Part 6 from the pump assembly: filter seal.
- Part 11 from the pump assembly:

From the same diagram:

- Part 10 is the impeller, driven by the circulation pump (or "pump").
- Part 8 is the valve, driven by the distributor motor (or "synchronous motor").
- Part 24 is the drain pump.

Those seals are next to impossible to get back in their "track" for assembly, so I'm guessing I stretched them during cleaning or something.

[JGM]

I had the misfortune of buying this model and, in addition to the wash quality problems have (the apparently also infamous) grinding noise.  I've heard this is due to plastic parts breaking off and getting into the pump, but I'm not sure the process to get to it to check for same. 

Do I have to disassemble everything shown in the second PDF to get to the pump itself?

Thanks

[wildimaginations]

Make sure your water temperature is 120°F or higher.  The symptoms you're describing is possibly from the hot water not hot enough or you are not making sure that there is hot water at the kitchen faucet before running the machine.

[jsnwalkr]

I can't claim the distinction of selecting the Samsung DMR78AHS model but do have the joy of owning it! It was installed in the house we bought last year and has not functioned well the whole time.

The unit make a noise that may be the grinding noise others have mentioned. Now it will not complete a cycle. It stops part of the way through with a 9E or HE error. The inside of the dishwasher is warm so I don't think it is the heating element.

Any suggestions I would be greatly appreciative!

Thanks!

[scrapiron]

I believe a 9E code is low water level error. It could be triggered by low water level, a problem with the float assembly, ( the part on the left side you were referring to) or a clogged hose between the float assy & the wash pump.

[jsnwalkr]

I'll check those things out, thanks!

[Kixtosh]

I believe a 9E code is low water level error. It could be triggered by low water level, a problem with the float assembly, ( the part on the left side you were referring to) or a clogged hose between the float assy & the wash pump.

This is absolutely correct! It's one thing that is extremely easy to fix. I had meant to create a dedicated thread on the topic, but after some recent travels, I forgot about it.

Remove the dishwasher from it's installed location. Remove the metal cover on the lower left side of the dishwasher (two or three screws, I believe). You'll see two clear plastic assemblies there, which are both connected to each other. They also have hoses connected to them on the rear. The one you need to clean out is the sensor float assembly that is the smaller of the two.

First of all, remove the cover from the left wall on the inside of the dishwasher. This just twists off, but don't loose the gasket! The open and close directions are actually marked on the cover itself in hard plastic. Remove the hoses from the rear of both assemblies, held on by metal clips, as well as an electrical connection. The hardest part about this is the limited access to the area behind those parts. Then separate the two (this can be a bit tricky, but it can be done with a little bit of careful prying and pushing). After that, pry open the sensor float assembly (there are four tabs to be released so that the top can come off completely), but do not break it. Once opened up, it's a simple matter of cleaning it out thoroughly, and that'll be the end of your 9E code.

In some cases, the hollow float itself is to blame, so if you don't see some dirt in there to explain the error, you'll have to find a way to add flotation to the device. Some suggest using glue to hold some polystyrene inside the hollow float, but I didn't have to do this.

The next question will be WHY it was dirty in there. I haven't solved this question yet, but I believe it may the root of all the cleaning problems on these dishwashers. To investigate this, I suggest you remove the cover plate from the drying ventilator on the door of the machine. Is there any filthy gunk in there? If so, you'll have the same problem as me, and maybe we can solve it together.

[Kixtosh]

... Do I have to disassemble everything shown in the second PDF to get to the pump itself?

Thanks

Nope. This is actually quite simple. Surprisingly, the quality of parts seems quite good, for such a useless piece of junk (I'll revise my opinion if I get it working correctly again).

If you have the service manual already, you'll see that there is an access panel underneath the machine. From there, it's very simple to get at the pump. Have you found any gunk built up inside the machine anywhere? What do the inside stainless areas of the machine look like? Are they clean and shiny, like most stainless steel tubs, or are they all stained with a whitish brown film of deposits over time?