Dishwashers · Bellevue
Viking Dishwasher Leaves the Top Rack Gritty
Glasses on top coming out with a sandy film while the plates below look clean is a sign about water, not soap. In a Bellevue kitchen, what Viking Repair Bellevue most often finds is a filter so matted that grit rides back up with the spray, or an upper arm that has stopped turning. Clean both before anything else; if the grit stays, call (425) 696-2636.
What we usually find
- Most often
A filter well overdue for cleaning; Viking's manual asks for a look at least weekly. Wash water passes through it on every circuit, and once it clogs, fine debris is pumped back out and settles on whatever sits highest.
- Sometimes
An upper spray arm that is not working as it should: holes plugged with seeds or scale, or a tall pan or long utensil on the lower rack stopping it mid-turn.
- Rarely
A circulation pump that has lost strength. The lower rack still gets a fair wash while the top falls short, and the filter and arms look fine when checked.
Grit, haze or leftover detergent
Run a fingertip along a glass before deciding. Grit that feels like fine sand is food debris carried round again, and it belongs on this page.
A misty film of lime on glassware is a different complaint, which Viking’s troubleshooting ties to too little rinse aid or a water-hardness setting set too low. Detergent still sitting in the dispenser at the end points elsewhere again: a dispenser that was damp when filled, powder added hours before the start, or a plate standing where the lid cannot swing open.
Why the top rack shows it first
The upper rack is fed by its own spray arm, the farthest point from the pump, so a weak or dirty wash shows there before anywhere else. Loading plays a larger part than most people expect. Viking’s manual asks that neither arm touch any dish and that the baskets are never overloaded, and it lists a stuck arm and clogged arm holes among the reasons food is left behind.
A filter that is cleaned and an arm that spins freely settle most of these. Grit that persists after that is when the pump comes into question, and that is a job for the visit.
Safe checks before you call
-
Lift out and rinse the filters
With the power off and the lower rack out, take out the filters and rinse them under running water. Viking's current manual warns of a sharp outer edge on the underside of the main filter, so hold it by the rim.
-
Spin both arms with a finger
Turn the upper and lower spray arms by hand. Each should swing round freely without catching on a rack, a handle or the side of the tub.
-
Hold the upper arm to the light
Look through its spray holes; a toothpick pushes out seeds and scale. On current 3 and 5 Series models the upper arm comes off by turning its nut to the left, and the nut wants tightening well when it goes back.
-
Run one load with the arms clear
Load one wash so that nothing touches either arm and the baskets are not crammed, keep powder detergent in a dry, closed container, and see whether the top rack comes out clean.
-
Stop and hand it over
If none of that changes what the Viking is doing, leave it there and ring Viking Repair Bellevue on (425) 696-2636. Tell us what you already tried; it narrows the visit before we set out.
Asked about this
Will a hotter or longer programme get rid of the grit?
Sometimes. When dishes come out dirty, Viking's current troubleshooting suggests a programme with a higher temperature and a longer run. No programme will clear a matted filter or a spray arm that cannot turn, though, so deal with those first. If the grit is back after both, Viking Repair Bellevue is on (425) 696-2636.
