GE Dishwasher Not Filling With Water? – Complete Fix Guide

Is the GE dishwasher not filling with water? Since plenty of parts of the GE Dishwasher regulate the incoming water, troubleshooting it requires patience.

Common causes of the problem are found in the float assembly or switch, the inlet valve, or the drain valve’s solenoid. Sometimes, the float might be clogged with calcium.

We will help you troubleshoot the situation in the guide below. Then, follow the instructions to put the GE Dishwasher back to work.

Why Is The GE Dishwasher Not Filling With Water?

You might be surprised to discover that a simple issue like a dishwasher not filling with water has multiple causes.

However, most of them are very simple to assess and fix.

Here you can check the possible reason behind your dishwasher’s malfunctioning:

1. Float assembly or switch – The float is responsible for not letting the dishwasher overflow. When it is malfunctioning, it won’t let the device be filled.

2. Faulty inlet valve –  Similar to the float assembly, the inlet valve controls the water that enters the dishwasher. When it fails, it can’t open to let water in.

3. Calcium/debris – Amounts of calcium might clog the inlet valve, making it fail when it needs to let water in.

GE Dishwasher Not Filling With Water? – How To Fix

For each of the issues described above, there is one solution below. We will teach how to find which problem is and what to do to solve it.

You will need a few tools, but you will save time and money when the GE dishwasher won’t fill with water.

Solution #1: Testing and Replacing The Switch Assembly

The float assembly is located at the bottom of the dishwashing tub. The float in your dishwasher is buoyed upward by the water that fills it.

At a particular height, it actuates the float switch.

The float switch closes when the float is up and no water enters the dishwasher.

Your dishwasher’s float must have unrestricted vertical movement. It might impede your dishwasher’s filling and/or draining if it becomes jammed. 

Testing the Float Assembly

The bottom dishrack of the dishwasher must be removed. Also, remove the lid from your dishwasher’s float assembly if necessary. 

Either a snap mechanism or a screw will secure the float in place. Thus, bring the float up and let it down many times. It must move freely.

To find the cause of the float’s stalling, you must examine the area for potential obstacles. 

If there is debris, such as accumulated calcium, try to clean it with a toothpick and put the dishwasher back to work.

If that doesn’t work, it is time to replace the switch assembly.

Note: If no debris is blocking the switch, you should jump to Solution #2!

Replacing the Float Assembly

First, remove the old float assembly. Start here:

1. Remove the lowest dishwashing rack
2. Remove the dishwasher’s float cover. 

Next, we must consider two types of floats. Usually, a float clicks into place, so you must pull it.

Other times, it is plugged into the switch. In the most unusual cases, bolts or screws secure the float assembly.

Next:

1. Remove the bottom kick plate panel if your float is hooked to the float switch
2. Disconnect the lever from the switch 
3. Discard old float
4. Replace the float and switch actuator lever
5. Replace the neck if you removed it
6. Replace the dishrack and kickplate

Now you can test your new float assembly. Put everything in place in the GE Dishwasher and turn it on.

Solution #2: Checking And Replacing The Float Switch

The float switch for a dishwasher will be located below the floating actuator, which might be responsible for the GE dishwasher not getting water.

To reach the switch, just locate the float assembly in the dishwasher and look down. The float switch will have two wires attached to it. 

You may check the switch using your multimeter. First, turn the device’s ohms dial to the multiplier of 1.

Next, make contact with one terminal of the switch using each probe. The result of this procedure should be either 0 or infinite. 

Repeat touching the probes to the terminals and depressing the switch’s button.

Finally, the indicator has to be switched to the complete opposite. If your switch does not pass any of those tests, you must replace it.

Replacing the Switch

Remember that the float switch will have two wires attached to it. They’re joined using snap-on adapters that are easy to install and remove.

It’s a good idea to mark these wires so you can put them back together in the right order afterward. 

To remove the switch: 

1. Seize the slip-on connections and pull forcefully. 
2. Use two screws or a clip to secure the float switch. 
3. Disconnect the switch from the float by removing the screws or lifting the clip. 
4. Throw that old switch away. 

Now it is time to install the new switch:

1. Put the new switch in place 
2. Fix it with screws or use the clip to secure it
3. Remove the bottom kick plate panel 
4. Reconnect the wires to the new switch

It is done! You can now test to see if your dishwasher will fill with water.

Alert: Do not tug on the actual wires. You might benefit from using needle nose pliers. 

Solution #3: Test And Replace The Inlet Valve

The inlet valve may be found in the bottom right or left corner, hidden beneath the kickplate panel.

The panel could have two screws on either the top or bottom. The kickplate can be disassembled by first loosening these two screws. 

The hoses feeding to the water inlet valve will indicate its location. One hose will carry water from the property to the water valve, and another will flow away from the water valve. 

Check the hoses connecting your dishwasher to your water supply immediately to guarantee they aren’t obstructing the water’s path.

Check that the hoses’ connections to the valve are tight. Make sure the hoses are unbent and free of kinks as well. 

Next, the water supply switch will have two wires attached to it. There will be four connections if your dishwasher’s water inlet valve has two solenoids. 

Testing the Inlet Valve

Now, on to testing your inlet valve:

1. Grab the connections and pull to free the wires
2. Use a multimeter to check for continuity
3. Use ohms x 1 option

An infinite reading means a broken valve. You must test its second set of terminals too.

You should do just as you did with the inlet valve. Infinite reading here means a problem too.

You must replace the valve if any tests show infinite readings.

Replacing the inlet valve

Above we already told you how to open the dishwasher and find the inlet valve.

Once you have it open up and diagnose that the problem is with that part, do the following.

Usually, at least two screws secure the valve to the dishwasher. With a new inlet valve and a Phillips screwdriver in your hands, do the following:

1. Remove all screws that keep the valve in place
2. Detach the valve
3. Carefully put the new inlet valve in place
4. Use the screws to lock the new valve in place
5. Reconnect all tubes and cables
6. Replace the panel below the kickplate

Once everything is in place again, turn the dishwasher on to test it.

Tip: When moving the wires that connect to the vale, you can use a set of pliers.

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What We Learned

Is the GE Dishwasher not filling with water? The most common cause of such an issue is a faulty inlet valve.

However, before replacing it, you can check if its tubes or any other part is clogged with calcium or other dirt.

If it is not the inlet valve or some dirt blocking the inlet hose, something is wrong with the float, whether it is the assembly or switch.