MachineKitchenAid KDFE104HPS

DifficultyEasy

Time30–60 minutes

What you saveUsually free vs $100–$300 professionally

⚠️ BEFORE YOU START

Standing dishwasher water can hide glass shards — bail with a cup, not bare cupped hands.

Tools

Cup and towels for bailing
Screwdriver
Wet/dry vac (helpful)

Parts

None for most fixes; drain pump if the whole path checks clear

Step by step

1 Bail the standing water

Cup, towels, or wet-vac the pool so you can see the tub floor.
2 Clean the filter and sump

Twist out the filter (see the filter guide) and check the sump beneath for the usual suspects: glass, labels, a pistachio shell perfectly sized to block the drain port.
3 Check where the hose ends

Under the sink: is the drain hose kinked? If it connects to a garbage disposal installed in the last year, verify the knockout plug was punched out — the #1 "new disposal" mystery.
4 Clear the air gap if you have one

The chrome cylinder by the faucet: pop its cap and clean out the debris. A clogged air gap backs the whole system up.
5 Run a rinse cycle and listen

A healthy drain pump makes a steady hum with gurgling water. Silence or grinding with a clear path = the drain pump itself — cheap part, moderate access.

KitchenAid KDFE104HPS notes & error codes

Same x-y blink diagnostics as its KDTM sibling — count the cycle-light blinks and you’ve pre-diagnosed the visit.

Code	What it means
8-1 / 8-2	Drain faults
6-1 / 6-2	Fill faults
1-1	Board relay fault

Full details for this machine — common problems, causes, and costs — are in the KitchenAid KDFE104HPS repair guide. The general version of these instructions is here.

🔧 WHEN TO CALL A PRO

If the path is clear and the pump is silent, replacing it means tipping the machine out from the counter on most models — a fair place to hand off, and still a modest repair bill. If you'd rather skip it entirely, find a dishwasher repair pro near you →