Do I need a new dishwasher gasket/trim? Completely lost.

August 2, 2016 2:07 PM

My dishwasher gasket came loose and I stupidly pulled it out. I have tried 30 plus times to put it back in, first with assistance from youtube and then from my relatively handy friend. I feel like I've wasted half the day and am pulling my hair out over a little problem, but I am close to just trying to order a replacement or repair job. Can anyone offer some pointers not mentioned in video that might help? Is a new gasket the answer?

I used this youtube video. My dishwasher is around 3 minutes and thirty seconds in.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jZkCNvl6j0g

My friend watched it too, and couldn't figure out what was wrong (he was pulling his hair out too!) Another thing... I noticed the gasket was uneven on one end after I had tried a number of times, maybe 10. I cut about 1/2 inch off. Could this have caused more problems? I don't know much about gaskets or home repair in general.

New gaskets seem very expensive even though they look relatively inexpensive. Is a new gasket possibly the answer?? Should I hire someone to install the gasket? Or could I still possibly use this slightly trimmed gasket without wasting an inordinate amount of time again? Thank you.

PS: I had noticed (slight) leaking from my dishwasher for months before the gasket came out, but I don't know if that's because the gasket was loose or because it became faulty. It usually didn't leak.

posted by BuddyBoo to Home & Garden (25 answers total)

Can you post some photos of you gasket and where it attaches to your dishwasher?

Can you explain how it isn't going back in (what are you doing, what is the result)?
posted by ssg at 2:16 PM on August 2, 2016 [1 favorite]

Coat the gasket in soapy water; it'll act as a lubricant and may make it easier to push the gasket in.
posted by gregr at 2:37 PM on August 2, 2016

Response by poster: Sorry, I left out many details because I'm so flustered. I can try posting photos but am not sure how. Is there a way to do so on this site? I will ask my son.

In the meantime... the gasket attaches exactly where it shows in the video - from the 3:30 point. It's practically identical to my gasket situation.

Actually, the gasket actually seems to fit perfectly which is another thing I neglected to mention. The problem is that the auto-lock on the dishwasher doesn't engage. It does lock when the gasket isn't in the machine, but leaks if turned on of course. So I am assuming the problem is the gasket and not the auto lock even though it seems to be properly in place.

I'm embarrassed how much detail I left out.. I think I was half-venting!! But I do want figure this out so that I hopefully don't have to think about gaskets for a while.
posted by BuddyBoo at 2:37 PM on August 2, 2016

Focus on the lock mechanism. Is something about the gasket blocking it from engaging? Is the gasket literally, physically in the way somehow?
posted by slateyness at 2:43 PM on August 2, 2016

Response by poster: The gasket is not blocking the lock as far as I can tell. I already tried soaking in water. I will try putting gasket in again and add the pictures, my son said he knows how. Come to think of it... I think the gasket bulged out like it pushed in in all the way on one side when we put it in compared to the video but we tried MANY times like they showed. So we assumed it was in.

Sorry for replying so much, moderators. I know this isn't the place for a back and forth but I left out too much info and am clueless.
posted by BuddyBoo at 2:48 PM on August 2, 2016

Response by poster: Here are the pictures! I hope this helps.

Dishwasher without gasket:

Gasket pictures:

https://i.imgur.com/Y8OTlsO.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/H9aJ5iP.jpg

Dishwasher with gasket put back in:

https://i.imgur.com/nf6TTW0.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/W6tj9Ib.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/8RYrMab.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/vyIZK2j.jpg

I wonder if the gasket is not fully pushed in on the inside, only on the outside. But my friend and I tried for hours to get it in. I am sure this is the right side of the gasket to put in as it doesn't even start to go in any other way. It feels like it slides right in the way it is now but like I said, it doesn't lock.

Hopefully this is enough and I do not need to add anything extra. Thank you!!!
posted by BuddyBoo at 3:24 PM on August 2, 2016

Looking at this photo, I really don't like the way the gasket seems to flair out as it makes the turn downward along the side. It should be flat (like it is along the top) all the way around.
posted by Thorzdad at 3:52 PM on August 2, 2016 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thorzdad: My friend and I noticed that, it's actually the same all the way around (on the top too) but the photo is at a bad angle. So the whole gasket is flaring out. My friend and I tried pushing the inside in for a very long time... but we couldn't get it even once so we assumed it was all the way in since it seemed similar to how it looks in the video. I just tried again after soaking the gasket for 15 minutes with no luck.

I'll reply separately to future responders through MeMail from this point on as I've probably replied too many times. Thanks for the help so far.

PS: If anyone knows of a forum where I can ask this question to handymen/women without having to worry about posting limits, please let me know - I now realize that this type of question isn't particularly suited to this kind of site.
posted by BuddyBoo at 4:08 PM on August 2, 2016

It looks to me that the gasket isn't shoved in far enough. On the left side of the dishwasher, you can see in the photo that part of the gasket is showing that shouldn't be. When the gasket is properly installed, it should only show one face, the smooth one facing towards the door.

I wonder if the gasket is upside down, i.e. the outside edge is facing towards the inside of the dishwasher. Have you tried it the other way around?
posted by ssg at 4:11 PM on August 2, 2016

Based on your update, I think upside down gasket is very likely.

I can't see why it would be a problem to reply frequently in a question like this.
posted by ssg at 4:13 PM on August 2, 2016

It's generally OK to reply to responses where the people responding are requesting clarification or additional info. What's frowned upon is engaging in a back-and-forth with responders, where you're debating people or asking lots of follow-on questions that drag the thread away from the original question. I think you're doing fine. (n.b. I am not a moderator, that's just my read on the moderation guidelines based on my experience here.)

It's possible that the reason your gasket won't go back in is the same as the reason that it came loose in the first place: it's broken. That is, it may be worn out or deformed or otherwise messed up such that it no longer fits in the channel that it's supposed to live in. In that case, what you need is a new gasket.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 4:30 PM on August 2, 2016

Response by poster: Thank you ssg, it's just that I often see moderators telling people multiple replies in AskMe questions are not encouraged. I'll assume that it is okay for this type of question. (mods, please butt in and let me know if this is not the case).

Thank you for letting me know that the smooth side of the gasket should be the only thing sticking out. So you are saying the ridges running along the side of the gasket shouldn't even be seen - just the flat part?

In any case, I triple-checked the gasket many times over and put it in exactly the way/orientation the video + other web sites described, so I would be surprised if it was upside down. The way we are doing it is the only way it begins to even fit. I will give it another try.
posted by BuddyBoo at 4:35 PM on August 2, 2016

I've only ever installed one dishwasher door gasket so I'm far from expert, but I didn't have this kind of trouble. I think I remember using a block of wood and a hammer to tap it in, because it was difficult to get it fully inserted with finger pressure alone.
posted by jon1270 at 4:40 PM on August 2, 2016

Response by poster: Now I'm very confused whether I'm doing it the right way at all even though I was certain from looking at the video that it was at least right-side up. I tried doing it what I thought was upside-down and the inside goes in but now the outside is sticking out. Is there a surefire way to tell whether or not the gasket is upside down?

Thank you Jon, I'll try using something other than my fingers.
posted by BuddyBoo at 4:47 PM on August 2, 2016

Looking closer, it is clear that your dishwasher and the dishwasher in the video are not the same. The dishwasher in the video has a fairly wide groove for the gasket to fit into and yours has a much thinner groove. I wouldn't put too much faith in the video as it doesn't look totally applicable.

Your gasket is sort of L shaped in cross section. The longer side of the L should go into the groove, with the shorter side facing inwards, I believe. If that's how you have it, it may just need to be pushed in more forcefully.

Can you post the model number here?
posted by ssg at 5:17 PM on August 2, 2016 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Of course! The model # is GDF540HGD2BB.

Thank you for spending so much of your time correcting my ignorance. I think I am learning (maybe!)
posted by BuddyBoo at 5:33 PM on August 2, 2016

If it turns out that you need a new gasket, it's only $10.
posted by jon1270 at 5:38 PM on August 2, 2016

Response by poster: Missed my chance for the edit. I think I see the L shape (maybe), but am still confused. Geometry was my weakest subject in school and I am terrible with shapes. Is the longer side the smooth one or the one with ridges? I honestly don't know what the sides even are... The ridges are really confusing me. I haven't felt this frustrated in a while... feels like this should be so easy!
posted by BuddyBoo at 5:40 PM on August 2, 2016

Yes, the ridged part goes into the slot and the ridges act like fishhook barbs to keep it in place. Make sure the short leg of the L is pointing inward towards the opening, and you'll have it oriented correctly.
posted by jon1270 at 5:43 PM on August 2, 2016

Response by poster: Sorry, I'm still not sure where the short leg of the L is... both legs seem the same length to me. Maybe I never even saw the L in the first place. It just looks like a weird shape with one smooth side then various ridges elsewhere. How can I do this if I can't even see the L that everyone else can see??

If anyone can think of another way to put me on the right path please let me know - in the meantime I will keep searching for that L...
posted by BuddyBoo at 5:51 PM on August 2, 2016

Don't worry too much about which leg is shorter, then. Maybe they are the same length. But you can see the L-shape, and one leg is ridged and the other is smooth, right? The ridged side goes into the slot, with the other side exposed and pointing inward. That's all that matters.
posted by jon1270 at 5:54 PM on August 2, 2016

Response by poster: Just tried again - when I push it in, should it be from the outside first or the inside? The smooth side is facing the door either way, whether I turn it upside down or not (I don't turn it around, I always make sure the smooth side is facing the door) - but when it is one way the inside is poking out, and upside down the outside is poking out. I am not turning it around, I've got that much figured out I think.

I can get it so that the smooth side is pointing towards the door and inward like you say, but the outside is then sticking out of the perimeter of the tub.

Is what I am saying even making sense?? Thank you for being so patient with me. I've never questioned my intelligence so much up to this point...
posted by BuddyBoo at 6:05 PM on August 2, 2016

Response by poster: Jon1270 -

If I understand you correctly then I was putting the ridged side in from the start as you were suggesting. That is the only way that feels natural when I push it in. But even so the inside flares out and cannot be pushed in, just the outside is all the way in.

I'm at my wits end and will try again tomorrow. if that doesn't work I will try ordering a new gasket. Please let me know if you (or anyone) can think of anything else, but if I still can't get it I'm not sure there's hope...
posted by BuddyBoo at 6:18 PM on August 2, 2016

I think this is a video showing the installation of your type of gasket.

I think the inside is supposed to extend inwards, but for whatever reason the gasket isn't quite being pushed all the way into the groove. Maybe there is something stuck in the groove? Or maybe it just needs to be pushed in very forcefully? Maybe you are trying to stretch it to fit because you cut the end off and so it isn't fitting in well in the corners?
posted by ssg at 9:22 PM on August 2, 2016

I would get a new gasket (they can become pinched and deformed, and you cut the length during your re-install attempts), clean out the groove, cover the new gasket with soapy water as described above, and try again while following the install directions in the package.

To me, the 30+ tries, with the assistance of a handy friend, means something's up with the part itself -- which is why it became loose in the first place. Household appliance replacement parts are sold for a reason; please be kind to yourself.
posted by Iris Gambol at 1:45 PM on August 3, 2016 [1 favorite]