Dishwasher Spray Arm Fell Off – Why & How To Fix?

Your dishwasher isn’t immune to occasional hiccups and may face a disruption in dish cleaning. The spray arm falling off will leave dirty dishes getting piled up. But this issue can be mitigated even if you haven’t explored your dishwasher before.

The spray arms in your dishwasher can fall off due to issues like faulty components like the bush and the retainer clip. Also, improper maintenance or installation can also contribute a lot to this problem.

That said, you not having any prior experience in fixing won’t be an issue. We will provide a complete fix breakdown and explain the associated reasons. Let us waste no time and dive right in!

How Does The Dishwasher Spray Arm Function?

Cleaning loads of dishes became just a matter of an hour or less, thanks to the dishwasher. The cleaning process incorporates the spray arms. These are integral as those distribute the water all around that helps clean the dishes.

Most dishwashers have two spray arms, with some having more than two. These spray arms create an angular representation of the water jets, where spraying is about 45 degrees vertical.

It’s the water cycle that starts from the dishwasher water inlet and goes to the dispenser to be heated and mixed with detergent. After that, the small holes in each of the spray arms release water coming from the distribution system.

The pressurized water flowing with a high rotational velocity through the spray arms helps the cleaning process.

It ensures the spread of water at high force depending on the type of spray arm. Eventually, food particles are dislodged, and the cleansing of the dishes starts.

What Causes Dishwasher Spray Arm Falling Off?

Components of the dishwasher are subjected to maintenance or replacement over time. The spray arms in the appliance also fall under this category.

These arms can get damaged or fall off from their slots due to several reasons. Below are some of the core reasons behind the dishwasher arm falling off:

• Faulty Bush
• Food particle blockages 
• Incompatible size
• Loose fitting 
• Worn-out clips
• Improper installation

Troubleshooting and Fix For Dishwasher Spray Arm Falling Off?

Spray arms in your dishwasher frequently falling off hamper regular dish cleansing. You can avoid all these when you know the reasons and the things you can do to mitigate.

Our findings say that most users face a standard set of issues, leading to this problem. We’ll be covering all those issues along with the fixes in the sections below:

1 – Defective Bush

The core utility of the bush in the dishwasher is to keep the spray arm attached to the dedicated drainage channel. But after a certain period, the bush faces damage.

It happens because of the continuous rotational velocity of the dishwasher, which ends up decaying the bush. Eventually, the respective spray arm connected to the bush falls off.

Best possible solution for this problem is the replacement of that particular faulty bush. For this, you must start by turning off the dishwasher first and then locate the spray arm assembly by removing the dish racks.

The next step is to locate the spray arm position and take measures for its removal. Depending on the dishwasher model, the spray arm attachment varies. You’ll either have to snap it from its slot or use a screwdriver to take out the nut attaching it.

After all this, get access to the bush, take it out snugly, and put the new one in its position. Once you finish this, reattach the spray arm and put all the racks into place.

2- Stuck Food Particles and Debris

Cleansing dishes in the dishwasher means breaking down food particles through water at high velocity. However, these food particles do not always wash away along the drainage line after the water cycle.

That said, the spray arms of the dishwasher are susceptible to clogging, and these particles are prime reasons. Debris settling or clogging doesn’t allow the spray arm to link with the bush, and that’s why it falls.

The quick fix for this issue is cleaning and taking out the debris that is stuck. You will require a few essentials like- water, soap, cotton pieces, thumbtacks, toothbrushes, toothpicks, and enzyme cleaners.

The initial task would be to unplug your dishwasher and remove all the trays. Depending on the spray arm attachment, unscrew the retaining screw with a screwdriver or snap the spray arm to detach it completely.

To proceed with the cleaning, take a bucket of water and add vinegar with soap. Soak the cotton cloth in the solution and then put the wet cloth on the clogged settlement on the spray arm. It will ultimately soften the debris.

Use a toothbrush to take out the softened debris and toothpicks to take the particles out of small holes. You can take the aid of the enzyme cleaner and put it on the water mix if the debris doesn’t come off quickly.

Rinse everything carefully so that nothing remains stuck. Lastly, remove the water and clean the spray arms with a dry cloth before reattaching.

3- Worn-Out Clips

The retainer clips in the spray arms often get worn out due to broken food particles and chemical reagents from the detergent water mixture. The only way to solve this problem is to replace the clips.

The process is straightforward. You need to unplug and take out the trays of your dishwasher, depending on the location of the spray. Take out all the dish racks gently without causing any hindrance.

Now, gently pry the metal tabs away from the bracket holding the spray fan and then pull it down to detach the fan.

After that, hold the frame a bit down and use a screwdriver to remove the already decayed clip.

The last task would be to attach the new one in the same position and reassemble everything you detached.

4 –  Wrong Spray Arm Size

If the spray arm is falling off even after replacement once, it’s the wrong size you have installed.

There can be various reasons behind replacement, like damage or loose fitting. But you have to install it right.

In this case, you should remove the spray arm from its slot and clean that portion adequately.

After that, install the new spray arm by snapping or tightening the screws, depending on your dishwasher model.

Tips To Avoid Dishwasher Spray Arm Fell Off

You must keep a few things in mind to avoid the hassle of the dishwasher spray arm malfunctioning and coming out of its place. Below here are some tips that may help you avoid:

• Avoid loading too many dishes that exceed the capacity of the dishwasher 
• Clean the dishwasher and the spray arms once every 30 days 
• Inspect and replace worn-out arms before facing difficulties
• Avoid low-quality detergent type, which is the reason behind quick residue formation
• Avoid excessive overheating and dry cycles as it can make plastic components like spray arms fragile

FAQs

Fixing the dishwasher spray arm coming off the slot may make things baffle you. We have answered some of the most asked questions below to clear your doubts:

Final Thoughts

Issues with the dishwasher not cleaning dirty dishes have much to do with the spray arms malfunctioning. The components coming off are the reasons behind not washing the dishes.

We have added the most relevant fixes to aid you when the dishwasher spray arm fell off. If there is physical damage, it’s better to replace the arms. We hope that helps your case, and for any confusion, do let us know.