Most likely causes
- No rinse aid. Condensation dryers depend on it heavily.
- Plastics. They don't hold heat, so they rarely dry fully.
- Failed heating element on models that use one.
- Failed vent or fan assembly.
- Faulty high-limit thermostat shutting heat off early.
Try this before you book
- Fill the rinse aid and turn the setting up.
- Enable the heated dry or extra dry option if your model has one.
- Unload the bottom rack first so water from the top rack doesn't drip down.
- Crack the door open at the end of the cycle to let steam escape.
Parts we replace most often
- Heating element
- High-limit thermostat
- Vent or fan assembly
- Control board (rarely the cause)
Fix it or replace it?
If the dryer function fails on a dishwasher that still cleans well, repairing the heating element or vent is usually worth it. If it was never designed to dry plastics, no repair will change that, and we'll tell you before charging for one.
From John's notes: A surprising number of drying complaints happen right after someone switches to a detergent with "rinse aid included" and stops filling the dispenser. The built-in amount often isn't enough with Dallas water.
Everything coming out soaked? Book a dishwasher repair with TrueFix Appliance Repair Dallas.