How to Put the Top Rack of a Dishwasher Back on Track

If your dishwasher is not closing properly, it may be that the top rack of the appliance is off track. Sometimes, this misalignment can cause the dishwasher not to close properly. In other cases, you may be unable to get the rack back in the dishwasher smoothly because one side is on its track and one is not. Fortunately, it is fairly simple to get the dishwasher rack back on track.

If there are currently dishes in your dishwasher, you should remove them before attempting to put the top rack back in. If you do not, they may clatter or even break as you tip the rack from side to side in an effort to get it back in place.

If you have a dishwasher with three racks, you should also remove the cutlery or dishes from the silverware rack to avoid bumping anything that could break.

If your dishwasher is off track, it may be due to the ball bearings. Most dishwashers use ball bearings or wheels on an aluminum track system to slide the top rack in and out. There may be caps on the ends of the tracks that you will need to move to get the dishwasher rack back on.

Refer to your manual to learn more about your KitchenAid dishwasher upper rack track assembly. According to KitchenAid, some models have a rack that is purposely removable to accommodate large items. If this is the case for you, the top rack should not have caps on the track ends. According to Maytag, they offer similar models.

Regardless of the brand of your dishwasher (Maytag, Bosch, Whirlpool, Amana or others), the appliance's manual should tell you how to properly insert the top rack and what to do if you need to troubleshoot it. In many instances, one side of the top rack has come off and the other has not. Usually, this means you'll need to remove both sides and then reinsert the rack correctly. It can be very difficult to put the incorrectly connected side back on if the two sides are uneven.

You may need to remove the end caps to your dishwasher's top rack track to get the rack completely out and then reinsert it properly. These track end caps should come off fairly easily without the use of tools, but once again, refer to your owner's manual for help.

Once the end caps are off, pull the rack out and set it to the side. Check the ball bearings or wheels to make sure they are intact and not cracked or otherwise defective. Then, look at the track. If it is clear of debris and not bent, you should be able to replace the top rack.

Place the top rack wheels or ball bearings back in the tracks and slide the rack in. Then, replace the end caps.

If your Maytag dishwasher's top rack is broken, or if your dishwasher from another manufacturer is broken, you should contact the company for assistance. It's possible that your machine is still under warranty, in which case you might be able to get free repairs or new parts.

The manufacturer of your dishwasher can also point you in the right direction when it comes to which replacement parts you'll need, so you can make sure that you have the correct ones and don't waste any time or money on the wrong ones.