GE GDF650 dishwasher does not clean dishes

The checks in more detail

In this dishwasher the water goes from the pump to the lower arm and, through a feed, to the upper arm. A blockage anywhere starves the upper rack. Start with the upper arm. Lift it off its mount, check that it spins freely by hand and look at its holes for seeds, grit and limescale; clear them with a toothpick. Make sure the arm clips on properly after, because a loose arm sprays unevenly. Then look at what sits on the bottom rack.

Tall items, such as a platter, a tall pot or a tray, can touch the upper arm's feed or hold the upper rack down so that the arm sits too close to the dishes; move them. A third item category is overloading: bowls nested inside each other shield each other from spray, so space them out. Then the filter and the disposer. Remove and rinse the filter at the tub floor; if it is clogged the pump cannot send enough water up.

Check that nothing, such as a label, a bone or a piece of glass, is stuck near the Piranha disposer, which sits under the filter. Scrape plates but do not pre-rinse them, since the sensors need some soil and the detergent needs something to work on. Use fresh detergent, run the sink hot before starting, and add rinse aid. If the top rack is still dirty with a free arm, a clean filter and a sensible load, run a cleaning cycle with a dishwasher cleaner; if it persists, a technician can check the circulation pump with the model number GDF650SYVFS from the label.