Should you repair or replace your dishwasher?
Updated August 2026
← Every repair-or-replace call
Repair a dishwasher under 7 years old, and from year 8 run the 50% rule, where any quote above half the price of a new machine says replace. The everyday failures are cheap: a drain pump runs $150–350, and a door latch or float switch costs less. A new dishwasher installed is only $600–1,400, and that narrow gap is why the age line matters more here than on big mechanical equipment. A dishwasher lasts 9–12 years, so a $450 control board on a 10-year-old unit is most of the way to a new one. Two faults skip the arithmetic entirely: a leaking tub and rusted-out racks.
The short version
Two numbers decide it, the age of the machine and the quote in your hand. Through year 7, fix almost anything, because a drain pump, inlet valve, or door latch costs a fraction of the 9 to 12 years of washing still ahead. From year 8 the 50% rule applies against a real replacement price, and since a solid mid-range dishwasher lands at $600–1,400 installed, that threshold is only $300–700. Control boards and wash motors sit right at or above it. The tub is the hard stop. If water comes through the tub itself, or the racks have rusted to bare wire and are shredding what is left of the coating, no part replacement fixes that.
Your situation, decided
| Situation | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Under 7 years, drain pump or inlet valve failed | Repair | A $150–350 part on a machine with years of washing left |
| Door latch, float switch, or spray arm broken, under 10 years | Repair | Small parts at $100–250 installed, well under the 50% line |
| Control board failed, dishwasher past 8 years | Replace | A $300–500 board on a $600–1,400 machine fails the 50% rule |
| Wash motor seized, unit past 8 years | Replace | Motor plus labor lands near the price of a new dishwasher |
| Water leaking from the tub itself | Replace | A cracked or corroded tub cannot be patched at any age |
| Not draining, filter or drain hose clogged | Repair | Often a free cleaning rather than a repair bill; check that first |
What each path costs
Repairs typically run $150–500; a replacement is $600–1,400 installed. Dishwashers last 9–12 years. Repair without hesitation under 7; from year 8 the 50% rule leaves only $300–700 of headroom, and a leaking tub ends it at any age. Price your own number on the home maintenance cost calculator before you commit either way.
The repair-or-replace call is easy when you know the unit's age and service history. OnOtto keeps both, plus the maintenance that delays this decision for years.
Start your home's service log, freeFrequently asked questions
Is a new control board worth it on a 9-year-old dishwasher?
Rarely. A control board runs $300–500 installed against a new dishwasher at $600–1,400, so the repair eats half to three-quarters of a replacement on a machine already near the end of its 9 to 12 year life. If the board is the second failure in two years, that settles it. The exception is a high-end panel-ready unit that cost $1,800 or more, where a board swap is a small share of the replacement and the custom cabinet panel transfers over. Check your machine against the typical lifespan first.
My dishwasher will not drain. How much is that going to cost?
Possibly nothing. Standing water in the bottom is most often a clogged filter basket, a kinked drain hose, or a garbage disposal knockout plug nobody removed at install, and you can clear all three yourself in 20 minutes. If the pump itself is dead, a technician charges $150–350 including the part. Pull the filter and rinse it, then check the hose loop under the sink, before you call anyone. Cleaning the filter monthly prevents most drainage calls outright.
Do rusty racks mean the dishwasher is finished?
Not on their own, but they are a fair warning. Rack tine caps wear through, and once bare steel is exposed it rusts and leaves marks on your dishes. Replacement racks cost $80–200 a pair, and vinyl repair caps run $15–30, so on a machine under 7 years it is worth fixing. On an 11-year-old dishwasher, rusted racks usually arrive alongside a tired pump and a worn door seal, and spending $200 on racks for a machine with a year or two left is money misplaced.
Does hard water shorten a dishwasher's life?
It does, mostly by scaling the heating element, spray arms, and inlet valve. Mineral deposits insulate the element so the machine works harder to heat water, and they plug the small spray-arm holes that do the actual cleaning. Homes above roughly 10 grains per gallon see it fastest. A descaling run every one to three months clears it for the price of a $5–10 citric acid packet, and that habit pushes a dishwasher toward the top of its 9 to 12 year range instead of the bottom.