Was rinse aid used?

Your dishwasher is designed to use rinse aid for good drying performance. Without a rinse aid, the interior of your dishes and dishwasher will be subject to excessive moisture. The Heat Dry option will not perform as well without rinse aid. Rinse aid improves drying and reduces water spots and filming. Water "sheets" off dishes rather than forming water droplets that cling and leave spots. 

Review How to fill and adjust rinse aid dispenser for more information.

Is the dishwasher new?

A new dishwasher may take up to 2 weeks of regular use to reach its optimal drying performance.  

Were the controls set correctly? Was a heated or quick dry cycle selected?

Use the Heat Dry or ProDry™ options for best drying performance. When selecting a "quick" wash or "1 Hour" wash cycle, you must ensure the Heat Dry or ProDry™ option is selected to provide a dry program. If your dishwasher has a "high temp" option, select the option for optimal drying performance.

Heat Dry will be on by default when selecting a soil cycle. To use the ProDry option, press the ProDry button until the light turns on.

Review Using a Heated Dry Cycle for more information.

Is the water temperature too low?

To minimize cycle time, run the hot water faucet at the sink closest to the dishwasher until the water is hot; as part of normal operation, having hot water enter the dishwasher right when the cycle begins can eliminate the need for long heating pauses, decreasing the time it takes to complete the cycle. 

Hot water dissolves and activates the dishwashing detergent. Hot water also dissolves grease on dishes and helps glasses dry spot-free. If the water temperature is too low, loads may not wash well.

Check out How Water Temperature Affects Cycle Time for more information.

Were items loaded correctly?

Loading a dishwasher is the first step to using the appliance properly and getting optimal cleaning results.

• Top Rack: We recommend using the upper rack for bowls and cups. Cups should be placed face down—load items at an angle. 
• Bottom Rack: We also recommend using the lower rack for plates, pots/pans, and utensils. Ensure all plates are slotted into the rack on their side.
• Plastics: Load items at an angle on the top rack. Ensure all items are designated as "Dishwasher Safe". Plastics are difficult to dry because they have a porous surface and tend to collect droplets. Plastic items take longer to dry and may not dry completely in a normal dry cycle. Let them air dry instead.
• Silverware: Use silverware basket lids to provide optimal spacing and best cleaning performance. If your silverware does not fit into the designated slots, open the lids or lift on the ends of the lids and pull to remove (depending on the silverware basket type). Mix different types of silverware to keep them separate. Load knives down, forks up, and alternate spoons for best cleaning results.

Visit Using Dishwasher Features for Improved Loading for more information.

Is the heating element working properly?

Run a cycle with the Sani Rinse option selected. If the Sani LED is on steady (not blinking), there is no problem with the dishwasher's heating element. If the Sani LED is blinking (not on steady), there may be a problem with the dishwasher's heating element.