GE Dishwasher Upper Spray Arm Fell Off

General Electric dishwashers are some of the most durable devices on the market. They can handle a lot of wear and tear and they do an excellent job of cleaning dishes. 

That’s why thousands of customers purchase the GE devices every year. Although, the gadgets aren’t free of issues. 

There are a few common problems that you can face with the dishwashers. For example, the upper spray arm has a tendency to fall off every once in a while. 

This may seem alarming at first, but the issue isn’t that serious. With a few tools, you’ll be able to resolve it in a flash. 

So, if your GE dishwasher upper spray arm fell off, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about the issue. 

We’ll also cover what you can do to fix it. 

GE Dishwasher Upper Spray Arm Overview

While most of us know what dishwashers do, we’re not exactly sure how they do it. Well, the process is quite simple. 

The devices come with spray arms on the top and bottom. Depending on the size of your dishwasher, you may also have a middle spray arm. 

These structures will begin spinning at the start of a wash cycle.

As they do that, the arms will spray water in every direction. This will allow them to circulate the liquid around the dishwasher to clean the dishes. 

If your dishwasher is working properly, you won’t have to interact with the spray arms at all. Yet, sometimes they can fall off, out of nowhere. 

Causes of GE Dishwasher Spray Arm Falling Off

There are a few reasons the upper spray arm on your GE dishwasher may fall off. In this section, we’ll discuss all the possible causes of the issue. 

1. Wear and Tear

To ensure your dishes are clean after a cycle, the arms have to spray water at a constant pressure. So, the water supply tube will keep the water flow at a stable speed. 

This will distribute the liquid evenly across the inside of the device. 

Yet, you have to remember that the spray arms are plastic structures. Sadly, these aren’t all that durable. 

So, with excessive use, the water pressure can start to break down the component. It’ll cause chips on the surface that may lead to cracks. 

When that happens, the spray arm won’t be able to keep hold of its support system. This, in turn, will cause it to fall out. 

2. High Heat

GE dishwashers usually come with several temperature settings. As the water gets hotter, the duration of the cycle will decrease. 

So, most people prefer to use the highest temperature setting on their dishwashers. While this will speed up the cleaning process, there’s a clear disadvantage. 

The spray arm won’t be able to handle the high temperatures for long. So, if you run multiple cycles in a row, the plastic will soften and deform. 

This will cause it to drop out of place. 

3. Improper installation

Most of the time, GE spray arms lock into position using tabs. That means they need to fit perfectly in place to stay in their spots.

So, if one of the tabs isn’t secure, the arm can go flying off as soon as it starts spinning. 

4. Clogging or Debris

The water running through your water supply tube isn’t pure by any means. The liquid contains all sorts of minerals and metals in microscopic concentrations. 

Unfortunately, these tiny particles can wreak havoc on your dishwasher. That’s because they’ll clog up the spray arm and stop the water flow.

When that happens, the pressure inside the component will build up rapidly. So, the component may break or fall out. 

For that reason, you should clean the component frequently. 

Plus, once a dishwasher cycle starts, food particles will circulate around the inside. This residue can collide with the spray arms and push them out of place.

That’s why it’s so important that you scrape solids off dishes before loading the dishwasher. 

5. Excessive Motion

Most people won’t bother to read the user manual when they buy a new GE dishwasher. They may watch a few videos on how to use it and call it a day. 

Yet, if you spend a little time reading the manual, you’ll notice a crucial instruction. Your dishwasher needs to be on level ground for proper operation. 

Otherwise, the device will shake around and vibrate every time you use it. While this isn’t a fatal mistake, it’ll reduce the lifespan of the spray arms. 

That’s because the excessive motion will force them out of place. 

Replacing GE Dishwasher Upper Spray Arm

Now that you know why the component fell off, we can move on to how to replace it. In this section, we’ll cover the repair instructions.

Luckily, the process is quite straightforward. All you have to do is push the arm back in place. 

Yet, with broken spray arms, there are a few more steps. 

Start by opening the dishwasher door and letting the device dry out. This will make handling the spray arm a little easier. 

After that, remove the top dish rack. To do that, you’ll need to take out the rail end cap. You can use your fingers or a flat-head screwdriver for this step. 

Once that’s done, the upper spray arm should be in full view. So, grab a pair of pliers, find the support locking tabs that keep the component in place, and pry them open. 

Next, hold the new spray arm in position and lock it in place using the tabs. Then, use your fingers to ensure the part can spin around freely. 

Finally, replace the upper dish rack and rail end caps. You can use the exact same process to replace the lower or middle spray arm. 

Wrapping Up

If your GE dishwasher upper spray arm fell off, there are a few culprits that may be behind the issue. First up, the problem could be wear and tear. 

The component will degrade over time because of water pressure. Other than that, the cause may be high heat, improper installation, or clogging. 

Finally, if your dishwasher isn’t on a level surface, the excess vibrations can lead to the arm falling off.