here is the link....

Here is a link that might be useful: link to dishwasher

Interesting, I just had this exact dishwasher installed a few weeks ago.

Stainless steel does not refer to one specific alloy. There a lot of different alloys that may be called stainless steel, each one having slightly different properties due to the different ratios of metals in the alloy. At a minimum SS must contain iron(of course) and at least 10.5% chromium - this reacts with oxygen, creating an extremely thin layer of chrome oxide on the surface prevents rusting. If you are seeing rust on your SS it is most likely the surface is contaminated with iron imbedded in the surface from poor manufacturing quality control. This can be removed with what is referred to as a pickling solution (nitric and hydrofluoric acid) but I wouldn't suggest your average homeowner mess with it as these are not chemicals to be treated lightly.

In addition to chromium, many SS alloys contain nickel (along with various other assorted metals) to provide additional desirable properties to the alloy. Those that DO NOT contain nickel are magnetic. This does not necessarily make it an inferior alloy, just less suitable for constant chemical exposure.

I was just noticing that Bosch literature makes a big deal about its high end dishwashers having "real stainless steel fascia panels." I take this to infer that some of theirs *don't* have it, and perhaps some other brands don't. I don't know what they're using instead, but it sounds to me as though the stainless "look" on some appliances is just a coating or film layer.

I'm reviving this thread to see if anyone has more info on the Kitchenaid rusting problem. My two year old fridge began developing rust spots within 6 months and has progressively gotten worse. The fridge itself works fine. I mow need another dishwasher, and would like to get a kitchenaid, but don't want to deal with another rusting appliance.
It would be great to hear that the company has taken care of the problem??

Bump- so no one else has heard of kitchenaid rusting?

This has totally happened to the face of our dishwasher--all across the face and not in any pattern--and in spots on the refrigerator in the last two months. The telling point is that we barely use either as we are always on the go. They have only ever been cleaned with rubbing alcohol. There is no excuse for this to happen on these high end and expensive machines!! It's as unbelievable as it is galling that this is not covered by warranty! Seriously, I will never buy another Kitchenaid product and am sorry that I gave them my business two years ago.

From all the postings it looks like Whirlpool Corp. Is using a plated stainless on a rustable substrate sheet. If that is true the Barkeepers Friend cleanser won't do any permanent good and might remove the coating altogether. If it is real stainless then all the posts have an easy solution: Rub the area as a previous poster recommended. If one of you is brave enough to try, Please report back to this forum so all the others can know what to do. I had to replace the front panel of a GE dishwasher that rusted through many years ago. It was so old that they were out of stock so I removed the old panel by opening up the sides of the door and unattaching it. I went to a building supply and bought a sheet of plastic that I cut to match the panel and Installed it. It was still working when I sold my house.

I was also having the same problem the only difference is that the rust was inside the dishwasher. Then my friend told me to use critic acid or use a commercial rust remover. Whatever the cause, you can remove rust from your dishwasher with the right products.

Mine started rusting on the inside within a week of installation...

I had this problem with a Bosch dishwasher (but not with the frigidaire appliances in the same kitchen). Barkeepers friend did help.

Bought all new kitchenmaid appliances in September. By December the dishwasher is covered with rust. I only use Wieman's wipes so harsh chemicals isn't the problem. Of course, Whirlpool won't do anything . Sent a repairmen out who gave me a rust removing kit and left. It says you shouldn't use on grained finishes. I am so stressed. You pay good money and it is junk. Calling them again today and telling them to have him come out and do the "kit" and ask them what they will do when he ruins the finish. It is also happening on the refrigerator but not as much. I will never buy Kitchenaid again and will spread the word high and low. I will do my part to make people aware.

Rust spots on inside door of KitchenAid dishwasher after second use. i think it’s poor quality imported stainless steel. My old KitchenAid had no rust after 8 years of hard use and I paid half as much as my new one.

Did kitchenaid stand by their product?

Just installed a Kitchen Aid dishwasher about 3-4 weeks ago. Haven't used it 10 times yet and i noticed rust this AM. I will be contacting Home Depot and Kitchen Aid and I WILL get an answer one way or another, and yes its a big deal. If it rusts why get stainless? One can get the plastic and not worry about rust and save some money. I will be jumping up and down on them and if i dont get a satisfactory response i will take the next step.

I called Kitchen Aid and they said it was cosmetic damage and not covered by warranty. Lowes was willing to take it back and order a new one but I didn't really want to go through the hassle. I mixed a little baking soda and fresh lemon juice into a paste and lightly rubbed it on rust spots. A year of use and the rust spots have never come back. So far very happy with this dishwasher.

Been back and forth numerous times about this issue and I'm furious !!! Kithenaid replaced the door after less than a month, now several months later the issue is back again and I'm getting nowhere, trying to deal with Lowes and my extended warranty and that is also a dead end..the lemon juice/baking soda did not work for me

We are having all kinds of rudt spots onnour 3 yesr old kitchenade dishwasher !!! i will never buy their inferior products again . i only clean with stainless steel cleaner

I also tried using the baking soda method and it did not work , not the front is ruined from me scrubbing so hard . i have never had a problem wirh any other SS brand .

KItchenaid is no longer what it was. CHEAP products. Mine starting rusting 11 months after I bought it. They blame the weather, your cleaning habits--everything but their cheap stainless. NEVER AGAIN.

My Kitchenaid stainless steel dishwasher is rusting on the outside upper left by the buttons after 10 months. There is a vent hole in this area. The repairman said this is a common problem with Kitchenaid dishwashers. I was told to only purchase a dishwasher with an internal fan that comes on at the drying cycle. This eliminates the moisture problem and the rust. I was told that Bosch and Viking have this feature.

Some KAs have a drying fan, some don't. Depends which model you have. Same for Bosch ... some may have a fan, some don't. I don't know about Viking.

I did not realize how many have had the rust issue. I’m shocked. We noticed rust developing on the top and bottom of our new KA dishwasher door within a year of install. Besides that, the keypad would not work intermittantly due to the control board getting affected by humidity. We’d have to use a blowdryer on top of the door for a few minutes to dry it out before it would work. We called KA/Whirlpool, told them that this issue was unacceptable and demanded that it be fixed on their dime even though it was past the warranty by this time. They agreed to do so. However, six months after replacing the door cover, the new one is starting to rust and we had to use the blowdryer again to make it work. We’ve had a GE and a Bosch for years prior to this without any rust spots appearing ever. This KA is an annoying piece of junk. Never again.

I'm facing same rusting issue with KA stainless steel dishwasher 9 months into purchase. Rust is on the outside left over the buttons, but looks like will spread. KA/Whirlpool says its cosmetic and not covered under the 1st year warranty.

I don't use any cleaners/water or anything to clean it, just a dry microfiber cloth which takes care of it. So, I believe its not an issue with cleaning but defective/substandard material and steel used for the dishwasher. Had a GE for 15 years before this, never a rust spot.

Has anyone had any success with dealing with this issue with KA where KA took care of it free of cost and its not happening again?

I have had a KA SS dishwasher for a few years but luckily it hasn't shown any signs of rust yet. My neighbor has had a similar KA SS dishwasher for less than a year and it is already starting to rust. One thing I noticed is that some models have a vent in the front and some have it on the side. My neighbors vent is on the front and that is where the SS is rusting around the vent. Mine is on the side where there is only plastic and there is no rust on the front or anywhere.

Something to note is that there are many different grades of SS. I believe that ferritic SS is among the cheapest and will rust more easily. I am pretty sure that is what KA is using on their dishwasher panels. You can test by placing a magnet on the SS panel of an appliance. The magnet will stick on the cheap ferretic SS. The magnet will not stick to higher grade SS that isn't ferretic. I will never buy a SS appliance again without doing a magnet test.

We got our new KA dishwasher in Oct 2020. The bottom of the door (outside) started rusting about a year ago. There’s also a spot of rust on the control panel. Opened it to unload it this morning to find that there’s now rust on the inside. Our previous KA dishwasher was five years old and never rusted. It did start leaking underneath though, which is why we replaced it. Very disappointing!

Perhaps you should have repaired the 5yo machine instead of replacing it.

It couldn’t be fixed 😞

Interesting. Why not? What was the source of the leak?

Tbh, I don’t remember exactly. I think it was a recall but we didn’t know that until after we had replaced it. We have wood floors and didn’t want to take any chances.

There was an issue several years ago on some KA models with an outlet hose that loosened between the tub and pump assembly. It may have been covered by a recall or repair outside the warranty period. Reasonably simple repair. There was another, different situation with leaking at the anchor nuts for the heating element, also a reasonably simple fix.

Miele or Bosch this time for a better experience and longevity.

Whatever it was, our repairman said it wasn’t worth the cost of repair/labor and he couldn’t guarantee it wouldn’t happen again. We offered it to him after getting the new one and he didn’t want it. That alone tells me it wasn’t worthy of repair. Geek Squad is coming Saturday to look at this one.

Major rust on botom of door (2 yr old & barely used). Noticed it on floor & then saw it on the bottom of door. It appears on the bottom of inside door (sides where screwed on). Seems its leaking, runs down door & then rust at bottom. Costco nor KitchenAid will do anything at all. Frustrating for $1100 dishwasher used less than 20 times total

@HU-75175020: "Seems its leaking, runs down door & then rust at bottom."

No, neither Costco nor KitchenAid is going to fix your two-year old dishwasher. If it's leaking you need to fix it.

• Dishwasher: Why is my dishwasher leaking?

If tub gasket is the problem, the "Tub and Frame Parts" diagram for the (example) KitchenAid KDTM604KPS shows Part #3 which is the tub gasket for $16.46.

Its not leaking in the tub There was a 2 yr warranty which just expired when I noticed the rust on my floor

HU-75165020: "Its not leaking in the tub"

You wrote: "It appears on the bottom of inside door (sides where screwed on). Seems its leaking, runs down door & then rust at bottom."