Not sure if they are spring loaded....I used to have a GE Profile DW...didn't have that problem..but could something like detergent, or food be binding up the hinges of the detergent door? It is just a thought. Maybe you could go on line to GE and see if anyone else has this problem.

Thanks - nothing is blocking the dispenser from opening. With a top hinge, it flops open freely but gravity drops it back mostly shut - which leads me to believe it SHOULD be spring loaded to stay fully open when released.

But that is still unknown. I couldn't find any GE forum or anywhere to email them - just a FAQ and no other support other than on the phone.

Have you googled your problem, like ' GE Profile Dishwasher detergent door problem'? All kinds of GE forums and blogs come up that you can check. Usually repair people will answer questions on these kind of appliance problem sites also.

Yes, of course I searched before even thinking of posting here. NONE - not ONE of the search results are for anything owned and run by GE, so they are not actually GE's forums but various independent blogs etc. and no official company support.

But all I am asking is - ARE THESE DISPENSER DOORS SPRING LOADED? The reason I ask on the GW forum is the large volume of participants. Surely at least ONE person out there has a GE Profile dishwasher and can answer this simple question?

I guess it's no difference - we will have to hire someone to fix it - or buy another dishwasher.

Yes, mine is spring loaded. It's rectangular, and open all the time until you put in a tablet and manually force it closed. Our Profile DW is about a year old.

I have a PDW9980J00SS, which is a little older than your unit but has the same dispenser design. The detergent lid has a spring to open fully back against the door. It opens only 90ð during operation, obstructed by the upper rack. It will (should) go fully back when the door is opened after the cycle ends. However, 90ð open is sufficient for the water spray to flush the detergent out of the cup.

The entire dispenser module must be replaced if your spring is weak or broken. The lid, per parts diagrams, isn't available as a separate piece.

Thanks! Spring loaded - that was what we wanted to know....

These were the answers I was hoping for - looks like THIS PART will do the trick according to my model/parts search.