kitchen
Appliance type guide

Dishwasher Model and Serial Number Label Guide

Open the dishwasher door to find the model-and-serial plate, then select the actual manufacturer. Bosch FD numbers, Whirlpool-family year/week codes, and Frigidaire factory/year/week strings are not interchangeable.

  1. 1 Choose the matching category and brand.
  2. 2 Enter the full serial number exactly as printed on the label.
  3. 3 Review the date estimate, notes, and fallback links if the serial does not decode.
bolt Choose Dishwasher Brand

This page is designed for label recovery and brand routing. Panel-ready, drawer, and standard built-in dishwashers can hide identifiers in different places, and private-label products may need OEM identification before decoding.

Select the dishwasher brand and enter the serial exactly as printed.

Built for fast serial/model research.Useful for appliance age estimates, replacement research, and claim documentation.Results may vary by brand, model family, and available serial data.

Why the door must be open for a complete label check

Standard built-in dishwashers commonly place the label on the tub frame, inner door edge, or upper lip. Drawer units may use the side of the top drawer, while panel-ready trim can hide the plate near a hinge or side edge.

Capture the full label before closing the door. An FD field, model prefix, and serial number can serve different purposes, so treating every printed identifier as the serial can route the unit incorrectly.

Verified dishwasher-format examples

These fixtures exercise current brand decoders; apply them only after the dishwasher manufacturer is confirmed.

Label Field What It Usually Means Why It Matters
Bosch FD8605123456 FD 86 + month 05 The tested Bosch-family path resolves to May 2006.
Whirlpool-family C21435678 Year code 2 + week 14 The tested nine-character path returns week 14 and a repeating Whirlpool-family year cycle rather than one assumed decade.
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What the serial number can tell you

Supported dishwasher paths return different outputs: Bosch FD can yield year and month, Whirlpool-family and Frigidaire formats often return a production week plus a repeating year cycle, and other brands use their own positions.

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What the model number can tell you

The model identifies the dishwasher family and may expose the OEM behind a Kenmore or private-label product. It can provide era context but should never be inserted into the serial field.

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Common dishwasher serial number formats

Bosch-family dishwashers ✓ Higher confidence when FD is present.
FD code

The FD digits usually map directly to production year and month.

Whirlpool-family dishwashers ~ Estimated decade.
9 or 10 characters with year code + week

The year code position changes with serial length and is followed by week digits.

GE dishwashers ~ Estimated decade.
Opening month/year letters

The first letters usually carry the age logic.

Frigidaire dishwashers ~ Estimated decade.
Factory letters + year/week digits

The first numeric digit after the factory code often indicates year, followed by week digits.

Samsung / LG dishwashers ~ Estimated decade.
Brand-specific month/year positions

Samsung uses serial-length-dependent positions. LG uses an opening year digit plus month digits.

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Dishwasher serial number examples

Bosch-family FD fixture
FD8605123456

The current Bosch-family regression resolves FD 86 and month 05 to May 2006.

Whirlpool-family week fixture
C21435678

The nine-character fixture reads year code 2 and production week 14. The year code still repeats by cycle.

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Where to find the serial number

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Open-door frame labels

  • Upper inner door frame on many dishwashers
  • Tub lip or side edge near the hinges on others
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Side trim and hinge areas

  • Check the side edge if the top frame is clean
  • Look near the hinge area on drawer and panel-ready designs
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Documentation fallback

  • Installation paperwork when the door tag is worn
  • Original purchase record or service invoice
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Common problems

  • check_circle The dishwasher label is only visible when the door is fully open.
  • check_circle Panel-ready or drawer dishwashers can hide the tag near the hinge or trim edge.
  • check_circle The serial result still needs model-era context because the year code repeats.
  • check_circle The dishwasher is a private-label brand and needs OEM identification first.
  • check_circle Only the model number is available from paperwork or a service invoice.
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FAQ

Is a Bosch FD number the same as the serial number? expand_more

It is a separate production field on Bosch-family rating plates. Use the FD path only when that field is actually present.

Where is the label on a built-in dishwasher? expand_more

Open the door and inspect the tub frame, inner door edge, upper lip, and hinge-side trim.

Where is the label on a drawer dishwasher? expand_more

Check the side of the upper drawer and the frame exposed when the drawer is open.

Why does a Kenmore dishwasher need its model prefix? expand_more

The prefix can identify the OEM, such as a Whirlpool-built 665 family, before the serial is interpreted.

Why can a production week be known but not the decade? expand_more

Some manufacturers repeat year codes. The week is read directly, while model era or installation records must resolve the year cycle.

What should I enter if the plate shows model, serial, and FD? expand_more

Keep each field separate. Select the brand, enter the actual serial, and use the FD or model only in the workflow that explicitly requests it.

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Related Decoder Pages

How Old Is My Appliance?Bosch Dishwasher PathWhirlpool Dishwasher PathGE Dishwasher PathFrigidaire Dishwasher PathSamsung Dishwasher PathSmart LookupMethodology
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Research Paths

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Need a claim-ready replacement summary?

Use the decoder above to start, or try Smart Lookup if the serial label is worn or missing.

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