PSA: Watch out for counterfeit control boards on Amazon

I ordered a replacement control board for a Whirlpool dishwasher off Amazon last week because the OEM part was on backorder for 3 weeks. The board showed up in a plain box with no branding, but the model number matched. I installed it, fired it up, and the dishwasher ran the cycle but never heated the water. Checked the heating element and thermistor, both were fine. Turns out the board had a tiny relay swapped for a cheaper one that couldn't handle the load. Lost 2 hours of labor trouble shooting and had to order the genuine part from a local supplier in Phoenix. Has anyone else run into fake parts from online sellers, and how do you spot them before installation?

2 comments

2 Comments

sullivan.john15d ago

The AMZN seller "PrimeParts Depot" sent me a fake dryer board last year with a bulging capacitor right out of the box. I check for replaced relays now by comparing the color and branding on the parts to photos of the genuine board from repair sites like AppliancePartsPros or even just Google Images. Also look for any missing thermal paste or different colored solder joints, that's a dead giveaway they reworked an old board.

kim.hannah15d ago

Oh man, that's such a pain to go through all that work just to find out the board is bad. @sullivan.john makes a solid point about checking relays and solder joints, but I'd add that you should also look at the board's PCB color - genuine ones usually have a consistent green or blue tint, while fakes often look a little washed out or have uneven coloring (like they were sprayed with something). Comparing to legit photos is definitely the move, but don't forget to check the board's thickness too since knockoffs sometimes use thinner material that can crack when you mount it.