Kenmore Dishwasher Serial Number Lookup

Quick Answer

Open your dishwasher door and look for a silver or white sticker on the left or right side of the inner door or the tub frame. The first three digits of your Kenmore model number followed by a period indicate which company actually manufactured your machine, such as 665 for Whirlpool or 587 for Frigidaire.

Kenmore's whole deal is they don't actually build anything. They put their name on machines made by Whirlpool, Frigidaire, GE, and others. So if you're trying to find a replacement pump or door gasket, searching 'Kenmore' alone won't get you far. You need that model number to figure out who actually built yours, or you'll order the wrong part and waste a week waiting on a return. The prefix before the period tells you everything.

KenmoreDishwasherSeverity: low

Time to Fix

5–10 min

Difficulty

beginner

Parts Cost

$0 (no parts needed)

Tools Needed

Flashlight, Phone camera

Kenmore Dishwasher Serial Number Lookup

Here's something most people don't realize until they're already frustrated. Kenmore is basically a label, not a manufacturer. Your 665 prefix? That's a Whirlpool under the hood. Your 587? That's a Frigidaire. I've shown up to Kenmore jobs and ordered straight from the Whirlpool parts catalog without a second thought. Once you know your prefix, you've got way more parts options, usually at better prices, than if you search just under the Kenmore name.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

FlashlightPhone camera

Diagnostic Checklist

Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the 665 prefix mean on a Kenmore dishwasher?

The 665 prefix means your Kenmore was built by Whirlpool. That's the most common one I run into, probably 60% of the Kenmore dishwashers out there. And here's the practical part: parts for 665 Kenmores are often identical to Whirlpool Gold or Maytag parts. So if you need a wash pump, spray arm, or door latch, search for the equivalent Whirlpool part number and you'll find more options at better prices. Sometimes the exact same component ships under three different brand names. I replaced a 665 pump last month using a Whirlpool part number that saved the customer $40.

Where is the serial number located on a Kenmore Elite dishwasher?

On Kenmore Elite models, your best bet is the right-hand edge of the inner door panel, or the top rim of the tub opening. If you've got a hidden control model where the buttons are on top of the door instead of the front, open the door about halfway and look specifically at the top edge. That's a really common spot for Elite models. The tag is usually in pretty good shape on these since they designed the labels to last, but on units that are 10+ years old it can still get faded from steam.

Is the model number the same as the serial number?

Nope, totally different things. The model number identifies the design and feature set, basically what kind of machine it is. The serial number is specific to your individual unit and encodes when and where it was built. You need both when ordering parts. The model gets you the right part, the serial confirms compatibility if there were mid-run production changes. I always grab both off the tag when I'm on a job. Takes five seconds and saves a ton of back-and-forth with the parts supplier later.

What if my model number tag is faded and unreadable?

First check your original owner's manual or purchase receipt, those sometimes have the model number printed on them. If those are gone, look for a secondary sticker on the side of the wash motor or on the main control board inside the door, but you'll need to pull the inner door panel off to get there. A technician can sometimes ID the model just by looking at the spray arm design and rack configuration. Worst case, your local appliance parts store can often narrow it down if you bring them clear photos of the machine and describe what features it has.

What does the 587 prefix mean?

A 587 prefix means Frigidaire built your dishwasher, which is under the Electrolux umbrella now. These use a completely different set of parts than the 665 Whirlpool-built models. Door gaskets, heating elements, control boards, none of it crosses over. So don't assume parts are interchangeable between a 665 and a 587 just because they're both called Kenmore. Always use the full model number when you're searching. The 587 prefix also means you can search Frigidaire's own parts catalog directly and usually find the same components, sometimes cheaper.

Can I use Whirlpool parts in my 665 Kenmore dishwasher?

Yeah, usually. That's basically the whole point of finding the prefix. A 665 Kenmore is a Whirlpool with different cosmetics. The internal components, pump assembly, spray arms, door latches, control boards, they're largely the same. I've ordered a Whirlpool part for a Kenmore job because it was in stock locally and the Kenmore-branded version would've taken a week to ship. Just match the part number and double-check dimensions if you're buying something like a motor or pump. Spray arms especially tend to be direct swaps with no modification needed.

Models Known to Experience MODEL-KENMORE-LOOKUP Errors

This repair applies to most Kenmore dishwashers with this error code. Common model numbers include:

665.13242K113, 587.14012400, 665.13473K902, 106.86213, 363.14031, 665.15113K215, 587.15102100

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on March 17, 2026