Stuck with dishwasher door jam

[Desert Ratz]

Returned from 50 mile trip to get the "right" transmission filter for the truck (grumble grumble). Walk in door, I spy the tell-tale signs of disaster: Towel on kitchen floor in front of dishwasher. Open dishwasher door -- wrong! Dishwasher door won't open. 

As BEST as I can discern (since the model # is inside the unit) I'm looking at a GE GSM1800 J. It's one of those, push in fingers, pull handle, pull door. Everything "feels" as normal, just won't unlatch. Can't access the top of the unit, as the screws that hold bracket to underside of counter normally accessible with the door open, so I'm thinking that dropping the front foot levelers won't do me much good. 

I ain't worried about the plates, knives, forks, and spoons, but there aren't any home-made milk shakes in my future as long as the blender is stuck inside the d/w. Yeah, and I'm not looking to hand washing dishes, either. 

Thanks in advance for your expert advice, served up with a healthy serving of Haiku. 

[darren412]

thats a tough one  but try lifting the whole door and grasping the door at the bottom and lift it up and down at the same time you try to push the latch and pull the door open.  most ge doors will have a little play in the door itself in an up and down motion.   try that for a little while at the same time and you might get lucky and it may pop open.  Then just replace the lock and the latch if the latch is damaged in any way.       Lowering the legs should give you some room between the counter and the top of the dishwasher so you can possibly work on the dishwasher brkts and break them loose in order for you to remove it if necessary.    try a metal cutting blade in a plunge cutting tool or a good size metal cutting blade in a 3" grinding tool and cut the screw heads holding in the dishwasher  brkts up top if that is the type of holding brkts you have.   Some dishwashers are also held in with bkts and screws holding them in on  the sides also.  I would only do this last if you can not open the door from the front as suggested above.   You may have too damage the door latch assembly by forcing it open if you have too without throwing the door or frame out of alignment. Then replace the parts of the latching system that have broken as needed.    Good Luck and I hope this is helpful.

[Desert Ratz]

Door on this one is pretty solid, but I'll see if I can cut off the screw heads that hold the top brackets. There aren't (happily) any side mounts on this one. Perhaps if I can get the thing out of the cabinet I'll be able to access the latch from the top of the machine and jimmy it open. Thanks so much!

[Chat_in_FL]

Ensure the unit is unplugged/de-energized (in case you come into contact with the wires) , then try to push up on the latch with a screwdriver or other thin shaft. You may have to push the broken handle away from the latch to get to the latch.