The hinge link on your dishwasher connects the spring to the dishwasher door hinge. If the hinge link becomes cracked or damaged, you may not be able to shut or lock your dishwasher door properly. In this case, you will need to replace the hinge link. Pull out your dishwasher to inspect the hinge and spring, if the link is broken, it may be disconnected and on the ground already. If not, you can remove the hinge arm link by simply disconnecting it from the hinge and spring, then replacing it with the new part. The hinge arm link is a small piece of white plastic about an inch and a half long. It is sold individually, and is an OEM part from the manufacturer.