Why Won’t My Dishwasher Turn On?

Discovering your dishwasher isn’t working isn’t a great way to start your day, especially if you have to deal with the cost of calling out an engineer and taking time off work to meet them just to pinpoint the issue.

Luckily it’s often easy to determine and often sort out a number of dishwasher faults yourself without having to call for dishwasher repair, especially if you happen to have a multimeter.

You might realize you can fix the fault quite easily yourself, particularly if you are good at DIY, and if not at worst you will have a better idea of the issue when you do call a repair man.

What To Do If Your Dishwasher Won’t Start

In advance of looking for a replacement machine there are a number of common problems you should be able to identify without too much trouble.

Safety Warning: Never attempt repairs while your dishwasher is plugged in.

Everyday Dishwasher Issues That Will Prevent Your Dishwasher From Turning On

In advance of going through the following list of potential issues ensure that your dishwasher hasn’t been unplugged, plus that none of the switches on the circuit breaker have tripped.

At this point you can also check that the child lock isn’t on plus try resetting your dishwasher.

You will probably require the manual for this due to the fact that models are all different however the child lock is usually quite simple to activate accidentally. Similarly, the machine might have power however will not start, in this case the solution could be as easy as resetting the cycle.

When you have eliminated these issues you can start the real troubleshooting.

1. Have a look at the door latch or door latch switch.
2. Examine the timer.
3. Examine the selector switch.
4. Examine the motor relay.
5. Test the thermal fuse.
6. Check the drive motor.

To check these parts you will have to have a multimeter, or VOM (volt-ohm-milliammeter) to test the resistance and check the electrical components are working as they are meant to.

Testing the Door Latch as well as the Door Latch Switch

The first thing to test is the door latches and door latch switches. Your machine is not designed to run if the door latches are faulty for understandable reasons. There’s no way you would want begin the dishwasher without meaning to with the door ajar.

A faulty switch will stop your machine from turning on as well as operating. You should test the switch with a multimeter. The switch is generally situated behind the front door panel or control panel.

Make sure you have disconnected power to the machine prior to taking off the door panel as well as checking for continuity to make sure you do not get an electric shock.

If you discover the latches or switches are not working you will need to replace them.

Checking the Timer

If you have tested your door latch as well as door latch switch and discovered they are working as they should the next component to check is the timer or electronic control.

This is the component that distributes power to all the other parts the machine needs to run such as the motor, and the water inlet valve.

If your dishwasher is controlled electronically rather than mechanically then it might need to be checked while plugged in, this can be dangerous and should only be done by someone who is professionally trained.

Testing the Selector Switch

The selector switch is the part of the dishwasher that selects the cycle , it’s style and location will vary contingent on the make or model of your dishwasher. A broken selector switch or one that has got stuck may result in the machine not to turn on.

You can usually visually check to see if the buttons are depressing fully, or you could need to disconnect the machine and gain access to the control panel to check the contact points for continuity with the help of a multimeter.

Checking the Motor Relay

The motor relay is another part that can result in your dishwasher not starting, and this could be the fault if you have checked the control panel and thus have discovered that there should be power going to the motor.

To investigate if this is the case you need to gain access to the motor and find the relay that should be mounted next to the motor. This could then be taken out as well as checked with the help of a multimeter, if broken you may have to replace it.

Examining the Thermal Fuse

If you have investigated all the above but still haven’t found the issue the next part of the machine to investigate would be the thermal fuse. Note: Not all dishwashers have a thermal fuse.

If the fuse is blown it will need to be replaced in order to restore power to the control board.

Checking the Drive Motor

The final part of the machine you can test that could prevent your machine from running is the drive motor. This is the part of the machine that circulates the water to wash your dishes.

When you have tested the other parts and still aren’t getting anywhere this could be the issue particularly if you noticed a loud humming coming from the machine.

You can usually access the motor by taking off the panel at the bottom of the machine. Test it by using a multimeter then replace if faulty.

When to Contact a Repair person

If you don’t have a multimeter and are not confident in taking panels off your dishwasher and testing the components then you will need to call an engineer.

If you do have a multimeter and can perform the above tests then you could well be able to sort out the fault without assistance. But if you are con confident it’s always better to contact an engineer.

Plus check your insurance as well as your home cover as dishwasher repairs may be included which means the expense may not be as high as you think.