Why Won’t My Dishwasher Turn On? | Santa Monica Appliance Repair

Discovering your dishwasher is broken isn’t a good way to begin your day, particularly if you have to deal with the cost of phoning a professional and staying home to meet them just to determine the issue.

Fortunately it’s often easy to determine and often sort out a number of machine problems by yourself without having to call for dishwasher repair, especially if you are able to find a multimeter.

You could discover you are able to sort out the issue quite easily yourself, particularly if you are mechanically minded, and if you can’t at least you will be better placed to describe the problem when you do have to call an engineer.

Things To Do If Your Dishwasher Won’t Start

In advance of searching for a replacement dishwasher there are a few possible problems you should be able to troubleshoot fairly easily.

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

Commonplace Dishwasher Faults That Will Prevent Your Machine From Starting

In advance of going through the following list of possible problems make sure that your machine hasn’t been inadvertently unplugged, as well as that none of the switches on the circuit breaker have tripped.

This is also a good time to check if the child lock isn’t on plus try resetting your dishwasher.

You will most likely require the user manual for this as machines vary however the child lock tends to be quite simple to activate accidentally. Similarly, the dishwasher may have power however will not start, in this case the solution may be as easy as resetting the program.

When you have ruled out these faults you can start the real troubleshooting.

Have a look at the door latch or door latch switch.
Examine the timer.
Test the selector switch.
Test the motor relay.
Examine the thermal fuse.
Check the drive motor.

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

Testing the Door Latch as well as the Door Latch Switch

The initial thing to check is the door latches plus door latch switches. Your machine is not designed to operate if these are broken for obvious reasons. You wouldn’t want to be able to inadvertently begin the machine with the door ajar.

A broken switch will stop your dishwasher from starting plus completing a cycle. You should test the switch using a multimeter. The switch will usually be situated behind the front door panel or control panel.

Ensure the dishwasher is disconnected prior to taking off the door panel and testing for continuity to make sure you do not get an electric shock.

If you discover the latches or switches are broken you will need to replace them.

Checking the Timer

If you have tested your door latch plus door latch switch and discovered they are operating correctly the next component to test is the timer or electronic control.

This is the part of the machine that sends power to all the other components the machine needs to run including the motor, plus the valves.

If your dishwasher has an electronic control rather than a mechanical timer then it might have to be checked while connected, in which case you should call an engineer.

Checking the Selector Switch

This is the part of your machine that selects the program , it’s style and location will vary contingent on the make and model of your machine. A faulty selector switch or even one that has not been fully engaged may cause the dishwasher not to turn on.

You should be able to visually investigate to see if the buttons are depressing fully, or you may need to unplug the machine in order to 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 may result in your dishwasher not starting, and this could be the issue if you have tested the control panel and so have ascertained that there is power going to the main pump.

To check if this is the case you will have 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 tested using a multimeter, if faulty it may need to be replaced.

Examining the Thermal Fuse

When you have tested the above issues but still haven’t found the issue the next component to investigate is the thermal fuse. This will only be found on some models and is there to protect the control board.

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

Examining the Drive Motor

The final component you should be able to check that may prevent your machine from running is the drive motor. This is the component that moves the water around to wash your dishes.

Once you have checked the other electrical components yet still haven’t discovered the issue this might be the issue especially if you noticed a loud humming coming from the machine.

You should be able to gain access to the motor by removing the panel at the bottom of the machine. Test it by using a multimeter then replace if broken.

When to Contact a Repair person

If you don’t have a multimeter and are not confident in taking panels off your dishwasher and checking the parts then you will need to call an engineer sooner rather than later.

If you do have a multimeter and can perform the above tests then you may well be able to sort out the fault without assistance. However if you are con confident it might be easier to contact an engineer.

Plus have a look at your insurance plus your home cover as appliance repairs might be included and so the expense might be less than you were expecting.