You have just wound up the mundane task of rinsing and loading your dirty dishes into your dishwasher. Unfortunately, in the place of a nice hum of the gadget’s motor, the drain cycle kicks in then stops, and its lights flash.
If the ‘Start,’ ‘Washing,’ and ‘Clean’ lights are blinking on your dishwasher, it may indicate a malfunction in the heating element. The solution involves checking the heating element for continuity using a multimeter and replacing it if faulty.
Another reason for these lights blinking could be a problem with the dishwasher’s water supply. If the dishwasher is not receiving enough water or the water is not at the right temperature, it can trigger these lights to blink. Check to ensure the water supply valve is fully open, and there are no kinks or blockages in the water supply line. Also, verify that the incoming water temperature meets the requirements specified in the dishwasher’s manual.
Dishwasher blinking lights problems can drive you up the wall. These flashing lights are but the machine’s mode of communication when it needs a little more attention from you or your technician. Read on to find out how best to deal with various flashing dishwasher light errors.
My Dishwasher Start Light is Blinking – Is There a Problem?
A flashing dishwasher Start light is not a normal occurrence. There is probably an underlying problem that’s calling for your attention. Here are some of the issues that could cause the Start light to blink:
- The door opened during a cycle
- Power interruption during a cycle
- Unlatched door when the machine is set for delay start
- The buttons may have been pressed too many times
- Child lock function
Possible Solutions
Here’s a process you can follow to troubleshoot and fix the problem that’s causing your machine’s Start light to blink:
1. Reset your dishwasher
If your dishwasher’s cycle cannot start, the culprit could be that you have hit the button one too many times. The lights will blink for perhaps half a minute to one and a half minutes depending on the model, then stop, allowing you to reset your equipment.
The reset function will work after you have held down the start button for two to three seconds. The confirmation that the reset function is now working is often a beep sound.
Unfortunately, when you are miffed by the issue, you might forget that the simplest solution to an easy reset process is patience. First, the reset function will not work when the lights are blinking. Therefore, you need to give the dishwasher time to process the command and halt the flashing lights. If you keep pressing different buttons, you are giving your control board varying commands, which it has to process.
For an easy reset process, press no more buttons until all lights have gone off. Your dishwashing machine should roar to life.
But what if the reset function fails? What do you do then?
If you have reset the machine and it still will not start, then disconnect your dishwasher from its power supply for a minute. Unplug it then, plug it back in. If your machine is hard wired to your electrical system, turn off your breaker on the electrical panel.
Turn it back on and start your machine. If these processes fail, then one other culprit could be an unlatched door or a missing plug. The machine could also be in sleep mode or child lock mode.
2. Cancel the child lock function
Some models will automatically disengage all other functions until the child lock button is reset. To disengage the child lock mechanism, press the child lock or power button for a few seconds or as per your owner’s manual. This process will release the door lock and stop the blinking light.
3. Remove sleep mode function
If the child lock safety function is not the culprit, check if the machine’s sleep mode is on. Press the cancel or resume button as per your model until the sleep mode light goes off.
4. Check the Delay Start function
If your dishwasher has a delay start function, and an unlatched door, the cycle indicator will flash until you latch the door. The delay start function runs the machine’s activities at a set time, meaning that you can add items before the washing cycle kicks off. When you have added items, close the door firmly.
5. Address door latch issues
If the dishwasher detects that your door is open, it will flash the buttons as a warning. This is a very common source of the Start button blinking problem.
As an illustration, if you have installed your machine’s top using brackets, they might lift the top frame, giving the machine the impression that the door is open. A simple unscrewing of these brackets and side mounting is all that you need to eliminate the error. If the door is correctly latched and the blinking issues persist, then clean out your machine’s door latch.
Should these troubleshooting processes cannot get rid of the Start button’s blinking lights, seek professional help.
My Dishwasher Washing Light is Blinking – Is There a Problem?
A flashing “Washing” light on your dishwasher could be a sign of something amiss with the volume or temperature of the water. It could also be an indication of too much foam or suds in the washtub.
Your washer will not run as long as the light is flashing. Start by resetting your machine’s control panel. A simple reset can erase an error caused by a power outage or surge. If this simple process does not solve the problem, use the tips below to find out what the problem could be.
Possible Solutions
1. Determine that the water is flowing into the tub
Listen to the sound of the flow of water and check the amount in the tub before the wash cycle begins. The water level has to cover the heating element, meaning that its depth should be at least 1/4 inch in depth in some dishwasher models.
2. Check on the water supply valve
If there is no water flowing into the tub, ensure that the water supply valve is open. If the valve is functional, then you will need to replace the dishwasher’s inlet valve.
3. Ensure correct installation
The Washing light could also flash continuously if your machine’s installation was poorly done. If its drain hose is siphoning water from the tub then the machine will not have enough water volume to clean.
4. Get rid of excess foam or subs
If you are using unsuitable cleaners or detergents, they could build suds or foam, which will halt the cleaning process. You should also avoid excessive use of detergent. If you have suds or foam in your dishwasher, scoop them out using a plastic cup. Drain the tub, remove the dishes, and run an empty cycle first, to clean out the excessive soap.
My Dishwasher Clean Light is Blinking – Is There a Problem?
One of the most common causes of Clean light blinking is a heating element problem. The element could be burnt, damaged, or broken.
If your dishwashing machine’s Clean light is flashing rapidly and won’t go off, its keypad or some circuits could have shorted.
If the Clean light flashes in a sequence, then your machine could have a wiring or heater drive circuit problem.
Possible Solutions
For a quick explanation on how to fix some of the problems causing a blinking Clean light, check out this video:
1. Reset your dishwasher
To reset your dishwasher, hold down the start button for about two to three seconds then release. A beeping sound will notify you that the machine is reset.
2. Replace the touchpad
If your touchpad is faulty, some buttons will be working while others will not respond. You’ll need to replace the touchpad in this case. With some models, you’ll also need to replace the control panel together with the touchpad.
3. Remove foam or suds
Too much foam or suds can be detected by the dish-washing machine and will prevent its normal functioning. Follow the process we’ve outlined above to get rid of excess foam or suds in your dishwasher.
Final Thoughts
If your dishwasher machine cannot respond properly when you push its button or blink in response, maybe it only needs a reset. It could also mean that your helpful kitchen gadget’s door locks are dirty or faulty. Sometimes, your Clean or Washing buttons will blink to show water flow, control panel, or heating problems. Use the guide above to troubleshoot these challenges, but call a technician when your dishwasher needs professional attention.
For additional tips you can visit our dishwasher red lights blinking article.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on October 13, 2020.