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How Do You Reset a Dishwasher?

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Categories Dishwasher, Home and Kitchen

There is nothing more annoying than stacking up your dishwasher and finding it on the blink. If you find your dishes trapped mid-cycle and are having no luck at getting the machine to run, you may have to reset and restart your dishwasher.

To reset your dishwasher, begin by pressing the ‘Start/Reset’ button or holding down the ‘Cancel’ or ‘Drain’ button for about 3 seconds. If your model doesn’t have these, turn off the power to the dishwasher at the circuit breaker for one minute, then restore power to perform a hard reset. This process can clear certain errors and restore default settings.

Restarting your dishwasher is a simple procedure regardless of your dishwasher model or make. We will discuss how to restart your dishwasher, 9 ways to troubleshoot it, and why you need to restart it.

Reset Samsung Dishwasher

  1. Press and hold the Start button for three seconds and the cycle will be canceled and the dishwasher will begin to drain and show a 1 symbol.
  2. Once you see this symbol, you may restart the cycle.

We published a more detailed article on how to reset your samsung dishwasher.

Reset Smeg Dishwasher

  1. Open the door of your dishwasher and press turn the power button on.
  2. Hold the start button while closing the door to restart your dishwasher.

Resetting typically fixes many different problems associated to your Smeg Dishwasher Not Working. Feel free to check that out that article to fix other aspects of your Smeg Dishwasher.

Reset Whirlpool Dishwasher

  1. Unplug your dishwasher from the mains or at your electrical circuit board for one minute.
  2. Switch the machine back on.

Detailed post resetting your whirlpool dishwasher and here’s a link to whirlpool dishwasher documentation.

Reset Bosch Dishwasher

  1. Open your dishwasher door.
  2. Press start for about three seconds until all the displays have gone out.
  3. Close the door.
  4. Wait for the unit to drain the residual water to drain for about 1 minute.

Check out our detailed article on how to reset your bosch dishwasher. Alternatively, if you have your bosch dishwasher model handy you can visit the bosh support page to find your owner’s manual.

Reset LG Dishwasher

  1. Press the power button to switch the dishwasher OFF.
  2. Turn off at the circuit breaker or power source.
  3. Wait for 10 seconds.
  4. Press on to start a new cycle.

To find out more details please visit how to reset your LG Dishwasher

Reset Maytag Dishwasher

  1. Unplug from the power source for one minute. 
  2. After one minute, reconnect the dishwasher to its power source.

Here’s a detailed article that will help you reset maytag dishwasher features and here’s the maytag dishwasher manual.

Reset Kitchenaid Dishwasher

  1. Disconnect your dishwasher from the primary power source.
  2. Leave off for 1 minute and restart.

Here’s a how to reset different aspects of your kitchenaid dishwasher and here’s a link to the kitchenaid dishwasher product manual.

Reset Frigidaire Dishwasher

  1. Hold down the cancel button found on the control panel
  2. Wait for the light to shift or until they turn off completely.

Here’s how to reset different aspects of your Frigidaire Dishwasher.

Reset GE Dishwasher

  1. Press and hold start/reset button for several seconds.
  2. Wait for the light above the button to flash to signal the reset process has began.

Check out our article for more details on how to reset your GE Dishwasher.

Reset Kenmore Dishwasher

  1. Press both High Temp and Heated Dry buttons in succession for 2 times.
  2. Wait for the control panel lights to be illuminated.
  3. Close and latch your kenmore dishwasher to it can run a test cycle to initiate the reset.

Check out our article for more details on how to reset your kenmore dishwasher.

Reset Miele Dishwasher

  1. Press the On/Off button to turn the Dishwasher On
  2. Press and hold down the Start/Stop Button
  3. When red light turns on – release the Start/Stop button
  4. Press the on/off button to turn the appliance off and then back on.

If you need to reset other parts please visit our How to Reset Miele Dishwasher article.

Reset Asko Dishwasher

  1. Press start/stop button on the control panel and hold it for 3 seconds.
  2. Select the wash program you require and then press the start/stop button again.

To reset different functions/errors please visit our article how to reset asko dishwasher article.

Reset Fisher And Paykel Dishwasher

  1. Press and hold the button marked with a key/lock for 5 seconds
  2. Press the power button to switch the dishwasher off
  3. Wait 2-3 minutes then pres the power switch to turn on the dishwasher.

To reset different parts of a Fisher and Paykel dishwasher please visit our reset Fisher and Paykel dishwasher article.

Reset Beko Dishwasher

  1. Press and hold start/stop button and hold for 3 seconds.
  2. You will be alerted if you need to drain any remaining water.
  3. Press and hold the start/stop button again for 10 seconds.

For more details please check this article how to reset your Beko Dishwasher’s functions.

Reset Hotpoint Dishwasher

  1. Press the start/reset button
  2. Wait for 2 minutes before reusing your hotpoint dishwasher again.
  3. If any problem persist, you might need to unplug for few minutes and replug it in.

For additional reset functions please check our article How to Reset Hotpoint Dishwasher

Reset Electrolux Dishwasher

  1. Press and hold the start button for a few seconds.
  2. The control panel should restart and reset the cycle.
  3. If this didn’t work, you can try to unplug your Electrolux Dishwasher.

For more detailed and additional reset functions please visit How to Reset Electrolux Dishwasher.

Reset Siemens Dishwasher

  1. Press and hold the start/stop button for 2 seconds
  2. Then Press and hold the power scrub and delicate wash button at the same time for a few seconds.

For other resets please visit the How to Reset Siemens Dishwasher article.

Reset Amana Dishwasher

  1. press the dishwasher reset button on the control panel
  2. wait for 2 minutes for the dishwasher to reset.

Alternatively, unplug the dishwasher and wait 30 seconds before plugging it in and switching it on. You can also press and hold the start button for 3 seconds. Resetting will typically fix many aspects of Amana dishwasher not working.

Reset Hisense Dishwasher

  1. To reset a Hisense dishwasher back to factory settings, unplug the dishwasher from its power source or
  2. turn off the breaker.
  3. Let the dishwasher reset without power for at least 5 minutes.
  4. Plug the dishwasher back in or flip the breaker back on. Run a test cycle.

Hisense Dishwasher not working can typically be fixed with a reset, sometimes though you really don’t have a choice but to swap out defective parts.

Other Dishwasher Reset Solutions

Other Dishwasher Reset Solutions

Each dishwasher is different, and with all the advances in technology, it is difficult to provide a cure-all for every dishwasher. However, as the aforementioned popular brands showed, there is a general procedure that you may use to reset your particular brand.

But if you can’t consult your user manual, as a rule of thumb, try the following:

  1. Press the start/reset button for 3 seconds.
  2. If the problem persists, reboot your dishwasher by turning it off at the power source.
  3. Leave the machine off for a minute and switch the power back on.

If your dishwasher will still not restart, you should look into the reasons behind the malfunction.

9 Reasons Why Your Dishwasher May Malfunction and May Need a Reset

9 Common Reasons Why Your Dishwasher May Malfunction

Your Fuse Might Have Blown

If your dishwasher has stopped working or stops working mid-cycle, the first thing you should check is that the power is working. If your power display is not illuminated, you may have blown a fuse or a tripped breaker.

If your dishwasher has a blown thermal fuse, there is probably an underlying cause in the dishwasher itself. A thermal fuse protects your motor and parts from extreme temperatures, so replacing the fuse won’t help the underlying cause. 

There Is a Malfunction With Your Door Latch

If your control panel still has illumination and your dishwasher is not working, very often, the problem is in your door latch or microswitch. A microswitch is a small snap-action mechanism that uses a spring-loaded lever to open and close your unit’s internal contacts. The door latch has to be locked in place before your machine will run as a safety mechanism due to high temperatures inside the unit.

You may test the door switch by manually activating it with the door open momentarily to ascertain that the latch is preventing your dishwasher from working.

Your Door Latch Has Become Soiled

A reason why your dishwasher is on the blink is that the door latch or microswitch may have been contaminated by food or soap residue on the interior side of the door. Ensure that your rubber seal is clean and clean your door latch with a Q-tip to remove any residue.

Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on September 8, 2020.

Your Control Panel Is Faulty

The electronic control panel is responsible for your dishwasher’s actions, and a fault in this controller may have a variety of symptoms. Your cycle may stop mid-wash, or the lights may blink on and off continuously, or the lights may remain out when there is still power in your machine. A good rule of thumb is to check your user manual for your specific product under troubleshooting. 

Here is an example of a whirlpool guide to determine if the control or keypad is faulty: 

  1. Unplug your dishwasher or turn off at your power source.
  2. Open your dishwasher door.
  3. Open the console and disconnect the keypad ribbon connection from the control.
  4. Replace your console and leave the door open.
  5. Reconnect the power.
  6. Wait for 5 seconds.
  7. Close dishwasher door.
  8. Check the monitor response.
    • If the control looks okay, it should respond if you turn on the drain motor for 2 minutes.
    • You will then know that your keypad is the problem if your control still functions correctly.
  9. If you still see shorts on your control panel with the keypad disengaged, the drain function will not work. The problem is your control panel.

Your Motor or Your Pump Is Faulty

Your dishwasher cannot run without water and sufficient water pressure. Ensure that your water source is engaged and that your water is running from the mains if your dishwasher will not run. If your machine stops running mid-cycle and the water is connected or experiencing leaks, you may have a water pump or motor problem.

If the motor can sustain enough pressure, it will shut down in mid-cycle or fail to start altogether.

Your Fan Assembly or Thermostat Is Faulty

If your dishwasher stops mid-cycle or does not complete or skips the drying cycle, it might be with your fan. Alternatively, if your dishwasher cuts off in the drying cycle, it may be a faulty thermostat to blame.

Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on September 8, 2020.

If your thermostat is malfunctioning, it may switch off during the drying cycle or not work at all. You will notice that your dishes may not be washed properly, and the machine is cold inside after a wash cycle.

Your Child Lock Is On

Some brands such as Samsung have a child lock activation that will stop all other buttons working until the child lock or power button is held down for three seconds. 

Your Machine Is in Sleep Mode

Some dishwasher makes such as Whirlpool have a sleep function on their control panels. This action would cause your machine to stop while your power is still on. According to the manufacturer, you should hold the start/resume/cancel button down for several seconds until the sleep light is deactivated.

Your Dishwasher Is in Delayed Wash Mode, or Your Control Lock Is On

Ensure that your dishwasher is not in delayed mode or under control lock. If your machine is in delay mode, press cancel/drain to deactivate the delay and press start/resume to reactivate the cycle.

If you wish to disengage the control lock, merely press on the Lock button and hold until it is deactivated, then resume your cycle. If your machine has no such a button, refer to your user manual.

Final Thoughts

Although the process of restarting your dishwasher may differ slightly from model to model, the general procedure remains the same. If you have tried to reset your dishwasher without success, we hope that we have provided you with some possible reasons behind the failure. 

Related Articles

Dishwasher Keeps Blowing Fuse: How to Fix It

Dishwasher Keeps Stopping

Dishwasher Lights Stay On

Dishwasher Won’t Stop Draining

ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on September 8, 2020.

No Lights on the Dishwasher Control Panel