I’ve been using my Whirlpool dishwasher without any issues but I went to use it today, and it wouldn’t start. I wanted to know how to get it working again. Based on my extensive research, here’s how to get it to work.
If a Whirlpool dishwasher is not turning on, it could be due to a tripped circuit breaker or blown fuse in your home’s electrical setup. Check your home’s electrical panel and reset any tripped breakers or replace any blown fuses. Ensure that the dishwasher’s power cord is securely plugged into the outlet and that the outlet is functional, which could restore power to the dishwasher.
Another reason for a Whirlpool dishwasher not turning on can be a faulty door latch. The dishwasher will not start if the door is not properly latched due to a safety mechanism. Inspect the latch for any obstructions or damage, and make sure the door is fully closed. If the latch is broken, it will need to be repaired or replaced to enable the dishwasher to start.
Also, try pressing the cancel/drain button to clear a delayed wash. If it’s still not working after that, then you should reset your Whirlpool dishwasher by turning it off at the wall or at the switchboard. Then turn it on again after 1 minute.
In this article, I will explain how to get a Whirlpool dishwasher working again if it’s not showing any lights, or if the lights flash but it won’t start.
Whirlpool Dishwasher Has Power but Won’t Turn On
It can be a bit confusing when your Whirlpool dishwasher is showing all the lights but won’t start. When that happens, it’s typically a very easy fix. Here’s how to get it to start.
The first thing to check is that the control lock is not turned on. The control lock is a feature that stops any of the buttons from working. To turn it off you hold down the control lock button for three seconds. Then you can start it as normal.
There are a few other issues that could be causing it not to turn on, which are:
- The door is not completely closed
- There is a delayed wash scheduled
- The computer has crashed
1. The door is not completely closed
The door can be mostly closed, but it should give you a reassuring click when it’s closed all the way. When the door is not completely closed it won’t start.
Oftentimes, there can be something sticking out on the top drawer that can be getting in the way of the door closing. Make sure the door is closed all the way, and attempt to start it again.
2. There is a delayed wash scheduled
You can schedule a time in the future when your Whirlpool dishwasher will start the wash by pressing the ‘delay’ button. It’s possible someone scheduled a wash for some reason, or someone pressed the button by mistake. When it’s set to start in say an hour it won’t let you start it before then unless you clear the scheduled wash.
To do that simply press the ‘cancel/drain’ button. Then press start again and it should work.
3. The computer has crashed
Oftentimes like a computer or smartphone it can have some error that stops basic functions from working. If you completely reset your Whirlpool dishwasher it can often get it working again. To do that you need to disconnect it from the power.
If you have access to the wall outlet simply turn off your dishwasher, and then unplug it at the wall. When the power button won’t turn it off, you can also unplug it directly at the wall or switchboard without turning it off first.
As you may know, the switch board has fuses that protect appliances from power surges. But, you can manually kill the power to certain parts of the house by switching the fuse to off. It can be a bit tricky in some homes though because each of the fuses aren’t labelled.
So, you need to use trial and error to find which one controls the dishwasher. Once you’ve turned it off, leave it for 1 minute, and then turn the power to it back on, and then turn it on again at the control panel of your dishwasher.
DID YOU KNOW:
A Whirlpool dishwasher not heating may indicate a faulty heating element, which is responsible for raising the water temperature during washes and enabling the drying function. If dishes remain cold after a cycle, use a multimeter to check the element for continuity. No continuity suggests it needs replacement. Unplug the dishwasher, remove the bottom panel to access the element, replace it, and reconnect the wires before testing the machine.
Whirlpool Dishwasher Won’t Turn On No Lights
A Whirlpool dishwasher can also be totally dead, and won’t turn on and won’t display any lights. Looking through the help documents provided by Whirlpool here’s the steps you want to get it to turn on.
Check that your Whirlpool dishwasher is getting power by seeing whether it is plugged in, and the fuse on the switch board hasn’t blown. If it’s getting electricity then it indicates that the control panel is faulty. But, you should first put it in diagnostic mode to see if that fixes it.
Diagnostic mode checks each of the components in your Whirlpool dishwasher one by one and will then display an error message. You may find that running it through diagnostic mode gets it working again without any additional steps.
Putting it in diagnostic mode
Here’s the steps to put it into diagnostic mode:
- Press any three buttons one after the other except for the power button.
- Press the same three buttons in the same order again.
- For a third time, press the same three buttons in the same order.
The display on your Whirlpool dishwasher will light up in a different way to how it normally looks. It will then cycle through each of the components and can take around 20 minutes to finish. If it does go into diagnostic mode, and gives you an error message, apply a fix for it. There could potentially be any number of issues that are causing the issue.
Whirlpool has a list that shows what each of the error codes mean. You can also swap out the control panel yourself, and it only requires a few tools that you likely have lying around the house. Such as, a Phillips head screwdriver.
Whirlpool Dishwasher Turns On but Won’t Run
It’s very reassuring when your dishwasher turns on but if none of the buttons work, or it won’t start a cycle it can be a bit frustrating. So, here’s some steps to get it to run.
The control lock can be enabled which stops any of the buttons from working except for the control lock button. You need to hold it down for 3 seconds to take the lock off. Then you should be able to start it as per normal.
But, there are a few more steps to try if that doesn’t work. They are to:
- Ensure the door is completely closed
- Cancel a delayed wash
- Turn the power off at the outlet and turn it back on again.
The exact step by step instructions about how to perform each of these steps is listed above starting with the heading that says: 1. The door is not completely closed.
These are all fairly quick and easy steps to try first, but if it’s still not working then you should put it in diagnostic mode. When you do that, it will test each of the components to see and give you an error message to say what the issue is.
I explained exactly how to put it into diagnostic mode above in the section titled: ‘Put it in diagnostic mode’.
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Copyright protected content owner: ReadyToDIY.com and was initially posted on July 3, 2021.
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Copyright article owner is ReadyToDiy.com for this article. This post was first published on July 3, 2021.
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ReadyToDIY is the owner of this article. This post was published on July 3, 2021.
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