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Your dishwasher not turning on after youload itwith filthy dishes is a major inconvenience.

Below, weve listed 11 reasons yourdishwasher wont startand provided easy troubleshooting steps.

If accidentally turned on, it will yield many dishwasher functions unavailable.

troubleshooting a dishwasher

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Depending on your local building codes, your dishwasher may have a dedicated circuit.

If not, there will likely be other lights or outlets without power.

Warning

Breakers serve as safety mechanisms and trip when they sense an issue with the circuit.

Only restore the power if you’re sure there is no issue with the circuit.

Water Pan Sensor

The water pan sensor is exactly what it sounds like.

It senses water in the pan beneath the dishwasher and alerts the dishwasher.

This tells the appliance not to run, asthere is a leak.

The water pan sensor could be sensing a leak, which should be addressed.

However, it could also be that the sensor itself is faulty.

If the water inlet valve is faulty, it will not allow water into the appliance.

The dishwasher will not run if it doesn’t sense a water supply is connected.

Check to ensure the dishwasher is plugged in and the GFCI outlet hasn’t been tripped.

If it has, press the “RESET” button to restore power.

If the heat passes a given threshold, the fuse blows and shuts down the appliance.

Visually inspect the fuse.

It Needs to Be Reset

Dishwashers have a lot of sensors and controls.

Sometimes, they need a simple reset to operate normally.

Sleep Mode Is On

Many dishwashers feature a “sleep” mode or “standby” mode.

If either of these features is engaged, the dishwasher won’t turn on as expected.

The sleep mode must be deactivated before you’ve got the option to operate the dishwasher.

Other models may include a reset function that consists of holding the “start/reset” button.

To tell if a dishwasher fuse is blown, start with a visual inspection.

It’s often obvious when a fuse is blown as there is burnt or melted material.

Some types of fuses will even have a visible filament, which will be severed if blown.

If it beeps, the fuse is still good.