DishwasherRepair.center (844) 430-4286Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm Book a visit
A close view of a dishwasher's top-edge control panel with the door slightly ajar and the buttons unlit.

Dishwasher
Not Starting

The door is shut and a cycle is chosen, but nothing happens, or the lights come on and it will not run.

(844) 430-4286

Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm

  • 5 checks before you book
  • 5 questions that narrow it
  • 5 causes, cheapest first

Book a visit

Three short steps, about a minute.

or call (844) 430-4286

What it
usually means.

Before a dishwasher runs, the control has to see power, a closed and latched door, and no lock or delay setting holding it back. Most no-start calls end at one of those three. When the lights are on but the machine will not begin, it is usually the door switch or a setting. When the panel is completely dark, it is power, a thermal fuse or the control board.

A technician in a US home kitchen kneels at an open built-in dishwasher, lifting the filter out of the tub floor. The 5 causes, cheapest first

Answer these first

01

Is the control panel lit at all, or completely dark?
02

Does a lock symbol or a delay-start indicator show?
03

Do you hear a click when you close the door firmly?
04

Has the breaker tripped or the GFCI outlet under the sink popped?
05

Does it start and then stop within a few seconds?

Check these
before you book.

Dishwasher not starting: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything.

01

Look for a lock symbol and hold the lock or start button for three to five seconds to release it.

02

Check the breaker panel and the GFCI outlet under the sink, and reset them once.

03

Close the door firmly and listen for the latch to click.

Also worth checking

  • Make sure delay start is off and a cycle is actually selected.
  • Turn off the breaker for one minute, then turn it back on to reset the control.

How soon does it need a visit?

Not urgent. If the breaker trips again when you reset it, leave it off and treat it as an electrical problem; otherwise nothing is at risk.

The causes,
cheapest first.

5 things dishwasher not starting turns out to be, from control lock or delay start set to control board or user interface.

The cost guide
  1. 01 no repair

    Control lock or delay start set

    A child lock or a delay start set by accident looks exactly like a dead machine. Holding the lock button for a few seconds usually clears it.

    No repair: check it yourself See dishwasher control panel not responding
  2. 02 no repair

    Tripped breaker or GFCI

    The dishwasher shares its circuit with the disposal in many kitchens. A tripped GFCI under the sink stops both.

    No repair: check it yourself
  3. 03 low

    Door latch or door switch

    The control will not run unless it sees the door locked. A worn latch or a switch that no longer closes leaves the lights on and nothing happening.

    Fixed by door latch and hinge repair See dishwasher door won't latch
  4. 04 low

    Blown thermal fuse

    A one-time fuse protects the control from overheating. When it blows, the panel goes dark, and something made it overheat.

    Fixed by controls and sensors
  5. 05 moderate

    Control board or user interface

    A board damaged by moisture or a surge can stop responding altogether. It is the conclusion after power, latch and fuse are ruled out.

    Fixed by controls and sensors
  6. What it costs

    Every repair on the site's cost scale, side by side

    Open the cost guide

The makes
it happens on.

27 makes on this site; dishwasher not starting can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page.

All 27 brands

Dishwasher Not Starting,
where we come out.

9 metros, each with its own page.

All service areas

Tampa BayFL · 31 areas

OrlandoFL · 30 areas

Miami / South FloridaFL · 47 areas

New York MetroNY · 75 areas

HoustonTX · 36 areas

ChicagoIL · 50 areas

Los AngelesCA · 95 areas

San DiegoCA · 31 areas

San Francisco Bay AreaCA · 74 areas

A family unloading clean plates from an open dishwasher together in a bright contemporary kitchen, a child handing a plate to a parent
For the heart of your home.

Questions about
dishwasher not starting.

The lights are on and it beeps, but it never starts. Why?
That pattern almost always means the control does not believe the door is shut. The latch may be catching without closing the switch behind it. Try pressing the door firmly at the latch while you press start.
How do I turn off the control lock?
On most models, you hold the button with the lock symbol, or the one marked for heated dry or start, for three to five seconds. The owner's manual lists the exact button; the model number on the door edge finds the manual online.
Could it be the water supply?
A closed supply valve does not stop the cycle from starting; the machine will start and then sit waiting to fill. If nothing happens at all, including no hum, look at power and the door first.
Is it worth resetting the power more than once?
Once is enough. A reset clears a control that locked up, and if that was the issue it works the first time. Repeated resets can hide a pattern the technician would want to see.

Back to your everyday

Still seeing dishwasher not starting?

Book with what you checked above — 5 answers save the technician the first part of the visit.

Schedule a repair Call (844) 430-4286
(844) 430-4286 Schedule a repair