GE offers a fantastic range of dishwashers. But this doesn’t mean they can never have any issues. Many users had faced GE dishwasher not starting problems in the first year.
The worst is when you have loaded your dishwasher, but when you press the start button, it just beeps and won’t start.
If your GE dishwasher is not starting, stop worrying. Instead, you should try to figure out the reason for your issue. There can be several reasons for a dishwasher that won’t start.
In this article, I will be sharing some common causes and solutions for a non-starting dishwasher. So, let’s get started.
Why is my GE dishwasher not starting?
The most common reason for non-starting a dishwasher is when your dishwasher has no power. Everyone knows that an electrical appliance will not start without power.
Apart from this, there are still many reasons for a dishwasher that won’t start, such as Incorrect settings, a broken door switch or door latch, a faulty drive motor, water supply issues, a damaged thermal fuse, an error code on the control panel, etc.
Troubleshooting a GE dishwasher that won’t start?
You must be stressed out after seeing these reasons, but you should relax. I am here to provide you with each of their solutions. Try these troubleshooting steps and check which one is working perfectly for you.
Reset your appliance
Nowadays, dishwashers have very advanced software which makes the work easier. On the other hand, glitches in software can disturb your life. Software glitches can occur at any time and cause any unpredicted issues like the dishwasher not starting.
To fix this software glitch, you have to perform a quick reset on your dishwasher. To do so, follow the given below steps.
- Take out the power cord of the dishwasher from the power source, or shut down your dishwasher’s circuit breaker.
- Now, wait for 1-2 minutes. It will reset your dishwasher.
- Reconnect that power cord to your dishwasher and check
Check the Power supply.
Every electrical appliance needs power for operation. If the power supply is disturbed, your dishwasher will not be able to start. So, you should check if your dishwasher has power or not.
Most of the GE dishwashers have a service LED on the panel, which indicates whether the appliance is receiving adequate voltage or not. If the service light is green, it means your dishwasher has the required power.
And, if the green LED is not flashing, it indicates your dishwasher doesn’t have enough power to operate. In that case, here are the fixes you can do.
- Check the power cord of the dishwasher. Make sure it is lodged correctly to the electrical outlet.
- Next, take a look at your home’s circuit breaker. Electricity is supplied to all the electrical appliances through your home’s circuit breaker. Check for the tripped breakers or blown fuse. Fix the tripped breakers and replace any blown fuse.
- Next, you should check the power switch, which is typically located under the sink or near the wall of the dishwasher. If it is damaged or malfunctioning, it will need a replacement.
Incorrect settings (Control/child lock, Delay start, Demo mode)
GE dishwashers come with a lot of features that will make your work simpler. But only when you use them for the correct purpose. There are some features like control lock or child lock, delay start, and demo mode, which can prevent your dishwasher from starting.
If any of these features are enabled, your dishwasher will not start. You will have to disable these features if you want to start your dishwasher.
Fix the water Inlet valve.
The water inlet valve allows the water to enter into the dishwasher at the right point of time. This valve needs to be in position. If it is damaged or misplaced, the water will be unable to reach the dishwasher, resulting in many issues like the dishwasher not starting.
If you wish to fix your water inlet valve, here are the required steps you should follow.
- Cut off the power of your dishwasher by flipping the circuit breaker or unplugging the dishwasher’s power cord from the power source.
- Now, locate the water inlet valve on your dishwasher by removing the lower access panel.
- Check it properly if it is misplaced or has any signs of damage like cracks or leakage.
- Adjust it correctly or replace it if it is damaged by yourself or with the help of a professional technician.
Inspect the Door latch.
Dishwashers have a safety mechanism that if the doors are not closed properly, then they won’t start. The door latches of your dishwashers are responsible for closing the doors. If they are damaged or not working, the door will not close, and your dishwasher will not start.
Now, to fix this issue, you will have to replace that faulty door latch. To do so, purchase a new door latch according to the model and follow the steps given below.
- Disconnect the power cord of your dishwasher from the electrical board or flip the dishwasher’s circuit breaker.
- After that, open the doors of your dishwasher and locate that faulty door latch.
- Now, Disconnect the electrical connector from the door latch and use a screwdriver to remove it from its place.
- Take a new door latch, connect that electrical connector to it, and fix it in the position of that faulty door latch.
- Lastly, close the doors to complete your repair and press the start button to check if your dishwasher is starting.
Look over the Thermal fuse.
Another reason for your dishwasher not starting is a blown Thermal fuse. If you are still unable to find the cause of your issue, you should check the thermal fuse once. When the dishwasher overheats, the thermal fuse blows itself and prevents the remaining components from being damaged.
Now, follow the below instructions to check the thermal fuse of your dishwasher.
- Turn off the power of your dishwasher and locate the thermal fuse by the control board, tank, or bottom of the machine.
- Use a multimeter to check the continuity of the thermal fuse.
- If the multimeter does not show any reading, you should replace your thermal fuse immediately.
Check your dishwasher’s Timer.
The Timer in a dishwasher is responsible for giving power to the different components of the dishwasher at the right time. If somehow it starts to malfunction, your dishwasher might not be able to start. It is a little tricky to check the timer, so it would be best to replace it and check if it solves your problem.
Examine the control panel.
It is one of the most essential components of your dishwasher. The control panel has a set of buttons, including the Start button, which are used to perform different tasks. If the control panel does not work correctly, the Start button will also not work, and as a result, your dishwasher will not start.
To avoid this, you will have to examine your control panel. To do so, you should check the functionality of each button on the control panel. If all the buttons are malfunctioning, it clearly indicates your control panel has some fault.
There can be two types of faults related to the control panel.
- An issue with the wires of the control panel.
- There is an issue with the control panel itself.
Follow the instructions given below to find out the issues with your control panel.
- First, disconnect your dishwasher from the power source by turning off the circuit breaker.
- Now, we are all set for the repair. Remove the outer door panel of your dishwasher by removing its screws.
- Then, take out the screws from the control panel to access the wires of the appliance.
- Now, check each cable for any damage like corrosion or burn. Also, ensure that the connector is placed correctly.
- In case you find a damaged wire, you should replace it with a new wire to solve the issue.
But if all the wires are fine, you should proceed to replace your control panel. To do so, follow the instructions that are given below.
- First, buy a control panel according to your dishwasher’s model.
- Then, Remove the electrical connector from that faulty control panel.
- Now, depress the tabs of the control panel and take it out from its place.
- Connect that electrical connector to your new control panel. Make sure it is lodged correctly.
- Place the new control panel onto its place by ensuring the alignment of its tabs with the slots on the door.
- Lastly, tighten the screws of your control panel and turn on your dishwasher to check if your issue is solved.
Check the main Control board.
If your GE dishwasher is still not starting after following the above troubleshooting steps, you should check the main control board. The control board is the brain of the machine. The dishwasher’s components perform different tasks according to the control board’s order.
If the control board is defective, it is normal to see issues such as a dishwasher not starting. Now, checking the functionality of the control board is pretty difficult, so I will recommend you replace it instead.
Purchase a new control board for replacement. The connector box and bracket come along with the control board. Now, follow the given below steps to replace the control board of your dishwasher.
- First of all, disconnect the dishwasher from the power source either by flipping the circuit breaker or unplugging the power cord.
- Then, remove the screws and open the outer access panel of your dishwasher.
- After that, you will find an electrical connector joining the control panel to the main control board. Disconnect that wire.
- Unlock the clips securing the control board with the help of a screwdriver.
- Remove the connector box, bracket, and wires from the old control board.
- Now, take your new control board and connect all of the wires to your new control board the same way it was connected to the old one.
- Attach the new connector bracket and new connector box to the main control board and put it in its place.
- Then, lock the clips of the control board so that it will remain secured.
- Lastly, reconnect the electrical connector to the outer access panel and close it by tightening its screws.
Refer to the Owner’s manual.
If none of the above troubleshooting methods are working for you, you should refer to the owner’s manual of your dishwasher. It contains solutions to most of the issues that can occur on your GE dishwasher. Also, they have detailed explanations on how to use the dishwasher correctly so that you will not repeat the same mistake again.
If you don’t have owner’s manual or you have misplaced it by mistake, don’t worry. GE provides it on their website. Just go there and download the PDF of the owner manual according to your model.
Call GE customer support.
GE offers you a customer support number that you can call to get the right guidance. You can get their number through GE’s website. They can provide you with proper knowledge and advice for your issue.
So, call and ask them about the issue that you have faced (The dishwasher not starting) with your dishwasher. Also, tell them your dishwasher’s model number and the steps you have already tried to fix the issue. They will tell you the solution, or if required, they will send their professional technicians to help you with the problem.
Frequently Asked Questions about the issue (dishwasher not starting)
Why is my GE dishwasher blinking when I press start?
If your GE dishwasher is blinking after pressing the start button, it indicates that you have not closed the doors properly. In that case, your dishwasher won’t be able to start, and the LED will continue to blink until you close the doors correctly.
What to do when the GE dishwasher won’t start?
You can do many things to troubleshoot a dishwasher that won’t start: ensure the power supply, disable the control lock or demo mode, reset the dishwasher, close the doors properly, fix the inlet valve, fix the control panel, etc.
Why is my dishwasher not starting, but the lights are on?
The most common reason why a dishwasher does not start even when it has power is a software glitch in the circuit board. To solve this issue, you will have to Reset your circuit board. To do so, unplug your dishwasher from the power source, then reconnect it after more than 5 minutes.
Conclusion
Nowadays, problems like dishwasher not starting are common among dishwasher owners. There are many reasons that can cause a dishwasher not to turn on, like software glitches, unlatched doors, disturbed or no power supply, blown thermal fuse, wrong setting selection, etc.
In order to troubleshoot these causes, you can head over to their detailed solutions, or you can check the user manual of your dishwasher. If none of the fixing methods are working for you, you should call a professional technician or contact GE customer support. They will guide you to get out of your issue.
This was a complete guide on how to fix a dishwasher that won’t start. If you think I have missed something, please do let me know in the comment section below. I will be happy to assist you further.
