The short answer
A dishwasher that does nothing when you press start is usually waiting rather than broken, and most often on this: the door latch is not making its switch. Next on the list: a child lock or delay start is holding the programme. Everything at the top of this list is free to check.
What you observe
- Nothing happens when start is pressed — Note whether the panel lights up at all.
- The panel lights up and nothing happens — Power is present; permission to run is not.
- A padlock or a clock symbol is showing — The machine has been told to wait, and it is waiting.
- No display, no lights, nothing at all — A completely dead machine is usually a supply question.
- NEAR MISS — it starts and stops again within a minute — That is a cycle fault rather than a no-start, and it reads differently.
Causes, most likely first on this machine
- The door latch is not making its switch — First on any dishwasher and it is not close. The latch does two jobs: it pulls the door tight and it closes a switch that tells the machine it may run.
- A child lock or delay start is holding the programme — Ranked here because it costs nothing to rule out and it explains a machine that is plainly alive.
- The machine is not getting power — Ranked here because proving the supply first saves dismantling a machine that was never at fault.
- The control board is not responding — Last, and correctly: it is the most expensive answer and the least likely one.
Check in this order, and why
- Push the door firmly home and press start again — A latch that clicks can still fail to close its switch.
- Look for a lock or delay symbol on the display — A lit machine that will not start is often locked, not broken.
- Find the spur switch or the breaker for the machine — Dishwashers are often on a switch nobody remembers.
- Note whether the panel responds to any button at all — An unresponsive panel with good supply moves this up the list.
What an owner can safely check
- Check whether the panel lights up at all — A dead panel and a lit one that will not run are two different faults.
About 5 min
- Close the door with a firm push and retry the programme — Never bridge the latch switch to prove a point.
About 5 min
- Hold the marked button combination to clear the lock — Then power it down and up before retrying.
About 5 min
- Check the spur switch under the counter and the breaker — A repeating trip is a fault to report, not to reset.
Tools: torchAbout 15 min
- STOP HERE before opening the door panel or the console — Never bridge a latch switch to prove a point.
Before you open anything
Safety
Switch the machine off at its spur or breaker before removing any panel, and close the isolating valve before touching a hose. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Broken glass finds its way into the sump and the filter on any machine. Use gloves when clearing a filter, and never feel blind into a sump you cannot see the bottom of.
When to call a technician
Call once the supply is proven, the door latches firmly, no lock symbol is showing and the base is dry, and the machine still does nothing. What is left is inside the door panel. Call immediately if the breaker trips again on reset, or if you saw or smelled anything scorch.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page is written for the brand and the machine class, not for one family or model line. Where a family- or model-specific page exists for your machine, it is the more specific answer and it is where to start. Deliberately absent: programme charts, place settings, pump and board part identifiers and wiring colours, which differ between the freestanding, integrated and panel-ready families.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
