The short answer
A glassware 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: it will not restart because there is water left in the base. 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.
- There is water in the bottom of the tub — That is a drainage fault presenting as a no-start.
- A padlock or a clock symbol is showing — The machine has been told to wait, and it is waiting.
- 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 latch that clicks convincingly and no longer closes that switch leaves a machine that is lit up and completely inert.
- It will not restart because there is water left in the base — Ranked here because it links two faults people think of as separate, and the cure is the drainage page rather than this one.
- 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 — Last, but look for the spur switch before anything comes apart.
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.
- Open the door and look for water standing in the base — A machine will not begin a cycle it cannot complete.
- 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.
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
- Bail the base out and clear the filter, then retry — If it starts, read the drainage page rather than this one.
Tools: sponge, cupAbout 25 min
- Hold the marked button combination to clear the lock — Then power it down and up before retrying.
About 5 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. A glassware machine collects glass chips in its sump more often than any other. Always use gloves, always look before you reach, and empty the sump with a cup rather than a hand.
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, that page is the more specific answer. Deliberately absent: cycle times, rack configurations, part identifiers and water-treatment specifications, which differ between the under-counter bar and pantry families.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
