What this usually is
A Cove dishwasher that will not start is usually a door latch or a supply problem rather than a failed control. The latch has to confirm before anything happens, and it is a mechanical part that works twice a day, every day. What follows is arranged by likelihood rather than by how interesting each cause is.
What this looks like from the outside
- Nothing at all: no lights, no sound — A supply question, because one failed component rarely takes out everything at once. It is a symptom rather than a cause, so do not fix what you can see until you know why it is there.
- The door needs pressing hard to make the machine respond — A latch that is marginal, which will also stop cycles part way once it gets worse. This is the cheapest information available on the machine.
- The machine hums briefly and stops — Power reaches a motor and something prevents it running, which points at the pump rather than the supply. If this is what you have, you are on the right page; if not, follow the near-miss line.
- NEAR MISS: it starts and stalls with water inside — That is a cycle or drainage fault rather than a start fault, and those pages cover it. If the answer is clear, stop here and act on it.
Likely causes, ordered
- A delay start or child lock left active — The machine is behaving correctly, and this costs nothing to rule out before anything else is suspected. Confirming it costs less than assuming it, which is why it is worth the few minutes.
- A closed water supply valve — Some machines refuse to start rather than begin a cycle they cannot fill, so a closed valve reads as a dead machine. Check whether anything changed in the house around the time it started.
- A failed start switch or touch panel — The keys used most wear first, which produces a panel that lights and a machine that will not begin. A cause in this position is worth eliminating before you spend anything.
- A control board fault — Last, because every cheaper cause above it looks the same from the front and only this one needs a part on a guess. Ask whoever else uses the machine whether they have noticed the same thing.
The order that saves time
- Close the door firmly and listen for the latch — A positive click is what the machine waits for; anything less and the cycle never begins. Give it a moment rather than glancing; the thing you are looking for is not always obvious.
- Check for delay-start and child-lock indicators — Both are easy to set by accident and both produce a machine that looks broken. Nothing below this line is worth chasing until this one is ruled out.
- Confirm the water supply valve under the sink is open — It gets closed for other plumbing work and forgotten, and some machines refuse to start without water. If the answer is clear, stop here and act on it.
Owner steps, in order
- Switch the spur off and on, then try again — It both proves the spur works and gives the control a clean restart from cold. Do it with the machine empty rather than mid-load.
About 10 min
- Cancel any delay start or child lock — Follow the manual for the button combination, then select a programme fresh rather than resuming. It is the sort of check a technician does first, for the same reason.
About 10 min
- Open the water supply valve fully — Check under the sink for the isolating valve that feeds the machine and make sure it is fully open. This is safe owner work as long as the power is genuinely off.
Tools: torchAbout 10 min
- Stop here if the next step would put a meter on live terminals — What is left is diagnosis rather than inspection, and diagnosis needs instruments.
Safety, first
Safety
Unplug the machine or switch off its breaker before any panel comes off. The power being off is not the same as the machine being safe to touch immediately. Dry the floor before you kneel, and keep towels between you and any puddle. Work with the door mechanism intact rather than around it.
When to call a technician
What separates half an hour of your time from a service visit: you own everything outside the door, and a technician owns what is inside it. A technician draws the same line, for the same reasons. Bring somebody in if the tub will not empty at all, because a standing tub grows a smell within a couple of days.
Related pages of the same kind
What is deliberately not here
One page cannot be both general and exact, and this one is general by design.
Other faults on this machine
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
