Frigidaire Dishwasher: not heating

Professional Repair Guide

What is this symptom?

If your Frigidaire dishwasher is not heating, you may notice that the water remains cold or lukewarm after cycles, leaving dishes unclean and unsanitized. This issue can lead to little or no steam production during or after the wash. Understanding the potential causes can help you troubleshoot effectively.

Urgency: Medium

Important Tips for Frigidaire Models

  • Common Frigidaire models may share similar heating element parts; verify part number via support.

Possible Causes

Faulty heating element

How to Identify: Water remains cold after cycle; visible break/damage on element; continuity test fails (multimeter shows no continuity.

Part: Heating element

Defective thermostat/temperature sensor

How to Identify: Dishwasher doesn’t regulate water temperature; continuity issues on thermostat; water never reaches set temperature. Testing with multimeter may show fault.

Part: Thermostat / temperature sensor

Blown thermal fuse or high‑limit safety cutoff

How to Identify: Dishwasher won’t heat at all even though element and thermostat may be functional; continuity test on fuse shows open circuit.

Part: Thermal fuse / high‑limit thermostat

Control board or timer malfunction

How to Identify: Dishwasher skips heating despite good element and thermostat; error codes or erratic cycle behavior; visible burn marks on control board.

Part: Control board / electronic timer

Insufficient hot water supply connection

How to Identify: Dishwasher water always cold because home supply is cold; test sink hot water near dishwasher for correct temperature.

Part: Water inlet / home hot water supply

DIY Solutions

Test and Replace Heating Element

Moderate 30-60 minutes
Tools Needed: multimeter, screwdriver set, nut driver
  1. Disconnect power to dishwasher.
  2. Remove lower access panel to locate heating element.
  3. Disconnect wires and test element continuity with multimeter.
  4. If no continuity, purchase correct Frigidaire replacement element and install.
  5. Reconnect wires, reassemble, restore power and test dishwasher.
⚠️ Safety First: Always disconnect power before working inside dishwasher.

Test and Replace Thermostat/Sensor

Moderate 30-60 minutes
Tools Needed: multimeter, screwdriver
  1. Power off dishwasher and access thermostat near heating element.
  2. Test thermostat continuity; compare expected resistance.
  3. Replace thermostat if faulty with correct part number.
  4. Reassemble and test cycle for proper heating.
⚠️ Safety First: Disconnect power before testing.

Check Hot Water Supply Temperature

Easy 5 minutes
  1. Run hot water at nearby kitchen sink to confirm the supply is sufficiently hot.
  2. If supply is cold, increase home water heater temperature.
  3. Run dishwasher again to check improvement.

Professional Repairs

Replace Control Board or Timer

Estimated Cost: $150-$350

Replace Thermal Fuse or High-Limit Cutoff

Estimated Cost: $20-$60

When to Call a Professional

If multimeter tests are inconclusive
If wiring or control board faults are suspected
If appliance is under warranty and DIY voids warranty

Preventive Maintenance

  • Clean filters and spray arms: Improves water circulation and may indirectly support heating efficiency.
    Frequency: monthly
  • Run a sanitize cycle occasionally: Keeps heating element and thermostat engaged periodically to reduce buildup.
    Frequency: monthly

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Frigidaire Dishwasher not heating?
Common causes include a faulty heating element, defective thermostat, or insufficient hot water supply.
How do I fix Frigidaire Dishwasher not heating myself?
Test and replace the heating element or thermostat, and check hot water supply temperature.
How much does it cost to fix not heating?
Professional repairs can range from $20 for a thermal fuse to $350 for a control board replacement.
When should I call a technician for not heating?
Call a technician if DIY fixes are unsuccessful or if the problem involves complex components.

References & Sources

Community Analytical Insights

Analysis based on real user discussions from appliance repair communities

Can I Fix This Myself?

100%
DIY Success Rate Difficulty: DIY

User Suggested Solutions

  1. Check turbidity sensor and main control board for issues.

    Success rate: 20.0%

  2. Wire the dishwasher to the wall outlet using a junction box and UL listed conduit connector.

    Success rate: 20.0%
Analysis based on 2 community discussions
View Sources

Data compiled from real discussions on r/appliancerepair and r/Appliances:

  1. Frigidaire dishwasher not heating, suds in basin after wash
  2. Easiest way to wire new dishwasher to wall outlet?

Community Discussions

not heating, suds in basin after wash

Check turbidity sensor and main control board for issues.

DIY View on Reddit →

needs to be wired to wall outlet

The dishwasher has a junction box for wiring, and a UL listed conduit connector is required.

DIY View on Reddit →

Source: Reddit r/appliancerepair

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