Frigidaire Dishwasher: not starting

Professional Repair Guide

What is this symptom?

Is your Frigidaire dishwasher not starting? If pressing the start button yields no response, such as silence, lack of water flow, or unlit controls, you may be facing a power supply issue or a malfunctioning control panel. This guide will help you understand common causes and solutions to get your dishwasher back in action.

Urgency: Medium

Important Tips for Frigidaire Models

  • Frigidaire dishwashers include Control Lock and Delay Start features which can prevent starting; disabling these settings is a common fix.

Possible Causes

Power supply or settings issue

How to Identify: No lights or sounds; unit not responding; check if Control Lock or Delay Start is active, or breaker/GFCI tripped.

Part: Power circuit/Control lock/Delay Start

Faulty control panel or electronic control board

How to Identify: Lights on but buttons unresponsive; resets don’t work; errors or frozen interface.

Part: Control panel/Electronic control board

Blown thermal fuse or internal safety cutoff

How to Identify: No power to control board despite proper external power; continuity test fails.

Part: Thermal fuse

Water supply or inlet valve problems

How to Identify: Dishwasher appears powered but won’t start fill or cycle; verify water supply valve is open.

Part: Water inlet valve

DIY Solutions

Check and reset power/settings

Easy 5-10 minutes
Tools Needed: None
  1. Ensure breaker and GFCI outlet are not tripped; reset if needed.
  2. Check that Control Lock or Delay Start is disabled per Frigidaire guide.
  3. Ensure dishwasher door is fully closed and press START/CANCEL after selecting cycle.
⚠️ Safety First: Ensure power is off before accessing internal latch assemblies.

Reset control panel

Easy 10 minutes
Tools Needed: None
  1. Turn off power at breaker for 5 minutes.
  2. Restore power and attempt to start cycle.
  3. If still unresponsive, inspect control panel buttons for physical damage.
⚠️ Safety First: None specific.

Professional Repairs

Replace door latch or door switch assembly

Estimated Cost: $50 - $150 parts alone, $150 - $300 installed

Replace thermal fuse

Estimated Cost: $10 - $30 parts, $100 - $200 installed

Control board replacement

Estimated Cost: $150 - $400 parts, $300 - $600 installed

When to Call a Professional

Dishwasher still won’t start after power/settings and latch checks
Signs of electrical damage, burning smell, or error codes persist
Multimeter diagnostics indicate internal component failure

Preventive Maintenance

  • Regularly clean and inspect door latch: Start issues caused by debris or misalignment
    Frequency: monthly
  • Periodically reset control panel by cycling power: Control board lockups
    Frequency: as needed

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Frigidaire Dishwasher not starting?
Common causes include power supply issues, a faulty control panel, or a blown thermal fuse.
How do I fix Frigidaire Dishwasher not starting myself?
Check if the power is on, reset the settings, and ensure the door is fully closed.
How much does it cost to fix not starting?
Professional repairs can range from $150 to $600 depending on the issue.
When should I call a technician for not starting?
Contact a technician if DIY solutions fail or if you suspect a complicated issue.

References & Sources

Community Analytical Insights

Analysis based on real user discussions from appliance repair communities

Can I Fix This Myself?

75%
DIY Success Rate Difficulty: Either

Common Issues Reported by Users

  • Faulty control board (5 mentions)
  • Defective door latch (4 mentions)
  • Power supply issues (2 mentions)
  • Broken wire connector (1 mentions)

User Suggested Solutions

  1. Replace the door latch

    Success rate: 18.0%

  2. Replace the control board

    Success rate: 12.0%

  3. Reset power or check outlets

    Success rate: 12.0%

  4. Repair or replace wiring harness

    Success rate: 6.0%
Analysis based on 13 community discussions
View Sources

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

  1. Frigidaire Gallery dishwasher won't start
  2. Dishwasher and fridge stopped working on same day
  3. FrigidAire dishwasher Start button blinking
  4. Frigidaire dishwasher won't start (LED flashes instead)
  5. Frigidaire Dishwasher - Will not start - Displays code
  6. Multiple Dishwashers Flashing Lights
  7. Frigidaire Dishwasher , 7 years old. Lights flash but won't ...
  8. Frigidaire dishwasher not starting
  9. STOPPED!! Dishwasher won't sta start
  10. Frigidaire dishwasher won't start
  11. Help please!
  12. Dishwasher won't start
  13. Frigidaire Dish Washer won't start unless power reset.

Community Discussions

none of the buttons on the front are responsive

Holding the 'heat dry' button for 8 seconds resolved the issue.

DIY View on Reddit →

Start button blinking

The door latch is likely the issue; it may need adjustment or repair.

DIY View on Reddit →

dishwasher won't start due to broken wire connector

Replace the wiring harness or reinsert the wires into the plastic connector.

DIY View on Reddit →

Dishwasher won't start

The latch mechanism was burnt out and was replaced.

DIY View on Reddit →

dishwasher won't start, fridge is at 60 degrees

Check outlets and reset if necessary; service scheduled for further diagnosis.

DIY View on Reddit →

Source: Reddit r/appliancerepair

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