The Frigidaire dishwasher not starting isn’t an issue you’ll come across more often. But it’s important to know how to solve it if it ever occurs.
Generally, your Frigidaire dishwasher won’t start because of an improperly closed door, a faulty main control board, a faulty door latch, or a faulty heating element. It’s also possible that the touchpad is defective and the drain pump has a problem.
In this guide, I’ll look at all the possible reasons why your Frigidaire dishwasher won’t start lights blinking in details.
Let’s get right to it.
10 Reasons for Frigidaire Dishwasher Not Starting (Plus Quick DIY Fixes)
The table below shows the issues that cause your Frigidaire dishwasher not to start with lights blinking as well as a quick fix for each error:
| Problem | Quick DIY Fix | |
| 1. | The junction box of the dishwasher is faulty | Troubleshoot the stripped burned wire and reconnect the dishwasher to power. |
| 2. | Your dishwasher’s thermal fuse blew | Get a new thermal fuse for replacement. |
| 3. | The ribbon cable rusted or the touchpad is faulty | Clean the ribbon cable to remove rust. If faulty, get a new cable for replacement. You might also want to get a new touchpad or replace the while control panel |
| 4. | You didn’t have the door closed properly | Make sure you close the door and have it properly latched. |
| 5. | The unit’s main control board is faulty | Check if there are loose connections to the board and fix them. If damaged, get a new main control board for replacement. |
| 6. | The heating element has blown up | You should get a new heating element for replacement. |
| 7. | Faulty drain pump | Check the drain pump for continuity. Replace the motor if the continuity test fails. |
| 8. | Problem with electric control and timer | Get a new electronic control and timer for replacement. |
| 9. | The dishwasher isn’t getting power | Make sure you connect the dishwasher to a working power source. |
| 10. | The control lock feature is active | You should deactivate the control lock feature to get the dishwasher to start and run |
Start by Doing a Frigidaire Dishwasher Reset
Although the Frigidaire dishwasher is an easy-to-use kitchen appliance, it can get you frustrated quickly especially when an issue arises and you don’t know what to do.
Resetting the dishwasher is one of the best and easiest ways to fix some of the problems that your Frigidaire dishwasher has.
To do a basic reset on your Frigidaire dishwasher:
- Cut off the power supply by tripping the circuit breaker.
- Wait for about 5 minutes before turning the power back on.
- Run an empty test cycle to see if the unit starts and runs successfully.
1. There’s a Problem with the Junction Box
The first thing you need to do when your Frigidaire dishwasher has no lights and is not working is to check the connection at the junction box located at the bottom right of the dishwasher.
Usually, the wires at the conjunction box burn over time if they you didn’t have them connected well during installation.
The junction box will burn until the connection disconnects, causing the dishwasher to stop working and fail to start in the future.
To fix the problem and have the dishwasher up and running:
- Turn off the circuit breaker to make sure you aren’t electrocuted when doing this repair.
- Do a strip on the burnt wire.
- After stripping, connect the wire with the new connector preferably the Marrete one.
Your Frigidaire dishwasher could also refuse to light the panel and start or stop working when the thermal fuse blows up.
2. Blown Thermal Fuse
The thermal fuse is at the back of the control panel, and its work is to prevent the dishwasher from overheating.
The power supply in the dishwasher is compromised when the thermal fuse blows, and for that, the dishwasher stops working and the control panel doesn’t light.
To fix this problem, you’ll need to get new thermal fuse for replacement.
To replace a blown thermal fuse:
- Switch off the circuit breaker to prevent electrocution
- Open the dishwasher door
- Disconnect the front panel and carefully remove the control panel’s housing
- Disconnect the thermal fuse from the control panel
- Connect the new thermal fuse. Don’t interfere with the two wires on the new thermal fuse. Instead, connect them directly to the control panel.
Put everything back together, switch the breaker back on and start the dishwasher to see if the repair worked.
3. Faulty Ribbon Cable or Touchpad
If your Frigidaire dishwasher won’t start but lights are on, the problem could be the ribbon cable connected to the touchpad or the touchpad itself.
If the ribbon cable is not connected or the connection to the touchpad is loose, the Start button won’t respond to pushed but the lights on the control panel will stay active.
In most cases, the loose connection occurs when moisture enters and corrodes the ribbon cable contacts through the seal that houses the main control board.
To fix this error, simply access the inner section of the control panel by disassembling the front. Then, use a dry cleaner solution with a little soft brush to clean corrosions from the ribbon.
However, if the extent of the corrosion is beyond cleaning and repair, get a new Frigidaire compatible ribbon cable for replacement.
4. Improperly Closed Door
There are times when the dishwasher can erroneously detect that the dishwasher door isn’t closed and start blinking light on the panel.
The door latch works in the following manner:
Once you’ve closed dishwasher door, a signal from the latch sensors travels to the main control board telling the board that it’s fine for the dishwasher to start a wash cycle.
In case you open the door while a wash cycle is still ongoing, the dishwasher will stop running. That happens to keep the appliance from damaging as well as to keep you safe.
Consider having the door latch repaired if it’s not in good order. If it’s faulty beyond repair, get a new door latch for replacement.
5. Faulty Main Control Board
The main control board is the heart and brain of your dishwasher hence. It controls everything the Frigidaire dishwasher does with the help of the printed circuit board, which carries all the components that control unit.
Sometimes lights flash on your Frigidaire dishwasher to indicate that the control board has a problem.
If the main control board is faulty, the dishwasher will malfunction. In a worst case, the unit will have lights blinking but fail to start altogether.
More often than not, the main control board goes bad because of an electrical error that causes short-circuiting or too much health and moisture during the night or cold days.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to repair an already damaged main control panel. You will need to buy a new one for replacement. Depending on the brand, a new main control board will cost you between $150 and $500.
6. The Heating Element Has a Problem
The lights on your dishwasher might be blinking because the heating element at the base of the dishwasher is faulty.
Keep in mind that the dishwasher won’t start the selected cycle if the heating element is not functioning, as it’s an important component required for the unit to operate.
The role of the heating element is to heat water to the right temperature, so that the unit can get the dishes cleaned properly.
Diagnose the heating element using a multimeter for continuity. Replace this part with a new heating element if the current one doesn’t have continuity.
7. Faulty Drain Pump
The purpose of the drain pump is to get rid of wastewater in the tub after a complete wash cycle. The pump uses an impeller to drive used water out of the unit through the drain hose.
If your Frigidaire dishwasher won’t start but you notice that lights are blinking, there’s a high chance the drain pump is faulty.
You will need a multimeter to test the drain pump motor for continuity. Replace the drain pump if the drain motor doesn’t show any continuity.
8. Issues with the Electronic Control and Timer
These two parts regulate the amount of power that flows in each part of your dishwasher during a wash cycle.
Having a problem with electronic control and timer means parts like the heating circuit, drain pump, and the dishwasher won’t be getting power. As such, the dishwasher will not start.
Use a multimeter to test for continuity but before you do so ensure power is turned off.
9. Your Frigidaire is Not Connected to Power
The most common reason why your dishwasher won’t start is that you haven’t connected the unit to a power outlet. And if you have, it could be that the plug isn’t working.
Ensure you’ve had the appliance properly plugged into power and check the circuit breaker to ensure it is in the right position.
10. Child Lock Is Active
Frigidaire dishwasher have a child lock (or control lock) that keeps kids from starting a new wash cycle or running the existing one.
When active, the child lock causes the dishwasher not to start, even if it has light blinking.
The simplest solution here is to disable the control lock.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why is My Frigidaire Dishwasher Lights Blinking?
The most common reasons why your Frigidaire dishwasher lights are blinking include a malfunctioning control panel, a heating element that doesn’t work, a failed spray arm, and a door with a faulty latch.
Lights blink on your dishwasher to alert you there’s something wrong. And it’s important do a troubleshooting to fix the problem.
2. How Do You Reset the Flashing Light on a Frigidaire Dishwasher?
You can reset the flashing light on your Frigidaire dishwasher by unplugging the dishwasher from power, waiting for a minute or two, and plugging it back into power.
3. Why is my Frigidaire Dishwasher Not Starting?
Most of the time, your dishwasher will not start because it isn’t getting power. The first thing to do in such a situation is to check whether you switched the power on after plugging the unit to power.
Also, check the thermal fuse. It might have blown up. If that’s the case, have the fuse replaced with a new one.
Final Thoughts on Frigidaire Dishwasher Not Starting Lights Blinking
I hope you now know why your Frigidaire dishwasher isn’t starting and has lights blinking. More importantly, I’m confident that you’ll find the recommended quick DIY fix useful.
Running the Frigidaire diagnostic mode can help a great deal to help you fix additional errors that be causing the unit not to start.
In the test mode, you’ll see error codes displayed on the control panel, indicating that some parts of the dishwasher are not in good condition.
By troubleshooting and fixing these problems fast, you can get your dishwasher to start and equally run a complete wash cycle successfully.
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