Whirlpool microwaves are some of the best models on the market. But that doesn’t mean they’re error proof. So if your Whirlpool microwave display is not working, So your Whirlpool microwave display is not working and you have no idea what to do?
Your Whirlpool microwave display is not working because of a general appliance glitch. Also, the display may not be working because the connector ribbon is faulty, the microwave has power issues, there are lose wires, or the control panel is faulty.
Appliance glitches are easy to fix. That’s because all you have to do is to do a hard reset to clear the errors and reset the software.
Other problems require troubleshooting and fixing for the display to start working again. And in this guide, I show you how.
What is the Work of a Microwave Display?
The work of the Whirlpool microwave display to show you the presets you choose, count down the cooking time, and display the power level.
Given how significant the display is, there can be nothing more annoying than a microwave display that suddenly stops working.
5 Reasons for Whirlpool Microwave Not Working
If you notice that your Whirlpool microwave display isn’t working despite the unit having power, it could be for the following reasons:
| Display Problem | Possible Solution | |
| 1. | Ribbon connector is faulty | The connector may have broken, rusted due to dust, or burned due to electric surge. You can’t repair a faulty ribbon connector. So get a new control panel for replacement. |
| 2. | Whirlpool microwave has power issues. | The circuit breaker may have tripped, the fuses blown, or power cords broken. Check your fuse to see if the circuit breaker has tripped. Turn it back on if it has. Check whether the cavity, line, or thermal fuse has blown and replace it. Test if the socket is working, and replace it if it is faulty. |
| 3. | There may be loose wires. | Check if the connectors are connecting firmly to the main control board. Tighten any loose wire connectors and replace the damaged ones. |
| 4. | The control panel is faulty | The control panel might be damaged try replacing it with a new one. |
| 5. | There is a general system glitch. | Soft reset or hard reset the microwave. Press the Off/Clear for about 3 seconds to soft reset or unplug then plug the microwave to power to do a hard reset. |
1. Whirlpool Microwave Display Not Working Because of Power Issues
The first thing you want to do when troubleshooting a Whirlpool microwave whose display has refused to work is to check the power cord and power supply.
Chances are, you haven’t had the power cord properly plugged into the socket, which is why the display has gone completely blank and the control panel buttons have stopped beeping.
Simply plug the power cord properly into the socket and start the microwave to see if the display starts to work.
If the display still does not work, turn to the microwave’s back and check if the power cord is firm or dancing.
Also, disassemble the microwave to see if the negative and positive wire connects properly and firmly to the noise control board and if the grounding wire secure tightly on the control panel frame.
If all the connections are correct but the display still does not work, check the breaker, as your power outlet might have cut off. Check the fuse box, if you see the breaker pointing off, flip it back on and start the microwave to see if the display starts to work.
If you still can’t get your Whirlpool microwave display to work after doing all these, consider buying a new microwave power cord to replace the current one.
To replace the power cord:
- Detach the positive and negative ends of the power cord from the noise control board.
- Remove the screw and washer securing the grounding wire on the microwave’s frame.
- Install the new power cord by connecting the negative and positive ends of the cord to the terminals on the noise control board.
- Secure the grounding wire with a screw and washer on the microwave’s frame.
- Reassemble the microwave and plug it back to power. Start the microwave to see if the display works.
2. The Ribbon Connector is Defective
The ribbon connector is the fiber that connects the main control board to the touchpad and control panel.
Even a slight cut on the ribbon connector can make the display on your Whirlpool microwave misbehave.
The most common sign for a defective ribbon connector is when the display starts showing half digits and letters.
Unfortunately, a cut or damaged ribbon connector that isn’t something you can repair.
You will need to replace the touchpad and control panel on your Whirlpool microwave if the ribbon connector damaged.
3. Whirlpool Microwave Display Won’t Work Because of Loose Wires
The display on your Whirlpool microwave might not be working because there are loose wires.
You will need to access the display and control panel to check if there’s a wire problem or problems that require fixing.
- Unplug the microwave from its power source to avoid electrocution while accessing wires.
- Discharge the capacitor after disconnecting the unit from power as it still has power at high voltage.
- Remove the rear access panel
With an insulated screwdriver or plier, touch both capacitor terminals for about 5 to 10 minutes to drain the store charge. You can also connect a heat bulb to the capacitor to light and drain potentially stored charge.
- Unthread the screws securing the grill, open the microwave door, unthread the screws securing the control panel, and pull the control panel to detach it from the microwave.
- Inspect all the wires connecting to the control board for cuts.
If the wires appear visibly okay, disconnect and reconnect them to the control board.
- Connect every wire that isn’t connected and reassemble the microwave appropriately.
- Reconnect to power and turn the microwave on to test the display.
4. The Control Panel Could Be Faulty
Your Whirlpool microwave’s display may not be working because the control panel is defective.
Testing components on the control panel with aim of pinpointing electric components that went south will waste your time and worst of all, you may end up not finding the component at fault.
And in case you find the faulty component and repair it, chances are that the issue could still arise in the future.
If anything, the only best way to deal with a malfunctioning control panel is to replace it with a new one.
Fortunately, replacing the control panel on a Whirlpool microwave is not as hard.
- Unplug the microwave from power, use a screwdriver to unthread the screws securing the grill to the microwave, and pull it forward from the top to remove.
- Open the microwave oven door, take out the screws holding the control panel, and lift the panel upwards to detach.
- Check and note how the wires connect to the control board and press the locking tabs to disconnect the wire connectors.
- Free the hinge tab from the front panel and unthread the screw and washer holding the grounding wire to the control panel’s frame.
- Remove the screws holding the control board and housing to the control panel, disconnect the ribbon connector, and press the retain tabs and pull the housing.
- Prepare the new touchpad and control panel for installation by removing all the packaging covers
- Align the control board housing in the new pane, carefully push it until it snaps into place, secure it with screws, and reconnect the ribbon connector.
- Next, secure the grounding wire on the new control panel with the screw and washer, and then connect all the wire connectors back to their appropriate slots on the main control board.
- Replace the new touchpad and control panel on the microwave and secure them with screws. Then replace the grill and secure it with screws.
With the repair complete, plug the microwave back to power and test the unit to see if the display works.
5. Your Whirlpool Microwave’s System Glitches
Possibly, the display on your Whirlpool microwave is not working because there is a system glitch.
Like on any other gadget, you can fix a glitch on the Whirlpool microwave by doing a reset.
We have two methods you can use to reset a microwave that has system a glitch. You can do a hard or soft reset.
For this case, we will use the hard reset method since soft reset requires the use of the display screen to see the reset progress.
To hard/power reset your Whirlpool microwave, unplug the power cord from power, wait for about five minutes, and then plug it back.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is There a Reset Button on Microwave?
Sadly, we do not have a button on the Whirlpool microwave specifically made for factory reset.
Even so, that does not mean you can’t reset the microwave. You can do so by simply pressing the Off/Clear button to reset and cancel everything that is on the display.
If the soft reset does not work, do the hard rest. Unplug the microwave from power and wait for at least 5 minutes for the unit to reset and clear errors.
2. How Can You Fix the Display on a Microwave?
It is hard to repair a damaged ribbon connector (the fiber that sends signals to the display). It’s also not possible to repair a display that has a broken screen.
The only best way to fix your Whirlpool’s display is by replacing it with a new one.
3. What is the Possible Cause of Whirlpool Microwave Display Not Working?
The display on your Whirlpool microwave is not working because the unit is not getting power to start, there are loose wires connecting to the control panel, or the ribbon connector is faulty.
The good thing is that you can fix all these problems by implementing the quick DIY fixes that I’ve shared in this guide.
Final Thoughts
Whirlpool microwaves are some of the best models in the market, but that doesn’t mean they are foolproof from errors.
So if yours has a display problem, consider using this guide for troubleshooting and fixing.