Bosch Dishwasher No Lights On Control Panel? (here’s why & how to fix)

Owning a dishwasher makes life easier because you no longer have to manually wash and dry your plates, dishes, cutlery, pots and pans. Owning a Bosch dishwasher gives you peace of mind because Bosch is a respected brand when it comes to dishwashers.

However, even the best products can develop faults, so if your Bosch dishwasher’s control panel fails to light up, don’t despair. There are several easy to fix problems which could have caused this.

In this article, we expose all of the reasons why your Bosch dishwasher’s control panel could have failed to light up and offer solutions to those problems.

Some are simple, whilst others might take more effort but in many cases, these issues can often be solved without needing to contact an engineer.

Why Are There No Lights On My Bosch Dishwasher’s Control Panel?

There are several things that could cause the control panel on a Bosch dishwasher to fail to light up. In this section we’ll highlight those reasons starting with the easiest to fix.

Possible Cause	Solution
No Power	Check power supply, plug socket, circuit breaker
Faulty Door Latch	Check door latch and close door properly
Child Lock Activated	Check the child lock and deactivate if necessary
Faulty Timer	Check Timer, replace if necessary
Faulty Control Panel	Inspect the control panel and all connections, replace if necessary
Faulty Control Board	Check for loose connections or replace if necessary
Blown Thermal Fuse	Check thermal fuse and replace if necessary

Check The Power Supply

Before we start getting too technical, you should check that the plug is connected to the socket and that the socket is turned on. Then check the circuit breaker in case it has tripped, if it has reset it. 

For peace of mind, unplug the dishwasher and plug a table lamp or other small appliance into the socket and check that there’s power flowing.

Check The Door Latch

If the door latch isn’t properly closed, the control panel won’t light up. You’ll need to inspect the door latch fully and check for any damage.

To check the door latch you’ll need to remove the inner door panel and locate the door latch assembly. You can then check using a multimeter set to Rx1. If you get a reading of zero or close to zero, the door latch assembly is working fine.

If the door latch is damaged it will need to be replaced before you’ll be able to use the dishwasher again.

Check The Child Lock

Bosch dishwashers have a child lock to prevent inquisitive little hands from interfering with the programmes. It also prevents them from damaging the appliance in any way.

If the child lock has been activated, the lights on the control panel will not work. This is because there will be no power to the control panel. 

If the child lock has been activated it is not a fault in the dishwasher, it is a safety feature. Once you deactivate the child lock, the control panel will light up and your dishwasher will work as normal.

It Could Be A Faulty Timer

Bosch dishwashers use an electronic control and a timer to allocate sufficient power to each component at the correct time. They also control the heating circuit, drain pump and water inlet.

If the electronic control and timer develops a fault, the dishwasher will start, but won’t run as it should. It’s possible that it will run a wash cycle, however, it’s likely that the control panel will remain dark.

You can check this using a multimeter to test resistance. If the resistance doesn’t read between 2,000 to 3,500 ohms, then the electronic control and timer are not working correctly and will likely need to be replaced.

Faulty Control Panel

If the control panel doesn’t light up it could be that there is a fault either in the control panel itself or a problem with the cable connections that run to it.

You’ll need to inspect the control panel which means disassembling it. You can then clean the terminals on the cable to remove any rust or corrosion that’s present.

Then check that the connections are all secure and reassemble the unit and try again. If the control panel still doesn’t light up, you will probably need to get a new one fitted.

Faulty Control Board

If the control board is faulty it could cause the control panel to fail to light up. This could be caused by a loose connection or a frayed wire and in many cases can be solved quite easily.

Over time, due to the vibration caused when the dishwasher is working, wires can become loosened. This can lead to a loose connection causing the lights to fail on the control panel. 

If you’re feeling confident, you can investigate this yourself or call in an engineer. Either way sometimes all that’s needed is to reconnect the wires properly or maybe replace a burnt out component on the control board.

If this doesn’t work, you might need to replace the control board.

Blown Thermal Fuse

All dishwashers have a thermal fuse installed to prevent the appliance from overheating. If it does become too hot, the thermal fuse will blow which will definitely stop the control panel from lighting up.

To check the thermal fuse you’ll need to disconnect the dishwasher from the power supply and remove the inner door. You’ll see the thermal fuse attached to the panel by two wires.

Disconnect the wires and remove the thermal fuse and test using a multimeter set to Rx1. Check the thermal fuse which should have a reading of zero or close to zero if it’s functioning correctly.

If not, you’ll need to replace the thermal fuse before the dishwasher will work correctly again.

Know Your Limitations

When dealing with any electrical appliance faults, you should always know your limits. Checking that the plug is connected or even checking the door latch is one thing.

But attempting to repair or replace the control board, control panel or thermal fuse, might be a step too far. Unless you’re completely confident in your ability to carry out such tasks safely, we recommend calling in a professional.

In fact, if your appliance is still under warranty, you could make that warranty invalid if you were to start taking the dishwasher apart yourself.

Even if it isn’t covered under warranty any more, you could still cause more harm than good attempting to repair it yourself. Not to mention the risk of personal injury or even fatality. 

Contacting a professional could save you time, money and keep you free from injury without costing the earth.

Of course, if your dishwasher is getting on a bit, you should weigh up the cost of replacement parts and repairs against the cost of a new appliance.

The average life expectancy of a dishwasher is around 10 to 12 years, and this should be factored in when considering the price of repairs. 

If your appliance is over 6 years old, and it will cost ½ as much as the price of a new model to repair, you might consider buying a new model which should last longer than the estimated 4 years your old model has left.

Ways To Prolong The Life Of Your Dishwasher

To keep your dishwasher running for longer, you should always do the following;

Use Good Quality Detergent

Cheap, often low quality detergents can leave residue behind which can build up and lead to blockages and other issues. 

Most dishwashers recommend the best detergent for that appliance and you should stick with this wherever possible.

Remove Food From Dishes

Although you don’t need to rinse dishes before placing them in the dishwasher, we recommend scraping any large food pieces. 

This can prevent the filters getting clogged and also prevent the spray arm from becoming blocked.

Regularly Clean The Filter

The filter in your dishwasher is there to trap any food particles and prevent them from resettling on the dishes as they are cleaned. By regularly cleaning the filter you will prevent any blockages occurring as well as preventing any foul smells from building up.

SEE ALSO: Should You Turn Off Taps When Dishwasher Not In Use?

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