Whirlpool Dishwasher Buttons Not Working? (here’s why & what to do)

Whirlpool dishwashers offer great value for money appliances that perform well most of the time. However, when you get a problem like the buttons are not responding it can be frustrating. If this is the situation you find yourself in, keep reading.

In this article we look at the reasons why a Whirlpool dishwasher’s buttons won’t work and offer easy fixes to solve these problems.

Why Won’t The Buttons On My Whirlpool Dishwasher Work?

There are several reasons why the buttons on your Whirlpool dishwasher fail to work, many with easy to fix solutions they include;

Probable Cause	Possible Fix
No Power	Check the power supply
Control Lock Activated	Disengage the control lock
Wash Delay Activated	Allow the delay period to elapse
Dust Clogging Buttons	Remove dust
Filter Not Working Correctly	Clean the filter
Faulty Touchpad	Replace the touchpad
Faulty Control Panel	Replace control panel
Wiring Fault	Inspect the wiring and repair/replace as necessary

Let’s look at these possible causes in more detail and find solutions.

Dishwasher Has No Power

There are several reasons for your Whirlpool dishwasher to not have any power which include;

• Power Cut/Outage
  Check that you have power elsewhere in your home and if not, check if it’s just your home that’s affected or the rest of the street as well.
• Plug Not Inserted Fully
  Sometimes the plug can be pulled from the wall socket just enough to prevent the power from connecting. Push the plug fully into the socket.
• Wall Socket Switched Off
  Ensure the wall socket is turned on and try removing the dishwasher’s plug and plugging in a lamp to see that there is actually power running through the socket.
• Circuit Breaker Tripped
  If your dishwasher is hardwired you will need to check that the circuit breaker hasn’t tripped. If it has, reset it.

Control Lock Activated

The control lock, or child lock as it’s also known, is a safety device to prevent children from messing with the controls of your Whirlpool dishwasher.

When the control lock is active, it deactivates all of the buttons on your dishwasher and prevents them from working. To solve this all you need to do is press and hold the lock button for 3 to 5 seconds to deactivate the control lock function.

After this you should find all of the buttons work correctly again.

Wash Delay Activated

This feature allows you to set the dishwasher up to start at your preferred time. Unfortunately once activated, the appliance will not respond to any other control.

You can either wait for the allotted time to pass or you can cancel this function by pressing the “cancel/Drain” button before pressing the “Start/Resume” button to restart the appliance.

Dirty, Dust Clogged Buttons

Over time, dirt, dust, grease and oil can all accumulate around the buttons on your Whirlpool dishwasher. This is especially likely if your particular model has a top control panel. The accumulated grease etc causes the buttons to stick and prevents them from working.

To fix this issue all you need to do is use an ammonia based cleaning solution to remove any dirt, grease etc from the buttons. Bear in mind that ammonia can burn so be sure to wear protective gloves and a mask to prevent any respiratory problems.

Filter Not Working Correctly

If the filter is not working correctly, it can cause the pump to cease working which can cause the buttons to glow but not function. To solve this you will need to remove and clean the filter and make cleaning the filter a weekly event in future.

Please Note: Before attempting any repairs or replacement parts that require you to dismantle your dishwasher, ensure you know what you are doing. 

Also if the appliance is still under warranty you should contact Whirlpool directly as tampering with the appliance could void any warranty you have. If the appliance is out of warranty we would recommend employing a technician if you’re not sure what you’re doing for safety’s sake.

Faulty Touchpad/Control Panel

In some cases the touchpad and or the control panel can become faulty which can lead to some buttons working whilst others will not respond. You will probably need to replace one or both of these items to restore your Whirlpool dishwasher to its fully functioning self.

These two parts are often sold together which means you’re most likely to have to replace both at the same time.

Electrical Wiring Fault

Obviously your Whirlpool dishwasher will not operate unless it is receiving enough electricity. Any small wiring fault could be enough to prevent the buttons from working.

We recommend contacting Whirlpool or a qualified technician to resolve this issue.

Many of the common reasons why a Whirlpool dishwasher’s buttons are unresponsive can be solved easily and quickly and are often caused by a simple mistake. This means you can often have your dishwasher running again in no time at all.

For other faults you will need to call on the expertise of a technician and this could mean your dishwasher is out of action for some time. We would always recommend trying the easy fix solutions before contacting Whirlpool as this can often solve the problem quickly.

SEE ALSO: How To Clean The Filter On An Old Whirlpool Dishwasher

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