Dishwasher Not Starting? Here’s What Usually Causes It (Toronto Tech Explains)
There’s nothing more annoying than loading the dishwasher, closing the door, hitting Start… and then nothing happens. A very common service call request we receive quite often in Toronto households. Let’s break it down, so you know what’s going on before calling a tech.
Why Dishwashers Don’t Start a Cycle
A dishwasher has a few safety mechanisms to protect you, itself and its surrounding area. Kind of like it’s saying, “Sorry, something’s off, I’m not doing this I might damage something if I do”
Here are the usual reasons:
The door isn’t closing fully - Can cause a big leak
The door latch is faulty
The control panel or Start button is broken
The main control board has failed
The leak sensor has been triggered, causing the drain pump to run nonstop
Let’s go through each one of those causes.
1. The Door Isn’t Closing All the Way
This is probably the #1 reason a dishwasher refuses to start.
If the door isn’t fully shut - the machine won’t begin the cycle.
This can happen if:
Racks are overfilled
A pan handle is sticking out
Door hinges that are worn
The dishwasher is out of alignment causing the door to hit the cabinets or countertop around it.
Sometimes just rearranging the dishes fixes it. Other times the dishwasher needs adjustment by re-leveling
2. Faulty Door Latch
Even if the door looks closed, the latch might not be clicking into place. If the latch isn’t making proper contact with the switch, the dishwasher thinks the door is open, so it won’t start in order to protect from flooding.
Common signs:
You have to “slam” the door to make it work
It starts sometimes but not always
The latch feels loose or has little to no resistance when pulling the door open
Once the latch wears out, it usually needs replacing.
3. Broken Control Panel or Start Button
Dishwasher touchpads and Start buttons fail all the time - especially the ones that see heavy use (being pressed often)
You might notice:
You press start but nothing happens
Some buttons work, others don’t
The lights turn on but the cycle won’t begin
You press firmly and the machine finally responds (or not at all)
You press start, shut the door but the unit is beeping as if you didn’t press start
On many models, the control panel is one piece with the buttons. If that part fails, you can’t start a cycle no matter what.
4. Faulty Main Control Board
The control board is basically the “brain” of the dishwasher. If it fails, the machine might light up but won’t do anything.
Symptoms include:
No response when you hit Start
Random beeping or blinking lights
Starts sometimes, refuses other times
Everything powers on, but nothing actually runs
Miscommunication error codes show up when trying to start the cycle
Boards can fail from age, moisture, or a surge. Electronic components are very unpredictable.
5. The Leak Sensor Has Been Triggered
(Only applies to dishwashers with leak protection sensor)
Some dishwashers have a small leak tray and sensor at the base. If it senses drops of water, the dishwasher goes into “flood protect mode.”
What happens then?
The drain pump turns on nonstop, even if the door is open. And the dishwasher refuses to start a new cycle until the leak dries and the sensor resets.
Signs this is your issue:
Constant humming from the drain pump even when the door is open
You see water inside the protect pan
This is a very common problem that occurs gradually.
When Should You Call a Technician?
If the dishwasher still won’t start after checking the basics (door closed, nothing blocking it, power is on).
Call us if:
You hear the drain pump humming constantly
You have to slam the door to get it running
The Start button does nothing
Lights turn on but the cycle won’t begin
You see any water under the dishwasher
It starts randomly or only sometimes
We fix these exact issues every day in Toronto and Vaughan homes.
Why Toronto Homeowners Call Us
People call us because:
We have 350+ 5-star reviews across multiple platforms
Same-day or next-day repairs
Fair, honest pricing
Service call is waived with any repair
We stock common dishwasher parts
Every part replaced comes with warranty
Local, Family owned and operated
Book Your Dishwasher Repair in Toronto
If your dishwasher won’t start, we’ll figure out why and get it running fast — no guessing, no stress.
Call: 647-424-1316
Visit: bestrepairs.ca
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