Frigidaire Dishwasher High Temp And Heat Dry Lights Flashing?

Gary Evans
by Gary Evans

It’s usually easy to tell if there’s something wrong with one of your appliances at home. Many modern appliances come with features that let homeowners know if they’re malfunctioning. Those are known as error codes.

Even so, interpreting those error codes is not always easy. If you have a Frigidaire dishwasher you may not know that certain patterns of blinking lights are actually error codes. Some of those light patterns may even be hinting at a serious issue affecting your dishwasher.

The lights for both “high temp” and “no heat dry” flashing on your Frigidaire dishwasher indicate that power failure has occurred. Resetting the Frigidaire dishwasher may resolve the issue related to the power failure. If that doesn’t work, you may have to replace the dishwasher’s control board.

Your Frigidaire dishwasher may be telling you something’s wrong without you being aware of it. Continue with this article to see what those blinking lights mean and what you need to do about them.

Do You Need Appliance Repair Services?

Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.

What Does It Mean if the High Temp and Heat Dry Lights Are Flashing?

Look at your Frigidaire dishwasher and you’ll find a few LEDs there that correspond to certain things. There is an LED for washing and another that tells you when the cleaning cycle has been completed. You can also find LEDs that denote the current status of the dishwasher as well as the available options.

Among those LEDs are ones for the high temperature and the heat dry option. Most of the time, those LEDs work independently from one another. However, it’s also possible for them to start blinking at the same time.

Something is wrong if those aforementioned LEDs are blinking in unison. They specifically indicate that power failure has occurred.

The Causes of Power Failure in Frigidaire Dishwashers and How to Address Them

Power failure is actually a fairly common issue for dishwashers. The aforementioned issue can stem from different causes. Let’s go over them below and also talk about the ways to fix them.

The Cause: A Power Outage

If you were using your dishwasher when the electricity went out, you will likely find yourself dealing with power failure. Consider yourself lucky if a power outage is the reason why the dishwasher is malfunctioning. Compared to other causes, this one is actually pretty easy to fix.

The Fix

Fixing power failure caused by a power outage requires resetting the Frigidaire dishwasher. The good news is that resetting the dishwasher is very easy.

Start by looking for the “cancel” button on your Frigidaire dishwasher. Now, press and hold down the “cancel” button until the light display disappears. That will usually only take a few seconds of holding the button down.

Leave the dishwasher alone for a while. Waiting for about five minutes should be enough. Once those five minutes are up, you can turn the dishwasher back on. If the problem really was only related to a power outage, the LEDs should have returned to normal. You will also be able to start using the dishwasher again.

Another Possible Fix

Most of the time, turning off the dishwasher, letting it rest, then turning it back on will address the power failure. Unfortunately, there are also cases wherein that alone may not work. You can try another fix if simply resetting does not work.

Go to your home’s circuit breakers and look for the one that powers your dishwasher. Switch that circuit breaker off. Leave it off for five minutes.

You can turn the switch breaker back on after the aforementioned amount of time has passed. Give the dishwasher a try and see if it’s working. If the issue really is related only to power failure, this fix should do the trick.

The Cause: Damage to the Dishwasher’s Internal Components

Power failure could also be indicative of the dishwasher sustaining some form of damage. Maybe there is a component inside that is now busted. That could be actively preventing the dishwasher from working as intended.

The Fix

You can try the two fixes mentioned previously again here. If the damage done is not too severe, resetting may help clear out the error indicators at the very least.

It’s also possible that those fixes won’t work if a component of the dishwasher has been seriously damaged. You may have to get the dishwasher professionally fixed in order to resolve the problem.

The Cause: A Malfunctioning Control Board

You may find the “high temp” and “no heat” LEDs on your dishwasher blinking even though the appliance itself is working. That’s not an instance of you just seeing things.

The disparity between what the dishwasher displays and how it is working is likely related to the control board. You can probably continue using the dishwasher for a while even if the control board is acting up. Still, the only way to get rid of the annoying blinking lights is to apply a fix.

The Fix

Fixing a busted control board is going to take a good amount of work. Start by turning off the circuit breaker that powers the dishwasher so you can work safely.

Next, use a screwdriver to detach the inner door panel from the outer panel. Also, take this opportunity to remove additional mounting screws along the door latch. Remove the latch once you’re done by unfastening the screws.

Look inside the Frigidaire dishwasher now and you should spot the control board cover. Search for the screws around the cover and start removing them. With the cover out of the way, the wires connecting it to the appliance will be revealed. You need to disconnect those wires. You should be safe with the power out, but you can wear gloves if you want to be extra cautious.

Now that the wires have been disconnected, you can proceed to remove the screws holding the control board in place. After that, go ahead and lift the old control board out of its spot and set it aside.

Get the replacement control board next and screw that in place. Remember to connect the wires and double-check to see if they are going to the appropriate spots. Position the control board cover over the replacement part and screw it in place.

From here, you can go ahead and return the parts you removed earlier. Make sure all the screws are tight. Turn the circuit breaker back on after you’ve replaced the control board. The blinking lights should now be gone.

How to Protect Your Dishwasher from Power Failure

As you’ve just read, power failure could be indicative of a minor issue or something more serious. The bottom line is that you don’t want it affecting your dishwasher.

Thankfully, you can indeed protect your dishwasher against that kind of issue. The tips included below should help out homeowners who want to steer clear of power failure.

Cut Off All Power Going to the Dishwasher

If you received a heads up that there will be a power outage in your area, take heed of that. Go home and unplug your appliances ahead of the expected power outage. The sudden loss of power can be damaging to certain appliances such as dishwashers. It would be better to get ahead of it and unplug the appliance yourself.

You should still unplug the appliance even after the blackout has taken place. The sudden surge of electricity that enters the appliance after power is restored can be damaging. Wait until you’re certain that the power is back for good before you plug the dishwasher back in.

Use a Surge Protector

Cutting off the power to your dishwasher should protect it from electrical surges. However, some surges take place so quickly that they may happen before you can unplug the dishwasher.

You can protect your appliances from those sudden electrical fluctuations by using a surge protector. Getting a surge protector professionally installed will cost you close to $400. Handle the project yourself and you may only have to spend around $100.

Drain the Dishwasher

The dishwasher may have been in the middle of cleaning or draining when the power went out. By leaving it in that state, you’re risking potential water damage to the dishwasher’s internal components.

Save the dishwasher from needless damage by draining it manually. Dealing with the murky water won’t be pleasant, but being faced with a big repair bill is even more dreadful.

Do You Need Appliance Repair Services?

Get free, zero-commitment quotes from pro contractors near you.


Related Questions

What Other Error Messages Will a Frigidaire Display?

Your Frigidaire dishwasher will display error codes for other issues currently affecting it. For instance, “CL” indicates that the door for the dishwasher needs to be closed properly. Meanwhile, “CE” is saying that the dishwasher is experiencing a configuration error.Other error messages point to issues affecting specific components. “ER/ER” means something is wrong with the switch while “dP” is the indicator of a drain pump issue.There are numerous other error messages that your Frigidaire dishwasher may display. Try to familiarize yourself with them so you can address any and all issues related to your dishwasher.


How Long Will Your Frigidaire Dishwasher Last?

Assuming proper maintenance, a standard Frigidaire dishwasher will remain in working condition for at least 10 years. That expected lifespan puts it right in line with similar dishwashers produced by other brands.

Gary Evans
Gary Evans

Gary Evans is passionate about home improvement. He loves finding out how to make improvements in the easiest, most practical, and most affordable ways. Upgrading his home kitchen is one of his ongoing hobbies. Gary is also a long-time content creator and enjoys spending his free time tending to his hydroponic vegetable garden.

More by Gary Evans

Next