GE Dishwasher Not Turning On?

GE produces some of the best dishwashers on the market, and they have a pristine reputation. With that said, GE dishwashers can still suffer operational errors just like any other brand. Understandably, many users are left at a loss when their GE dishwasher is not turning on.

Check to make sure that your door is shut and latched if your GE dishwasher isn’t turning on. Press the lock button twice to disable the child safety lock or else your dishwasher won’t run. Inspect the motor start relay and drive motor to see if they are worn, and replace them if they are.

In many cases, your GE dishwasher is not turning on because the outlet is bad. This is the worst-case scenario because you will need to hire an electrician to redo the wiring. Follow along as we explore why your GE dishwasher is not turning on.

The door is the first thing that you should check when your GE dishwasher is not turning on. GE dishwashers can detect whether or not the door is completely shut. They will only recognize that the door is shut if it latches.

This is a safety feature to ensure that hot water and soap don’t spill out of the dishwasher during a cycle. It is all too easy to accidentally leave the dishwasher door slightly ajar. However, you won’t be able to wash a cycle of dirty dishes unless you close the door completely.

Try to listen to make sure that the door latches when you shut it. Clean the area where your door should latch if it is clogged with debris and or soap scum. Now, close your GE dishwasher, make sure it latches, and check to see if it turns on. If not then it is a sign that something else is wrong with your dishwasher, and you need to keep troubleshooting.

Sometimes, there is nothing wrong with your GE dishwasher when it won’t turn on. In many cases, faulty wiring and a bad outlet can explain your GE dishwasher not turning on. Wiring can degrade over time, and it is common to find multiple bad outlets in an older home.

Test the outlet to see if it is bad or if your GE dishwasher is the problem. Plug another device or appliance into the outlet to see if it works. You can tell that the outlet is at fault if the other device won’t work either.

Unfortunately, it can be expensive to fix a bad outlet, but it’s also necessary. Hiring a professional electrician to rewire your bad outlet is ideal because it can be difficult and dangerous. You can expect to spend between $500 and $2,000 to fix a bad outlet depending on the severity of the problem.

Every dishwasher has a thermal fuse that is necessary to protect the key components. This part can prevent damage if and when your dishwasher overheats. Thermal fuses can go bad and it will prevent your dishwasher from working.

Unplug your dishwasher and carefully remove the thermal fuse. Test it with a multimeter to see if it still works. If it doesn’t work, then you need to replace it or else your GE dishwasher simply won’t run. It costs between $8 and $30 to replace a bad thermal fuse for a GE dishwasher.

GE dishwashers feature a child safety lock feature that is quite useful. However, it can be annoying when you accidentally enable it and the dishwasher won’t turn on. This function exists so that your children can’t accidentally start a cycle of dishes.

Luckily, you can easily disable the child safety lock manually. All that you need to do is press the lock button twice within 3 seconds to disable this feature. Your GE dishwasher should work as usual after you disable the child safety lock.

Your GE dishwasher relies on a motor start relay to operate as intended. The motor start relay on any dishwasher can unfortunately fail and stop it from working. It costs an average of $500 to replace this part, and it’s worthwhile to hire a professional.

DIY enthusiasts can do this without professional help, but it is difficult. You need to unplug your dishwasher from the power source and take it apart to reach the motor start relay. This can save you up to $200 or more, but it is also risky.

The drive motor is another critical component of any GE dishwasher. A drive motor pumps water so that the jets will work and wash your dishes. Inspect your drive motor if your GE dishwasher is not turning on.

You may simply need to clean the jets or the motor itself. Drive motors are susceptible to debris, soap scum, and bits of food. Clean the drive motor and jets to see if your GE dishwasher works as intended.

If not, you will need to replace your drive motor. You can replace it without professional help for $80-$150 if you are comfortable with electrical work. Otherwise, you can expect to spend $200-$400 to hire a professional to replace your worn drive motor.

The main reason that your GE dishwasher is not drying is that your heating element is bad. You can expect to spend up to $300 or more to replace the heating element on your GE dishwasher. Otherwise, you should inspect the vent in your GE dishwasher to see if it is blocked or clogged with debris.

Clean your dishwasher vent so that you don’t restrict the airflow. You also may want to change the cycle settings on your dishwasher to get the most heat possible. Choose options such as “heated dry” so that your dishes will dry quickly.

GE dishwashers last for an average of 10 years before you need to replace them. This is pretty standard for any brand when it comes to dishwashers. Luckily, you can expect your GE dishwasher to work well for the duration of its lifespan.

With that said, you may experience operational errors after 7 or 8 years. Miele is the longest-lasting dishwasher brand on the market, and they can last for up to 20 years. However, they are much more expensive than most GE dishwashers so they are less common.

It is worth the cost to repair a GE dishwasher if it is under 5 years old. GE dishwashers are reliable so you hopefully won’t experience problems within the first 5 years. However, it may not be worth it to replace your dishwasher if the repairs total 50% of the unit’s value.

Replace your dishwasher if it would only cost twice as much as it would to repair it. That is because you can’t ensure that a repair will last for the duration of your dishwasher’s lifespan. In that case, it’s worth it to cut your losses and get a new dishwasher so that you don’t have to spend more money on repairs in the future.

A GE dishwasher not turning on is likely because the thermal fuse is blown. It only costs $30 to replace a bad thermal fuse if you forego professional help. Otherwise, your drive motor or motor start relay is likely bad.

In that case, you should hire a professional to replace the component because of how difficult it is. Test your outlet with another appliance to see if your outlet is the problem. Otherwise, it could be something as simple as your child safety lock.

Press the lock button twice within 3 seconds to disable the child safety lock. Always push the door completely shut and listen to make sure that your GE dishwasher latches. Replace your GE dishwasher if the repairs would cost more than 50% of its original value.