Samsung Dishwasher Will Not Power On

The first thing to check is the door switch and latch assembly.

• You will have to access the inside of the dishwasher door to see if the door latch is not operating the door switch.
  • Observe its operation to ensure the latch is not bent or broken. There are several failures that Samsung dishwashers can experience with the latch, and you will usually have to obtain the latch and switch assembly as a unit.
• You should test the switch for continuity if possible.

At this point, you will need to remove the dishwasher from under the counter. Here is a procedure for doing this:

You should have the following tools and items:

• A straight slot screwdriver,
• A #2 Phillips screwdriver,
• A pair of slip-joint pliers will also help disconnect the hoses.
• A ½” open-end wrench or a small adjustable wrench (probably easier) for disconnecting the water supply hose. Some hoses may need a ⅝” wrench.
• Four wire nuts, so you don’t have to reuse the old ones. Get ones that are suitable for #12-#16 wire. There are special wirenuts that you should obtain, if possible, that are vibration-proof.
• A wet-dry vacuum to pick up water is helpful but not essential.

You will need to do the following steps to pull the dishwasher out:

• Shut off the power to the dishwasher at the circuit breaker panel or by unplugging it if it is connected to an outlet under the sink. This is most critical with hardwired units rather than connected with a plug.
• If the dishwasher is hardwired, open the connection box (usually located at the lower right front of the dishwasher behind the kickplate) and disconnect the wiring.
  • Check as you do this that none of the wire nuts or connectors have come loose. Vibration and insufficiently tightened wire nuts frequently cause this. If you find this the case, strip back the wires (they may be heat damaged) and put new wire nuts on.
  • A setscrew type of wire nut is recommended, such as the ABB Marrette 1SHD or similar. Replace the wire nuts and test the unit after returning it to its place.
  • If the connections are tight, keep going.
• It would be best to disconnect the water supply (usually at the left front of the dishwasher at the bottom behind the kickplate). The ½” wrench is helpful here.
• You will need to disconnect the drain hose, which is best done where the hose connects to the building plumbing (usually under a nearby sink at the garbage disposal).
• Remove the screws securing the dishwasher to the counter or cabinet.
  • These will either be immediately above the top rim of the dishwasher or on either side of the dishwasher in the door opening. (If the latter is the case, there may be small covers over the screws)
• Pull the unit out, making sure that nothing kinks. The next step is to check the drain path for kinks since you don’t want to create any. You will also want to check the parts built into the dishwasher.

You can now access the door strike to check its alignment. If the door is having trouble latching, this may be the cause, and if the door doesn’t latch, the dishwasher will not start. If it is bent, you can straighten or replace it. If it looks good, go on to the next item.

The dishwasher will have a noise filter installed near the primary power connection. It will have a coil of shiny copper wire mounted on a small circuit board, and the power wires will run from the primary connection straight to it so you can trace the wires to find them. Look for corrosion or burned areas on both the wires leading to it and the PC board itself. If it looks okay, go to the next item.

Did the unit show signs of life, like responding to some button pushes but not others (like the start button), and have you cleaned the start button and tried it with dry hands?

This interface is exposed to considerable moisture, which causes failures. Inspect it for corrosion. Replacing the control button interface (the button module) in the door is probably your best shot if the above items don’t fix the problem. The next step is likely the primary control, but the control button interface is a common failure. It may be hard to find, so you might need to salvage one from another of your same model if possible. Try this and test the unit.

Samsung Dishwashers do not have thermal fuses. To validate this, try to buy one. You will find Samsung refrigerator defrost system thermal fuses. Sadly, many parts companies will lead you astray. A few, mainly European, Samsung models have a fuse on the power supply or EMI filter. Go to the next step if this fuse tests okay.

Check for corrosion on the board. Moist conditions and a primary board location directly under the door are not a good mix. This no-start, no-response, or odd-response problem points to a control board issue if none of the other solutions have worked. This is not uncommon with these dishwashers, but the cost makes it worthwhile to ensure you have checked everything else first.