You expect the touchpad to be responsive when operating a Kitchenaid dishwasher. If that’s not the case, you’ll have difficulty running the dishwasher or changing its settings. Interestingly, a Kitchenaid dishwasher touchpad not working isn’t something new.
A Kitchenaid dishwasher’s keypad won’t work due to the lack of power, system glitch, locked or filthy touch panel, unlatched door, or a dead keypad, display, or main control board.
Ideally, there are about eight issues to look at, and it only takes one of them to render your Kitchenaid dishwasher’s keypad or touch panel nonresponsive. What’s enlightening, however, is that you can troubleshoot most of these issues, and that’s where this guide comes in.
We’ll look at what action to take in each case. Moreover, we’ll examine a few other related dishwasher issues touching the touchpad and control panel. So, let’s jump in!
In a rush? See below the quick fixes to the eight issues that could render your Kitchenaid dishwasher touchpad nonresponsive.
Kitchenaid Dishwasher Keypad Not Working – Quick Troubleshooting
| – | Likely Cause | Quick Fix |
| 1. | Lack of Power | Ensure your dishwasher has power and turns on. |
| 2. | System Glitch | Reset your dishwasher |
| 3. | Locked Touch Panel | Turn off Control Lock or Standby (Demo Mode) |
| 4. | Filthy Touch Panel | Clean off any dirt or dampness from the touch panel, and avoid touching the touch panel with filthy hands. |
| 5. | Unlatched Door | Ensure the door latches firmly and replace a defective door latch. |
| 6. | Damaged Keypad | Replace the keypad if some of its buttons are nonresponsive. |
| 7. | Dead Display | Replace the User Control & Display Board if lights illuminate on the control panel, but not all buttons are responsive. |
| 8. | Dead Main Control Unit | Replace the main control unit if none of the buttons work and the display fails. |
Why Is My Kitchenaid Dishwasher Touchpad Not Working?
Generally, the eight issues below are worth considering if your Kitchenaid dishwasher touchpad or touch panel won’t work when you press any command:
1. Lack of Power
Could your Kitchenaid dishwasher be off? Check if the dishwasher has power, as the touchpad won’t work if it doesn’t. In case it doesn’t check the following issues:
- Is there power in the first place? It could have been a blackout.
- Is the dishwasher firmly plugged into the wall socket?
- Could the circuit breaker be tripped off?
- How about the GFCI outlet? Could it be tripped, too?
- Is the power cord in good working condition?
- How about the power outlet? Is it working?
- Don’t forget to check the thermal fuse. It might have blown up!
Answering the above questions will help you recognize why your Kitchenaid dishwasher doesn’t have power and address it.
Fix
You don’t have to do anything if it’s an outage/blackout. However, ensure the dishwasher is firmly plugged into the wall outlet and turned on. If the circuit breaker or GFCI outlet is tripped off, reset it.
Test the thermal fuse, power outlet, and power cord for continuity with a multimeter. If any of the three lacks continuity, which confirms it’s defective, replace it.
But if you still can’t find the reason for the failed power, call an expert electrician.
2. System Glitch
If your dishwasher has power, but the touchpad is still not working, the issue could be a glitch. The control system could malfunction, and, in the process, the touchpad sensors could be frozen. Once that happens, the touchpad becomes nonresponsive.
Overall, this is not a widespread problem, and it’s usually the easiest to troubleshoot as all you must do is reset the dishwasher.
Fix
Reset your Kitchenaid dishwasher by disconnecting it from the power for at least 1 minute. You can do that by flipping the power breaker off and then on or just unplugging the power cord (Hard Reset).
3. Locked Touch Panel
Kitchenaid dishwashers have the Control Lock feature, which locks the control panel to stop kids from operating the dishwasher. Once the Control Lock is on, the control panel and touchpad become nonresponsive.
Another feature to watch out for, which could lock the touch panel, is the Demo Mode. This setting puts the dishwasher on standby, which means the touch panel becomes nonresponsive.
Fix
Turn it off if Control Lock or Standby (Demo Mode) is on. The easiest way to do it is to hold down the respective controls for 3-5 seconds.
4. Filthy Touch Panel
The touch panel can be extra sensitive to any form of filth. That includes dust and dampness. Usually, the panel attracts dust over time, which may accumulate and render it less responsive to touch. But still, it could be that you are touching the touch panel with wet or dirty hands, and if so, the touch panel may fail to respond.
Fix
First, clean the touch panel to get rid of dust. You can use a damp, soft cloth, but ensure you dry the touch panel afterward. Meanwhile, clean and dry your hands before touching the touch panel.
5. Unlatched Door
Due to the sensitive nature of the touchpad sensors, the touchpad and control panel automatically become nonresponsive when there’s an issue with the door. If something stops the door from firmly latching, the touchpad may not work.
This could be a failure to firmly latch the door after opening it or perhaps an obstructive dish. But still, it could be the micro-switch in the door latch malfunctioning and stopping the door latch from engaging.
Fix
Try to latch the dishwasher door firmly if it’s open. Remove any obstructive dishes, and if it doesn’t latch, inspect the micro switch in the door latch with a multimeter and replace it if the micro switch lacks continuity.
6. Damaged Keypad
Consider that the keypad could be all but out. You can tell a dead touchpad if some buttons are responsive while others aren’t. In that case, the display is working fine.
Fix
Replace the dishwasher keypad if some buttons are responsive and others aren’t, and the display shows.
Here’s how to perform the Kitchenaid Dishwasher Touchpad Replacement:
- Disconnect the dishwasher from the power supply
- Unscrew the door panel to access the control panel and touchpad
- Unscrew the control panel and detach the touchpad from it
- Disconnect any wiring between the control panel and the touchpad.
- Fit the replacement touchpad and control panel into place
- Screw back the door panel and reconnect any detached wiring
- Restore the dishwasher’s power supply
7. Dead Display
The User Control and Display Board could be at fault here. The display might illuminate if it is, but not all buttons will be responsive. It’s, however, a less common issue.
Fix
Replace the User Control and Display Board if some buttons cause the dishwasher display lights to come on while others don’t.
8. Dead Main Control Unit
Lastly, the problem could be the main control unit or control board, which controls practically all of the dishwasher’s functions. If something is wrong with it, perhaps a short circuit, the touchpad won’t work, and neither will the display. In fact, all the buttons won’t work, and the display won’t show anything.
Fix
Consider replacing the dishwasher’s main control board if none of the touchpad buttons work and the display doesn’t show anything. But since the dishwasher could also behave that way when it lacks power, revisit the first cause to rule out a power issue before replacing the control board.
Kitchenaid Dishwasher Touchpad Not Responding
Your Kitchenaid dishwasher won’t respond to touch commands for several reasons. First, the touchpad may behave that way due to an active Control Lock, which disables the entire panel. If it’s not Control Lock, it could be Demo Mode, which puts the dishwasher on standby.
But still, it could be that the touchpad is wet or dusty and thus needs cleaning and drying. However, you must avoid touching it with wet or dirty hands.
Kitchenaid Dishwasher Control Panel Not Working
A Kitchenaid dishwasher control panel won’t work if it lacks power or due to a wrong setting such as Sleep Mode or Control Lock, which locks it. If that’s not it, it could be a product of touching the control panel with dirty or wet hands, leaving the dishwasher door open, or a stuck button.
Don’t forget to reset the control panel, as the dishwasher might be experiencing a software glitch, and if that’s not the case, it could be a dead control panel or short-circuited control board.
People Also Ask
1. How Do You Reset the Control Panel On a Kitchenaid Dishwasher?
You can reset the control panel on a Kitchenaid dishwasher by plugging the dishwasher out of the power outlet for 1 minute. You can also do it by flipping off the circuit breaker and then flip it back after 60 seconds.
2. How Do I Fix the Control Lock On My Kitchenaid Dishwasher?
You can fix the Control Lock on your Kitchenaid dishwasher by turning it off. That requires you to hold down the control for 3-5 seconds until the light goes off. Alternatively, you can hard reset the dishwasher to turn off the Control Lock.
3. Why Does the Control Lock Flash 3 Times On My Kitchenaid Dishwasher?
Your Kitchenaid dishwasher flashes Control Lock three times to show the setting is active. Once that’s the case, the dishwasher won’t start, and the control panel becomes nonresponsive. You’ll have to turn it off to run the dishwasher.
4. Why Won’t My Kitchenaid Dishwasher Start?
Your Kitchenaid dishwasher won’t start for different reasons. First, it could be because the dishwasher doesn’t have power, and so until it turns on, it won’t run. If so, you could be dealing with an outage, loose plugging, tripped breaker, damaged power cord, or faulty socket.
Note, nonetheless, that sometimes a Kitchenaid dishwasher won’t start while having power. If so, the issue could be a wrong setting (especially Delay Wash (or DELAY), Control Mode, or Demo Mode.
It could also be an unlatched door, a failed water supply, filthiness or dampness on the touchpad, or a stuck start switch. Don’t forget the possibility of a damaged control panel or main control unit.
Concluding Thought on a Kitchenaid Dishwasher Touchpad Not Working:
We’ve seen that it takes about eight issues to stop the Kitchenaid dishwasher from working. We’re talking about a failed power supply, electronic hitch, locked or filthy keypad, unfastened door, or defective keypad, display board, or main control unit.
So, consider the eight before calling Kitchenaid or paying a dishwasher expert from your neighborhood. Unless it’s one of those concerns, you should be able to troubleshoot the dishwasher.