If your Maytag dishwasher has quit Working at all (nothing happens when you press the Start Button), there are several DIY fixes you can try to resolve the frustrating problem.

At any rate, you and I know that an appliance repair shop may charge an arm and a leg for what may turn out to be a fault you could have easily fixed yourself.

Below are the repairs you can try if your Maytag dishwasher start button won’t work.

Maytag dishwasher start button not working (Problems and recommended repairs)

Just to be clear, we shall teach you how to resolve Maytag dishwasher start button issues such as:

• Maytag dishwasher start button not working at all
• Maytag dishwasher start button flashing
• Maytag dishwasher start button not lighting up
• Maytag dishwasher start button is stuck

Let us get started..

Maytag dishwasher start button not responding

For this malfunction, perhaps you should consider resetting the appliance before anything else.

Why?

Well, resetting appliances often makes them forget programming errors or bad settings that could be causing an operational malfunction.

How to reset Maytag dishwasher

For most Maytag brand dishwashers, power will need to be cycled for it to reset.

To reset, you can unplug the dishwasher for about a minute (then restore it to the outlet) or flip the breaker off then back on (for models without a plug).

Any luck?

If you answered in the negative, read on carefully because the fixes we recommend for the next fault often apply to countless start button-related defects…..

 

Maytag dishwasher start button won’t light up

Read this keenly…

Now, if your Maytag dishwasher has no lights- it acts like it’s unplugged- and the breaker is fine (verify that the breaker is not flipped), you can first attempt to see if resetting it helps.

If no joy, the other solution that has the highest chance of working is replacing the control panel/keyboard.

You see, steam may have gotten in there and caused some buttons including the start button to short out (there could also be a poor connection between the control bad.

To add, this is a pretty common issue that happens to these dishwashers but the good thing is a replacement can give you another 5 to 6 years of faultless service.

But wait a minute: just before you invest in a new part, you want to be sure that the cause of your Maytag dishwasher start button not working is not something simpler.

In a nutshell, before moving ahead with the replacement, you may want to rule out other possible faults to avoid wasting precious $$$ on a replacement part that was not really needed.

Fixes you can attempt before going ahead with the replacement

You want to conduct these checks as you try to narrow down on other potential points of failure around the control panel (keypad).

Visually inspect the control panel for broken/burnt parts

Power it down, take the control panel off and visually inspect all the parts and even the controller for burnt wires or anything that looks broken.

Proceed to repair it as necessary (depending on your findings), if possible.

Pay attention to the ribbon cable (going to the control panel)

The point of failure might specifically be the ribbon cable (on the control panel/touchpad) – maybe it has loosened or it is corroded (at the point where it connects to the main control board).

With that in mind, try these steps:

1. Take apart the control panel then unplug your control panel ribbon.
2. Now wait for a minute or two (while it is unplugged).
3. After the waiting period lapses, reconnect the ribbon cable.
4. Power up the dishwasher once more.
5. Press the standard commands that initiate a wash cycle on your dishwasher’s control panel- you want to launch a wash cycle.

This might make the start button start working again as well.

If it did not, try these remedies:

• Clean corrosion- Pull the ribbon cable out of the slot once again and scrape off any rust on the ribbon connectors. Rust could be interfering with connectivity and ultimately making it difficult for the button to be detected when pressed.
• Check the ribbon cable for loose connectivity- Remove and re-insert the ribbon cable securely. This could resolve a possible loose connection (remember bad connectivity is your enemy).

In both instances, you should wait a few moments then retry steps 4 and 5 above.

If still it does not work, you can assume it is the control panel that is troubled so it is time to…………….

Swap the entire control panel out (last resort)

If nothing has worked this far, it is possible that the root cause of the fault is a failing control panel.

And since there is no easy way of repairing parts of the control panel, you should buy a replacement outright and change it out (search for a YouTube video to guide you).

As mentioned, this is also probably the best solution for a lot of button-related headaches on Maytag dishwashers including:

1. Buttons lights up (sometimes the start button lights up too) but there is no response.
2. No buttons illuminate or work at all.
3. Start button keeps blinking.

 

Maytag dishwasher start button stuck – some older models

Temporary solution:

Grab a pen and use it to push down on it to get your dishwasher to start

Long term fix:

One possibility is that the component/part holding the start button switch mechanism might have snapped, come out of position, or is otherwise misaligned.

The button may also be depressed too far.

Here are the fixes you can try for the issue:

 

• Using a metal pick (any thin-but firm- tool should work), get under the button housing (depending on your model) at the bottom then try to wedge it up.
• Try to get under the button (you may need to take the panel apart) and try to fix the alignment (be very careful).

Winding it up

While resetting helps occasionally, users like you often have to replace the entire control panel when the start button starts to have persistent issues.

The part is not that expensive (the price is typically between $90 to $130) on Amazon and the DIY replacement process is fairly easy and quick (it hardly takes more than 15 minutes).

Till next time.

ALSO READ:

Maytag dishwasher troubleshooting control panel [Try these fixes]

Maytag dishwasher reset sequence (plus tips)