Samsung dishwasher touchpad not working [Fixed]

Your Samsung dishwasher touchpad not working? Well, there are a couple of quick fixes you can try.

Note that if they don’t work, it could mean that the entire control panel needs to be replaced- in most models, you cannot just replace the touchpad only (but study your unit first since it may be possible in a few models).

Here are several simple solutions you can try first (and keep in mind that we are assuming that you have verified that the Child Lock feature is turned off- you and I know that the child lock deactivates most controls to prevent kids from accidentally playing around with the dishwasher).

Samsung dishwasher touchpad not working – quick fixes to try

Confirm the machine is actually turned on

To do this, check if the unit’s display is lit- and troubleshoot for starting problems if the dishwasher seems not to be turned on.

 

Dry your hands and retry

As incredible as it sounds, the touchpad may be failing to respond because your hands are soapy or wet.

You see, on occasion, the touchpad doesn’t recognize your touch if you’re touching it with soapy/wet hands (other buttons on the control panel usually behave in the same manner).

For that reason, you should dry your hands completely then try to touch it one more time.

Not only that- the touchpad should also be clean for it to recognize your touch.

You should, therefore, check if the touchpad is covered in grime or noticeably dirty and clean it.

All you have to do is wipe the dirt/grime off and a damp cloth (soft) should suffice for the task.

Try again once done.

 

Reset the dishwasher

Resetting your Samsung dishwasher sometimes resolves myriad issues and it could be all it takes to have your touchpad start responding.

The thing is, when you reset the appliance, any errors in programming are typically cleared – and you cannot rule out the likelihood of programming glitches being the cause of the touchpad fault.

How to reset Samsung dishwasher

Resetting your dishwasher is really a piece of cake:

Simply unplug the device then wait a couple of minutes (anything between 1 – 5 minutes should be enough) for any stored electrical charge to be cleared out.

You can now plug it back in once again and see if the touchpad has started working.

Quick Tip: Another way of resetting the dishwasher is by simply turning off power to the appliance from the circuit breaker. Remember to wait some time before turning on power again (to clear the electrical charge)

 

Test if the touchpad is actually defective

If you are still out of luck and the above two troubleshooting procedures have not been helpful, you need to test if the touchpad is actually faulty.

An easy way to test for a bad touchpad is by checking if some buttons are working properly- if some seem to be working and others won’t, it could point to the touchpad having malfunctioned.

So, how do you test these buttons?

Simply try to touch a few buttons and see if some will be responsive- if only some work (while others remain unresponsive), consider replacing the touchpad (or the entire control panel).

As mentioned at the start of the article, you can replace the touchpad on some Samsung dishwashers though it may be best to replace both the touchpad and entire control panel in the vast majority of cases.

Here is a useful video demonstrating how to replace the control panel on a Samsung dishwasher (step by step).

 

Replace the main control

While replacing the control panel works most of the time- and it is the most recommended solution for the issue of Samsung dishwasher touchpad not working- there are instances the problem is due to a broken main control board.

But first, you need to be certain that it is the board that is indeed culpable otherwise you may spend a huge amount of money and time on board replacement only to find that you’re still stuck with a nonresponsive touchpad.

There are a couple of good YouTube videos that can help you diagnose the board and complete the replacement (check out this Samsung dishwasher control board replacement video by repairclinic.com)

Final words

If nothing has worked so far or you feel your unit needs advanced troubleshooting, don’t hesitate to request service from Samsung.

To request service, visit Samsung Support Center and share your question with the team- they will get back to you with the correct advice.

Of course, you can also seek help from a certified repair technician.

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