Frigidaire Dishwasher Not Starting Lights Blinking [6 reasons!]

For cleaning up the tough stains from baked and cooked utensils, dishwashers are made resilient to perform the job efficiently. However, no appliance is everlasting.

What if you face an issue with the appliance of the best-known marketplace ‘Frigidaire’? The problem can become challenging to troubleshoot if you are left with no adequate process to proceed with its functions.

If you are running bad figure out how to resolve the issue and what are the reasons for the Frigidaire dishwasher light flashing? No worries, we are prepared for it. In this read, you’ll not only get to know the major causes of the issue but also the process to solve it.

Common Reasons for Frigidaire Dishwasher Lights Flashing

It might prove challenging to guess the cause of defective dishwasher lights, however, it is necessary to troubleshoot all appliance components to then move to the solution. The most common are found to be:

1. Defective Door Latch

The door latch opening and closing is an essential indicator installed in the Frigidaire dishwasher that whether start cleaning or keep the system off. When the door is open the machine transfers the signal to the main control board to turn off the system as a matter of protection for the contents inside and for the user.

The main system starts working when the door is properly closed which makes the lights stop flashing. To troubleshoot the issue it suggests double checking the door latch, if the latch is defective the machine would not be able to send the power ON signal to the control board and hence the lights keep on flashing.

So consequently, one of the prime reasons for Frigidaire dishwasher lights flashing could be the loosening of the door latch. As a solution to unwanted dishwasher light flashing replace the broken door latch with a new one.

2. Water Inlet Valve Malfunction

Improper working of the water inlet valve could be another cause of the light flashing in the Frigidaire dishwasher. It controls the hot water line going into the dishwasher which is more likely to block the flow due to debris and hence causing the lights to blink 3`abnormaly.

To test the water inlet valve you’ll need to examine its working. Turn on the dishwasher and notice the behavior of water entering it. If you notice a small or no flow of water into the dishwasher it indicates the time to replace the valve immediately.

If you are still not sure or looking for some other technical way to determine the working of the water inlet valve, we have you covered with a simple method. Get access to the sink of the dishwasher, which normally exists at the bottom.

Find out the valve and remove it by detaching the wires. Now test the resistance of solenoids and examine the behavior. If it displays the accurate result you are good to go with it, contrarily change the valve and make the lights stop flashing.

3. Faulty Heating Element

The heating element in the dishwashers plays an essential in cleaning the dishes. You can assume their function similar to the cooking element in the oven. It consists of a small tube shape responsible for performing operations like heating the water to an extent that can kill bacteria from dishes and provide fast drying after washing the dishes.

In Frigidaire dishwasher troubleshooting blinking lights, a faulty heating element can be the cause behind the problem. When the element is faulty it fails to heat the temperature to the required extent and which may cause the lights to keep flashing.

Another checking method is to remove the heating element, place the multimeter probes on it, and notice the continuity. If the multimeter shows no continuity it is time to replace the element.

Replacing the heating element can prove trickier for a non-technical person than replacing any other component in the list. As a matter of precaution, it requires unmounting the complete dishwasher. Turn off the power and water supply and remove the lower panel by removing the screws. Using a plier cut off the lower water inlet valve fitting.

After releasing the drain hose, pull out the appliance from the fitting, and make sure all the mounting screws are off. Now reach the heating element wires to disconnect them and also unthread the nuts.

Finally, you are good to put the heating element out of the dishwasher and enquire about its working using a multimeter. Make sure to reinstall the wash arm while removing and replacing the element.

Repeat the whole process in reverse to remount the dishwasher in the cabinet.

4. Drain Pump Issue

A drain pump in a dishwasher best serves the job of draining off unnecessary water. If you are still troubleshooting the defective lights of the Frigidaire dishwasher, you may find a need to replace the defective drain pump with a new one.

Use a multimeter to check the working of the drain motor. If it doesn’t show any power passing through it, it is time to throw out the drain motor and put in the new one. To replace the drain pump, it is always located at the bottom of the Frigidaire dishwasher providing quick access by turning back the dishwasher.

But before make sure the dishwasher contains no content not even water for safety reasons. Then turn back the machine and remove the base cover by uninstalling the clips. Follow the drain hose to find out the drain motor. Remove the motor and detach the wires. Put the multimeter probes at the same place where the wires were connected, inspect the continuity, and finally replace the motor with a new one in case of zero continuity.

5. Defective Touch Pad or Control Panel

The touchpad or control panel of a dishwasher is designed for the user to take charge of the appliance setting and functions. It contains touch buttons to pre-define the wash settings before turning ON the dishwasher.

If you notice the Frigidaire dishwasher lights blinking or flashing without any apparent reason you may are having a defective touchpad that needs to be replaced.

It can be detected by noticing the function of buttons that were performing up to the task before but now for some reason are not properly operating the command you are providing for any operation.

You are likely to find out a new touchpad and install it on the dishwasher. However, you can also have the option to change the complete control panel with a new one.

6. Damaged Control Board

Having a positive review after troubleshooting the above dishwasher parts but still the lights are flashing? Now it might be the main control board, alarming to have lost the ability to control the appliance functions.

The control board consists of a PCB (printed circuit board) design of the machine which is responsible to operate the appliance efficiently using multiple electrical components.

If any of the electrical paths get short or a single component failed to perform its function, the control panel receives inappropriate signals and hence displays light flashing.

Replacing a PCB means renewing the appliance functions, which can prove an exhausting and costly process? It is suggested to return land the appliance to its manufacturing origin and get the replaced control board instead of doing any DIY process. Therefore, the repair suggests troubleshooting the control board as the last option while enquiring about the lights blinking.

Tips For Preventing Frigidaire Dishwasher Light Flashing Issues

Now that you are known the most common reasons for Frigidaire dishwasher lights blinking, how can you prevent the appliance from behaving the same again? Home appliances comprise heavy functions to perform the required commands and therefore demand appropriate use and care from the user to make them live longer and more efficiently.

Frigidaire dishwasher lights flashing issue can be prevented in the future if the user keeps the below avoid offs in mind:

Regular Maintenance and Cleaning

Home appliances from top-notch manufacturers are designed to keep longevity in mind. However, they demand crucial to take care from the user to serve longer.

Your Frigidaire dishwasher must be an expensive purchase for you then why not save the investment for a longer term? It is suggested to conduct cleaning sessions of the dishwasher at least two times a month.

Remove water valves and hose pipes to remove debris and clogging. Dish racks are more likely to get greased since of providing space for dirty dishes, therefore release the rack regularly and clean them properly. It would not only keep the dishwasher clean but will also minimize the problems like lights flashing

Proper Loading of Dishes

Dishes placed appropriately are more likely to be washed properly and hence will prevent the dishwasher from any functionality problems. However, the loading process requires some tips to keep in mind.

Make sure the dirty side dishes are facing the spray arm it will provide a straightforward way for washer jets to reach the dirty part of the dish. Large items like bowls and pans are suggested to place in the bottom rack at the corner. They will not only be cleaned properly but also will be dried quickly despite their large size.

The more dishes you try to fit in the dishwasher, the less will be the chance to have them cleaned. Try placing fewer dishes with enough space between them so they won’t remain unclean or wet.

Tines in the dishwasher act as a boundary between the dishes. Try not to place any item over them instead in between them is the best place. While washing cycle a proper placement between the tines will save the items from any damage.

Lastly, it is recommended to hand wash the dishes made from sensitive materials like non-stick, glassware, etc.

Use Appropriate Detergent

For even better performance of the Frigidaire dishwasher, it can be challenging to finalize the best dishwasher-friendly detergent. Choosing a dishwasher depends on the washing cycle you are going to use.

Powder, liquid, and packs all contain enzymes and other stain-killer chemicals however they all may not prove good for every type of washing cycle. The video below will better help you choose what type of detergent you should use for a dishwasher.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z67iwoEkXkU&t=121s

Frigidaire Dishwasher Error Codes

When your Frigidaire dishwasher faces a malfunctioned component it also starts displaying error codes, besides blinking lights. It mainly stands that the specific portion of the dishwasher is not performing the required function which needs to be fixed immediately. But what these codes indicates and how to fix them?

Frigidaire dishwasher displays error codes in abbreviation on the control panel which needs to be fixed by checking out the manual book of the specific model. We are going to explain some of the most error codes below and the steps to fix them:

Error Code UO

The code means the drying fan or ventilation system is causing trouble and needs to be replaced. It is suggested to cut off the dishwasher power supply and also the water supply since you need to drag the dishwasher out of the cabinet.

Once it is out, open the dishwasher door and reach out to the inside fitting of the vent located at the top. Remove the ring to have the drying fan free to deal with. Pop out the electrical wiring and replace the defective vent with a new one.

Error Code ER

When this code appears on the control panel you need to troubleshoot the main control board. The mainly arises when the touchpad and control board are not properly passing the connections to each other.

Reaching out to the main control proves a bit tricky for most of the users since it involves dealing with some technical operations in the PCB. Firstly power off the electrical supply and flip off the breaker by losing some screws.

It will give access to the main PCB of the dishwasher. In the PCB reach the button control system, usually in gray ribbon, and check the continuity using a multimeter. For further process, we refer you to this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6R9qokc6nnY

Error Code CL

CL stands for the closed door. Again it appears when door switches and control boards are passing inappropriate signals. In this situation, the Frigidaire dishwasher won’t start while also blocking the hot water.

Gently open the door and check the door latches, when they are damaged the machines think that the door is not closed and hence display the message. So double-check the latches and replace them if needed.

Error Code HO

The HO appears when the temperature is less hot than required to properly wash the dishes. The error can be eliminated by replacing the heating element which is responsible for increasing the water temperature.

How to go through the replacement process is quite easy to encounter which is already discussed above in the read.

Error Code I10 and I20

The codes i10 and i20 alarm about the dirty or clogged pressure sensor which blocks the way of water. It arises when the machine senses that the water required is not enough to perform the function.

Therefore to fix the issue you will need to gain access to the pressure sensor or water inlet valve, make sure the power and water supply are off and the dishwasher is out of the fittings. At the bottom take out the valve and clean the clogs then fix it again to the place and check the working.

Some other common errors like i40 and IFo can also arise which indicates the same problem as i10 and i20 does.

Error Code PF

Pf means the dishwasher is facing a power failure. Try to cancel out the cycle and stop all the operations for a few minutes.

If the code still appears then you may need to replace the main control board to finally get rid of the error code.

Error Code Er

Er is another most shown error code in the Frigidaire dishwasher. It mainly points out the keypad failure. Troubleshoot all the keys to enquire if they are performing the commands properly. If the code still appears, try replacing the keypad and check the connectivity between the control board and the keypad.

Conclusion

Frigidaire dishwasher lights flashing or blinking issue is most commonly faced by users and unfortunately, the issue becomes hard to troubleshoot. It makes the users troubleshoot the machine part which is malfunctioning and needs to be replaced.

Fortunately, to make the job easier we have discussed above the most probably malfunctioned components of the Frigidaire dishwasher when lights blink abnormally. Also have explained the process of how to replace the defective component and save the costly Frigidaire investment.

To provide lifetime safety to Frigidaire dishwashers from not starting lights flashing issues regular maintenance is recommended. Conduct the cleaning sessions, take out the parts which are more likely to get effected by dirty dishes, and clean them properly for safe use.