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Dishwasher fills but doesn’t seem to start washing
What would you check to tell whether a dishwasher that fills and then pauses is in a normal delay, or has stalled before the wash phase?
I’d start with the selected cycle and any delayed-start setting, then make sure the door is closing fully. Beyond that, what clues are most useful? For example, does the display show an error code or change the remaining time, is water still sitting in the tub, and can you hear the wash spray after it fills? I’m trying to understand how those observations help distinguish a pause from a supply, latch, or circulation issue without guessing at a failed part.
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A delayed-start setting or a cycle’s programmed pause can explain a quiet interval; compare what the display does with that cycle’s expected timing. An advancing timer suggests progress, while an unchanged display or code is a clue to investigate, not a diagnosis. After filling, standing water alone doesn’t show whether washing began; audible spray or a change in spray sound is more direct evidence of circulation. No spray sound is suggestive, but not proof of a failed pump or latch.
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