Life may not come with a reset button, but at least your GE dishwasher does. After a long tiring day at work, the last thing we want to worry about is a broken dishwasher and a pile of dishes.
Luckily, a reset can fix many minor dishwasher issues, including when it doesn’t start or when it is slow to drain. So you can keep the dishes clean and the clutter at bay, we will show you two ways to reset a GE dishwasher and get it back in working condition.
How to Reset a GE Dishwasher
Press the Start/Reset button on the GE dishwasher to reset it. Wait for the water to drain before opening the door.
To reset a GE dishwasher that won’t start, unplug its power cord for at least two minutes before restoring power. You can also turn off the dishwasher at the circuit breaker.
Here are two different ways to reset a GE dishwasher. The steps may vary depending on your dishwasher model.
Method 1: Soft Reset.
A soft reset, also known as a soft reboot or a soft power cycle, is used to restart or power off your GE dishwasher.
It can stop ongoing programs and clear data in the random access memory. However, it won’t affect other applications and settings, such as your WiFi or network information.
- Step 1: Locate the reset button on your GE dishwasher.
On most modern GE dishwashers, the Start button doubles as the Reset button. You’ll find it on the control panel.
Others have a reset button behind the kickplate access panel, which is located at the bottom of the unit.
- Step 2: Press the Start/Reset button.
Depending on your dishwasher model, you might have to press the button twice to reset the appliance.
- Step 3: Wait for the reset indicator light to start blinking.
If you reset the dishwasher during a cycle, it will drain the water out of the compartment. The reset indicator light should start blinking once the unit is ready to shut down.
- Step 4: Press the Start/Reset button to turn on the dishwasher.
| Quick Note: Other GE dishwashers may require you to press a button combination to reset the appliance. We recommend checking your user manual for more detailed instructions. For instance, on the GDT655SSJ0SS model, you must push the Select Cycle and Start buttons at the same time for 5 seconds. Once the Control Lock lights up, press only the Select Cycle button to reboot the dishwasher. |
Method 2: Hard Reset.
A hard reset, also known as a master or factor reset, reverts your GE dishwasher to its original settings, clearing all data and programs on your appliance.
There are two ways to go about it. You can either disconnect your dishwasher from its power source by unplugging its cord, or you can turn it off at the circuit breaker.
- Step 1: Locate the power source.
Look for a power cord in the cabinet adjacent to your dishwasher. If your unit doesn’t have a cord, locate the circuit breaker in your home, which is typically in low-traffic areas like the garage or basement.
- Step 2: Disconnect the dishwasher from its power source.
Pull the plug from the wall outlet, or flip the switch on the circuit breaker to the OFF position to disconnect power to your dishwasher.
- Step 3: Restore power to your dishwasher.
After at least two minutes, plug in the electrical cord or flip the switch back to the ON position to power up your dishwasher.
| Quick Note: If your dishwasher doesn’t reset after unplugging it for a minute or two, disconnect it from the power source again. Leave it for about 10 minutes before restoring power. |
When to Reset a GE Dishwasher
You can reset a GE dishwasher to stop an ongoing cycle and change unintended settings or add more dishes to the racks. You can also do a reset to clear software glitches and error codes.
If an error recurs, don’t try to clear it again. Instead, look into the right repairs to resolve the problem.
When to Do a Soft Reset
No matter what issues you encounter on your GE dishwasher, you should always do a soft reset first to see if it can clear your problem—unless the fix calls for a hard reset.
Bugs and Software Glitches
Power outages may interrupt your GE dishwasher during a cycle, causing it to experience software glitches. For example, an error code may appear even though nothing is wrong with your unit, or some buttons suddenly become unresponsive.
In such cases, you can soft reset your dishwasher to clear the bugs and software glitches. If there are no other issues with the unit, it should start operating smoothly and efficiently after this quick fix.
Slow Draining
According to GE, you should press the reset button on your dishwasher if the drainage cycle is exceeding well over 7 minutes. A soft reset will put a stop to the loud beeping noises, but that alone won’t clear the issue.
You’ll see a C2 error code on the display when the unit is slow to drain. It usually indicates a blocked drain line, which you can easily clean after resetting the unit.
When to Do a Hard Reset
A hard reset should never be a go-to fix for your dishwasher problems because it wipes away all data on your appliance, reverting it to its default settings. As much as possible, you should avoid it unless it is necessary for a repair or a soft reset is impossible.
Whether your dishwasher has no power or your control panel isn’t responding to your inputs, a hard reset is often required for troubleshooting errors.
Not Draining
A C3 drain error, which indicates that your dishwasher isn’t draining(GE dishwasher not draining) at all, requires a hard reset. As per the manufacturer’s recommendations, you must turn off the power at the circuit breaker for at least 30 seconds to try and clear the error.
If it doesn’t fix the issue, don’t attempt to reset the dishwasher again. Instead, inspect your dishwasher and look for the possible causes of the drain problem like an obstruction in the drain hose or filter.
No Power
Say, your household has power, but your dishwasher has none, you can’t press the reset button to resolve the problem. You will have to disconnect the power directly from the source.
Although it can fix some of the most common causes of this fault, which include a tripped breaker and a software glitch, it can’t resolve all problems. If a hard reset won’t power up your dishwasher, you must look into component failure and other issues.
We have a more detailed repair guide that can help you figure out why your dishwasher has no power(GE dishwasher no power) and what you can do to troubleshoot it.
Control Panel Not Responding
An unresponsive control panel(GE dishwasher control panel not working) is often caused by a software glitch, which you can fix with a reset. If the Start/Reset button is still responding to your touch, you should do a soft reset.
However, if the button doesn’t respond to your input, you can unplug the dishwasher’s power cord or turn off the circuit breaker. Like other errors we mentioned, additional troubleshooting might be necessary to fix the problem permanently.
In this case, an unresponsive control panel could indicate a defective user interface board or main control board. If the fault recurs, inspect your dishwasher and replace the component, if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
On most modern GE dishwashers, the Start button doubles as the Reset button, which you can find on the control panel. Some models don’t have a dedicated button for this function, but you can still do a reset by pressing the right combination.
There are also GE dishwasher models with a reset button behind the kickplate access panel. To get to this button, you must unthread the screws mounting the panel.
Your GE dishwasher won’t reset if the Start/Reset button isn’t responding to your touch or the control board is malfunctioning. Instead of doing a soft reset, you can unplug the power cord or turn off the circuit breaker to do a hard reset.
To reset a GE dishwasher that won’t start, unplug the power cord or shut off power at the circuit breaker for at least a minute. Then, restore power to reset your appliance.
If an error code recurs after you reset the GE dishwasher, your appliance has a problem that has yet to be resolved. Find out what that error code means and identify the underlying cause of the fault.
Mechanical issues like damaged door gaskets, worn-out hoses, or broken hinges can’t be fixed with a reset. You must replace the damaged component to get your dishwasher to start running again.
We recommend hiring a professional if the error persists after troubleshooting. If some repairs are too complicated for you, request service.
