When an Asko dishwasher is not starting, the cause is very often something simple that takes seconds to check: the door is not fully latched, the controls are locked, a delayed start has been set, the water supply is off or the circuit has tripped. Start with those. Asko dishwasher not starting is a broad symptom, so the order of the checks matters more than any single one. If the display is completely dark after you have checked the power, or a fault message keeps coming back, stop and book a technician, because the rest of the diagnosis is not an owner job.
Is the door really shut?
A dishwasher will not run with the door open, and the sensing is deliberately strict, so a door that looks closed can still be a fraction short of latched. Push the door firmly shut and listen for the latch. Check that nothing is in the way: a dish handle sticking out of the lower rack, a utensil poking from the basket or a rack that has been pushed back on its rails can all keep the door from closing fully. If the door still will not catch, our page on a dishwasher door that will not latch covers the next checks.
On a fully integrated model the controls sit on the top edge of the door, so the display is only visible when the door is open. That is normal, and it also means a message shown during the cycle is hidden once the door is shut. Our dishwasher terms glossary explains the different front styles.
Run through the checks in the order given here and change only one thing at a time. If you change three things at once and the dishwasher starts, you will not know what the problem was, and it will probably come back.
Are the controls locked, or is a delayed start set?
A control lock, also called a child lock, is designed to keep the buttons from responding. It is easily set by accident when cleaning the panel or when a small child presses buttons. Your manual shows how to release it on your model; do not guess at button combinations, because the sequence is different from one model to the next.
A delayed start is the other quiet cause. If someone has set the dishwasher to start later, it will sit apparently idle until the chosen time. Look at the display for a time or a delay symbol, and cancel it as your manual describes. A cycle that was selected but never confirmed with the start button also looks like a dishwasher that will not start.
Is the dishwasher getting power and water?
A dishwasher with a completely dark display may simply have lost power. Check whether other things on the same circuit are working and whether a breaker has tripped. If a breaker has tripped, reset it once. If it trips again immediately, leave it off and call, because a dishwasher that trips its breaker needs inspection, and repeated resetting is not safe.
If the display is dark and the breaker is fine, a short wait and a power reset can clear a frozen control. Switch the dishwasher off at its breaker for a minute, then switch it on and try again. Do this only once, and only if you have not seen water or sparks. If you have, stand on a dry floor and keep the breaker off. Do not pull a plug from a wet outlet.
Also check the water. A shutoff valve under the sink that has been closed after a plumbing job will stop a cycle during the fill, and some models show a message rather than starting. Open the valve fully and try again.
Look inside as well. Check that nothing tall or wide in the racks is pressing against the door or the tub, and that the racks sit properly on their rails. Rearrange the load by hand, and do not force anything.
What if a code appears on the display?
If the display shows a code, write it down exactly. Asko uses different control platforms across its dishwashers, and the same code can mean different things on different platforms, so a lookup only works against the right table. Our guide on Asko dishwasher error code families explains how to tell them apart, and the page on why Asko fault codes are not universal explains the reason.
A code that disappears when you reset the dishwasher and does not return is a nuisance; one that returns is a fault. Do not keep resetting a machine that returns the same code, because the underlying cause may be getting worse.
When should you call a technician?
Call if the dishwasher still will not start after the door, locks, delayed start, water and breaker have been checked, if the display stays dark, if a code keeps returning, or if you notice water in the base or burning smells. Never open the dishwasher’s panels, and never try to defeat the door switch to make it run; that switch protects you from hot water and moving parts. Our overview page on a dishwasher that will not start lists the components involved, and our Asko dishwasher repair page explains how a visit works.
