Whirlpool WDP540HAMZ dishwasher will not start or respond

The checks in more detail

Press the Start button on the control panel, after selecting a cycle, and, on a model with a pocket handle, close the door fully within the time the manual gives after pressing Start, since the cycle begins only when the door is shut. If the lights show a cycle selected and nothing happens, wait a minute, since the dishwasher may be filling or draining quietly before it begins. Look at the Control Lock. The WDP540 has a lock that disables the buttons, which may be on if the lock light is lit, and a hold on the Start pad for a few seconds turns it off.

Check the power supply: the dishwasher is hardwired or plugged in under the sink, and a tripped breaker or a switched-off wall switch, perhaps one that controls the disposer, can cut its power. Reset the breaker, and check the switch. A dishwasher that has no lights at all has no power. If lights show but the machine will not start, the control may need a reset: switch off the breaker for a minute and switch on again. Water supply matters. The machine needs the water valve under the sink open, and the supply to be on, since a closed valve stops the fill and the cycle appears not to start.

A clogged inlet screen can slow filling. Check that the drain is clear, since a full tub from a blocked drain can stop a new cycle. Check for a delay start setting, which may have been set by mistake and which keeps the cycle from beginning until later. If the Start light flashes, or the panel shows a code, look it up in the manual. This model has a plastic tub tier with triple filtration, and a clean filter helps. Contact Whirlpool with the model and serial number if the dishwasher will not start after these checks.