Maytag dishwasher lights are flashing...how to stop?

I have a Maytag MDB979SAM1 dishwasher, wouldn't start- all kinds of weird light combinations. I pulled the control panel off, pulled the ribbon cable connector apart and using a folded piece of paper/ ran across the pins of the ribbon cable; both sides. paper was really dirty. reconnected everything and it works fine now. Save $150 on new control panel.

Thor
May 2019

From now on, I'll begin my fix by cleaning the door latch and hinges with vinegar. Worked like a charm! - Thanks to all for offering advice.

CKM
January 2018

Needed cleaning. Thanks, you people are awesome.

Dennis
November 2017

Awesome! Vinegar worked like a charm! Thanks!

Dean
November 2017

Us, too! Thank you

jamie
August 2017

Followed JPeterson Feb 2017 advise and dishwasher back to normal. Thanks, saves me from a headache.

Tombstone
June 2017

Pressing Delay/resume once, Drain off twice worked for me too!! So happy we don't need a new dishwasher!

Marilynn
April 2017

Thank you internet! Delay/Resume once and Drain/Off twice worked here too!

JPeterson
February 2017

Thank you for the advice - tried a couple of years ago and forgot it - turned off the breaker, no luck, cleaned the latches, no luck. Pushed the buttons - voila'!

sdavis124
November 2016

Clean and Normal Wash were blinking, dishwasher was inoperable. Used a skewer to get the gunk out of the door latch (and Windex, since I am out of vinegar), hit delay/resume, then drain/off, and now it's working again.

AD
June 2016

This happened to me too. The "CLEAN", "Rinse Only" and "Heated Dry" lights were all blinking and the unit was inoperable. I pushed the "Delay/Resume" once and the "Drain/Off" button twice and viola!!! It worked!!! I pushed and held the buttons for 2-3 seconds as well.

Bryant
June 2016

How do you reset the eq plus dishwasher

Tammy
April 2016

Did the delay / cancel and light turn off but now doesn't work at all

Frustrated mom
January 2016

Thanks to everyone, I had to hit the delay/resume as suggested, did not work, THEN I hit every hingh and latch with vinegar, delay/drain twie (again) then selected AUTO wash (we usually use normal, and voila - it worked,
Thanks all~

grateful
July 2015

The magic code! Delay/resume once! Off twice!

I can't believe its working....

Christine
March 2015

OK,..I tried this, but not sure I'm doing it right. Is the dishwasher off at this time that you press the buttons? We turned the breaker off for 4 hours and only the drain light came on when we put power back to it. It is only 2 years old and there is absolutely no support from Whirlpool on a 2 year old dishwasher. Never again!

Dee
January 2015

Shut power when all buttons flashing and non-responsive. Let off for 5 minutes Lights still flashing when power went back on. Hit drain button which now responded. Lights went off after shutting off drain cycle and was able to program a wash cycle which is now running. Hopefully this fixes it!

NoName
January 2015

Had frozen heated/locked light and other blinking lights.that prevented washer from starting. My fix: Turn off breaker to washer. remove top six screws inside door. remove inside cover that is over control board by unlatching four tabs indicated by arrows on cover. Carefully remove connector P1 It is on left and is a multi-conductor ribbon cable. Put touch panel back on by inserting top two screws that hold handle/latch. Leave door open. Turn breaker on. Close door. In 5 seconds the washer will start its drain cycle. If it does. the push buttons are bad. If it does not drain is i the electronic control board that is bad. [From tech sheets info]

RPI Eng
October 2014

Delay/Resume - Drain/Off option didn't work.
Thanks to MarVellJones for recommending the white vinegar. I sprayed it on the door's latch, hinges and inside frame of dishwasher door. Then wiped it off and...it worked!!! WOW!!!
Elena

Elena Celis de Pena
August 2014

One other "solution" that may work if the Delay/Resume Drain/Off option doesn't work: clean the door latch. On my unit about every six months I have to open the door and pour cleaner into the latch. You'll notice the problem when the latch starts to get "sticky" and you have to slam the door to get the dishwasher to start. I use straight white vinegar to clean it and I put something under the door to catch the gunk that falls out.

MarVellJones
July 2014

ok, but once you hit the drain off, its off, then what?

Diane G
May 2014

To stop the [incomplete cycle] blinking lights:

"Delay/Resume" once, then "Drain/Off" twice. I suspect this is caused by stopping the system to unload the dishes while some time is left on the "sanitize" clock.

No more Maytag after this one, Samsung or Goldstar.

Alan Covell
March 2014

Are you bypassing wires to make this connect? I tried following the above directions but was not successful.

Martha, MD
July 2013

worked for me thanks!

Pat
November 2012

I'd like to add my two cents here... i have this Maytag Jetclean dishwasher for years now. Flashing lights started to show up after 2-3 years, and the "Breaker off-resume once-Off twice" worked manytimes; thanks to those who posted that. Lately, it started to happen more often... Breaker had to stay off for a day, then iy may work... but not always...

I decided to look at it my way (worked in equipment maintenance for years). So,
- Door open, i removed the door interior wall (7 Torx Screws).
- Pulled out the plastic cover and found the main board, plus switch board attached to it.
- Disconnected the connectors (couple of ¼inch socket head screws to remove also) and looked at the board.. 2 resistors were showing somekind of heat, but nothing serious. I just soldered them back to make sure.
- Board back in place. TO put power on the board, the door needs to be closed, so i removed the door lock bracket out of its place (2 screws). I now have everythings in hands, and can actuate the door lock.
- Hit the door switch.. it goes in drain cycle at this exact moment... has after you do the "breaker-resume-off" routine...
- While i was holding the boards, i see a spark on the main board... Drain cycle stops, and it flashes....The only location where those sparks can come from are the main power and return wires...

All wires going to the boards are using connectors, but not the power and return wires. They are just "plugged" into tin plated holes in the board itself. I SOLDERED THE POWER BLACK WIRE AND RETURN WHITE WIRE DIRECTLY ONTO THE BOARD .

Dishwasher is now doing the only things it needs to do... wash ... it even plays music on non-cloudy days !!!!

Hope it helps !

Normopc
July 2012

Actually I have a question, I have a Maytag with blinking lights also. Steam blinks until I reset then if I try to set the dishwasher to run, Normal, Steam, and Cancel all blink. Anyone know what the error codes are? I don't want to purchase an $80.00 part to find out I needed the $13.00 part or the $200.00 part. This has me so frustrated that they can't give you the error codes.

Robert
June 2012

YEAH! Thank you for this post. It saved me lots of headaches and worries. It worked just fine . . . I never would have figured this out on my own.

David
April 2012

This worked for me this evening:
Try 'Delay/Resume' once then 'Drain/Off' twice
(from previous posts in this thread)

Jeff
March 2012

Maytag dishwasher lights are flashing - how to stop?

Carol
February 2012

Worked for me too!

G Wagner
October 2011

Try 'Delay/Resume' once then 'Drain/Off' twice

This worked great!

Matt
April 2011

It worked! Thank you very much!

John M.
January 2011

Worked for me too!

phil
December 2010

Thank You, It worked. I did it once but forgot how I did it. Hopefully I'll remember next time.

mmdabear
November 2009

worked!!

Wade Murray
August 2008

Worked for me too. Many thanks!

Richard C
August 2008

Thanks for posting; this fixed my problem too...

Bob C.
June 2008

The magic code! Delay/resume once! Off twice!
I don't think you need to worry about buying Maytag again. The venerable company quit making quality products, and a few years later had to sell themselves to Whirlpool.

Somebody
April 2008

Try 'Delay/Resume' once then 'Drain/Off' twice. You may need to hold a button for a couple of seconds.

This worked for me.... Thanks...wife was having a bird after 35 people where over...

Fabs

Fabs
December 2007

This happens to our Maytag dishwasher every few months. We paid for 2 service calls before we figured out that you need to hit two buttons to reset it.

Try 'Delay/Resume' once then 'Drain/Off' twice. You may need to hold a button for a couple of seconds.

I hope that helps.

al
November 2006

There is a combination of buttons to touch. I go through this every six months. The best way to avoid this happening is to stop buying Maytag. They need to wake up their service man and put him on the quality control line. I have a refrigerator (3 different machines in 3 years, and one repair to the 3rd one), a stove that's been repaired twice and now the oven light is out, a washer that's been down three or four times. BUY ANYTHING BUY MAYTAG!

J Moran
August 2005

You could try shutting off the breaker or pulling the fuse that its on for a minute or so.

JP
June 2005