Answer Rich, You're most likely discussing the thermal fuse up in the control panel ? If that's the case, Yes a damaged heater element could be the issue. You also need to check for a "sticky" hi limit thermostat, loose connections and corrosion on the thermostat and heater terminals, and the more common issue is a weak or loose connection, in the junction box on the front frame of the dishwasher, where the power supply attaches to the machine wire harness. A model number would be a big help. Read More... Answered by AppliancePartsPros.com | Monday, May 20, 2013