Dishwasher Door Latch Doesn’t Work: 4 Reasons & Fixes (With Video!)

Is your dishwasher door refusing to latch, leaving your kitchen in disarray? Don’t worry—before you consider replacements, learn how to troubleshoot and fix that pesky door latch yourself with just a screwdriver. Dive into our step-by-step guide and watch the how-to video below to save money and restore order in your kitchen!

Need a replacement part for your dishwasher? Search below using your specific washer model number to identify the exact part needed:

Whether your dishwasher door won’t stay closed or the appliance won’t start even though it’s latched, a failed latch assembly can cause a whole host of headaches. Maybe it seems like your dishwasher’s bricked, but you don’t need to start shopping for a whole new appliance just yet. The door latch assembly is easy to access and repair with little more than a screwdriver. Want to know how? Check out our guide. In as little as ten minutes, you’ll likely know what’s up with your appliance, and be well on your way to fixing your issues at a fraction of the cost of a professional repair. Before we get started, don’t forget to check out the video below for a visual guide and a few extra tips not included in this tutorial.

Troubleshooting Dishwasher Door Latch Failure

This tutorial covers the most common issues faced by all major dishwasher manufacturers, including Whirlpool, GE, LG, Maytag, Samsung, and more. No matter your appliance’s brand or model, you should find some information here that’ll help you out!

Your Diagnostic Tool Kit

While you won’t need all of these tools for every test, you should have these items on hand to do a full diagnostic:

• A Phillips, or potentially Torx, screwdriver – whichever is needed to remove the screws along the inside of your dishwasher’s door
• A pair of pliers
• Work gloves

Before You Begin…

Be sure to disconnect the dishwasher from power either at the wall outlet or the circuit breaker. Since our concern today is just the door latch, you don’t need to worry about shutting off the water supply.

1. The Door Latch Assembly

Naturally, the first place to start is the latch itself. This plastic component works with the door catch, a metal part installed on the body of the dishwasher, to keep the door shut. A dishwasher’s latch can generally be found in the control panel on the inside of the door. Both internal and external parts of the latch can potentially break, which can cause a few different issues beyond the door not staying shut. If your door appears to be closed and latched, but the dishwasher won’t start, it could be that some part of the door latch assembly is failing to actuate the door switch. If the latch is misaligned, it could create an uneven seal on the door, which can lead to leaks around the door when the dishwasher is running.

So, how do you check this part? Grab your screwdriver and follow these steps:

• Open the dishwasher door and remove the screws that hold the control panel in place. There are a few screws along the top of the door interior that are specifically for the control panel, but on some dishwashers, you may need to remove all the screws on the door interior and remove the door’s front panel first.
• Rotate the control panel away from the door. This will give you access to the latch assembly.
• Check for the following issues on the latch assembly:
  • Is the latch properly mounted to the control panel? The assembly shouldn’t have any wiggle room, and it should be properly aligned on the control board. If it’s come loose, you can try tightening it down – that may be your problem.
  • Is any part of the latch cracked or broken? Check for cracks or missing chunks of plastic, particularly on the latching mechanism itself.
  • Does the latching mechanism work? You can manually move it by hand to test it.
• If you encounter any issues with the latch that can’t be solved by tightening down a few screws, it will need to be replaced.

2. The Door Handle

Dishwasher door handles connect to the latch mechanism, actuating the latch when you pull on them and allowing the dishwasher door to open. You can usually find your dishwasher’s door on the front of the dishwasher in the middle of the control panel. Door handles are usually made of plastic, which means they can grow brittle with age and crack or break if pulled too forcefully. If your dishwasher door isn’t latching when closed, the handle could be damaged, preventing the latch from actuating. You may also run into an issue with the door being difficult to open.

You’ll need your screwdriver again to check the door handle. Here’s how:

• Again, start by opening the dishwasher door and gaining access to the control panel interior. You’ll need to remove the screws holding the control panel in place.

• Depending on your dishwasher model, you may need to remove the door latch assembly. If you can’t see the handle with the control panel open, it’s time to remove the latch assembly.
  • Disconnect it, making note of which wires go where, if there are any.
  • Remove any screws holding it in place.
  • Carefully move it out of the way.
• With access to the door handle, check the following:
  • Do you see any obvious damage to the plastic? Cracks, breaks, or missing tabs can prevent the handle from interacting with the latch assembly properly.
  • Does the door handle move properly when you pull on it? If it’s sticking or doesn’t have a full range of movement, it is faulty.
• If you find any issues on the handle, it will need to be replaced.

3. The Door Latch Actuator

The actuator is a plastic component that connects the handle to the latch assembly. What your actuator looks like will depend on the brand and model of your appliance. There are many different styles, but they all function in roughly the same way, as a lever, activating the latch when the door handle is pulled. If the actuator breaks, your door handle and door latch can both be in working order but still fail. To check this part, you’ll need access to the control panel again. The actuator is between the latch and door handle, so remove the latch. The actuator itself will either be still mounted to the control panel or on the back of the latch. Make sure that the actuator hasn’t popped out of place and is properly mounted, and then check for any cracks or breaks.

With luck, you may just need to reseat the actuator, but if you see any damage, the part will need to be replaced.

4. The Door Strike

The door strike is a (usually) metal component that features a loop that the arm of the latch grabs when it’s engaged, holding the dishwasher door shut. On most dishers, you’ll find the strike mounted to the body of the dishwasher, at the top of the dishwasher in the middle. It’s not unusual for the door strike to break, fall out, and go missing entirely. So, if you open your dishwasher door and don’t see a strike, that is almost certainly your issue, and you’ll need to replace the part. To fully check the component, though, you’ll need to partially remove your dishwasher from the cabinet space.

Let’s walk through those steps:

• Shut the water supply off. It may not be an issue, but just in case, you should shut the water supply to the dishwasher off now.

• Check how much slack you have on the water line and drain hose. You will need to pull the dishwasher away from the cabinets by just an inch or two, but if there isn’t much slack on your dishwasher’s water line and drain tube, you’ll need to disconnect them to do this.
  

• Remove the screws holding the dishwasher to the cabinets and counter. There are likely one or two on each side, or potentially a few across the underside of the counter.

• Shimmy the dishwasher out of the cabinet space by an inch or two. This should give you a full view of the dishwasher door strike when the door is open.
• Check for the following issues:
  • Is the strike bent? Any dents or bents can prevent the appliance door from shutting properly, but you may be able to use a pair of pliers to bend it back into shape.
  • Is it loose? The strike shouldn’t be too loose. Again, this may be an issue with the strike being bent. Use your pliers to try and bend it back into place.
  • Is it corroded, significantly bent, or broken? If so, it will need to be replaced.

Finding The Right Replacement Part

When your dishwasher door latch isn’t working right, the best fix is usually going to be replacing a specific component. By following our guide, you should’ve tracked down which part is causing problems, but what do you buy to replace it? AppliancePartsPros.com recommends a genuine OEM replacement part, like you will find on our site – it guarantees an exact fit, which is especially important for components like these, because they might not work if they don’t sit just right. To find the OEM part for your appliance, you’ll need the model number. To get that, check for a sticker or label inside the dishwasher door. You might find it on top or side of the door itself or somewhere on the door jam.

Wrapping Up

We hope our guide has helped you solve the mystery of your dishwasher’s failed latch. Now that you know what the issue is, your next step is likely replacing a broken part, and AppliancePartsPros.com has you covered there, too! Check out our blog and our YouTube channel for a variety of repair tutorials for major appliance brands, and visit our site for OEM replacement parts and tips and advice from other do-it-yourselfers just like you. With AppliancePartsPros.com on your side, you’ll have your dishwasher fixed in no time at all!

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