Washing machine won't turn on? Causes and what to check
No lights, no beep, nothing when you press the button. A dead washing machine looks like a big bill, but it's often something simple you can rule out in a couple of minutes. We attended 211 washing machine jobs for this fault in the last 12 months, and plenty of those start with a check anyone can do.
Rule out the easy stuff first
Start at the wall. Plug a lamp or a phone charger into the same socket to check it actually has power. Look at the plug fuse, and make sure the machine's own switch hasn't been knocked off.
Then check the fuse box for a tripped breaker or RCD. If something's tripped, that's a different problem, and our guide on a washing machine tripping the electrics covers it. Don't just keep resetting it.
Push the door firmly until it clicks. A lot of machines won't power the cycle until the door confirms it's locked. And have a quick look in the manual for a child-lock combination or a standby mode, both of which can make a working machine look dead.
The two faults we see most
Power at the socket and still no response usually comes down to one of two things. The door interlock, the switch that confirms the door is shut, often fails in a way that stops the machine powering the programme at all. It's a part we replace regularly. The other is the main control board, where a failed component or a poor connection leaves the machine dead or unresponsive.
Telling them apart takes testing, and error codes help, though they read differently on every brand. A Bosch won't report it the same way a Hotpoint does.
What it costs
Going on our own jobs, customers typically paid £102 to £261 in total for this repair, including parts and VAT (from 77 repairs). You'll have a fixed price before any work starts. Our engineers carry common parts on the van, so many repairs are finished at the first visit.
Book a washing machine repair
If the power's fine and the door's shut and it's still dead, book a washing machine repair or find your local washing machine engineer.
Frequently asked questions
Why won't my washing machine turn on?
Once the socket, plug fuse and a tripped breaker are ruled out, it's usually a failed door interlock, so the machine won't start until the door confirms locked, or a fault on the main control board.
It has no power at all. What do I check first?
Confirm the socket works with another appliance, check the plug fuse and the machine's switch, look for a tripped breaker, and make sure the door is properly latched.
Could it just be the door?
Yes. A door that isn't quite latched, or a failed interlock, is a common reason a machine seems dead. If it clicks shut and still won't start, the interlock may have gone.
How much does it cost?
Customers typically paid £102 to £261 in total for this fault, including parts and VAT (from 77 repairs). We confirm a fixed price before any work starts.
What our engineers found on 211 jobs
The figures below come from NAC's own repair records: 211 washing machine jobs our engineers attended for this fault, what they found, what fixed it and what it typically cost.
When a washing machine will not turn on at all, the cause is sometimes simpler than it looks. Engineers sometimes find that the socket has no power, that a wall switch or a separate switch above the worktop has been turned off by accident, or that the plug has not been pushed fully into the socket. Checking these before you book is well worth doing. Engineers also sometimes find a blown fuse, a failed electrical filter where the power enters the machine, or a fault on the main control board that runs the display and the wash.
To find the cause, an engineer starts at the socket and then follows the power into the machine, testing each stage to see where it stops. They will often check other parts such as the heater and motor too, so that nothing else is missed once the machine is running again.
If the problem is a switch or plug, it can usually be put right there and then. When a filter or control board has failed, the part often has to be ordered and fitted at a second visit. The engineer then runs the machine through a cycle to make sure it fills, washes, drains and spins properly.
Written by our engineers from these jobs.
- Jobs attended
- 211
- in the last 12 months
- Confirmed repairs
- 82
- This is not a success rate. Jobs inside their 60-day window, jobs still being classified, jobs held for review and visits that didn't end in a repair aren't counted.
- Fixed at the first appointment
- 51%
- about half of our repairs
- Typical total paid by customers
- £102 to £261
- including parts and VAT, from 77 repairs
No single cause has enough confirmed repairs behind it yet to show for this fault.
About the price. £102 to £261 is the typical total paid by customers, including parts and VAT: the middle half of what customers paid on 77 of these repairs. Repairs paid for by manufacturers and insurers aren't counted, because that work is charged at contract rates. It's a guide, not a quote. Your engineer confirms a fixed price before any work starts.
- Washing machine repair
- Washing machines
- No power
- Door lock
- Control board
Rather leave it to us?
- Fixed-price quote before any work starts
- Same or next-day visits where available
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