📖 GLOSSARY · CONCEPT
What is a service mode?
A hidden technician menu entered with a key sequence, exposing stored faults and letting components be tested individually.
Nearly every modern appliance has a service mode reached by a specific button or dial sequence. It lets a technician read stored fault history and switch individual components on to test them — running the pump, energising a valve, cycling the lock — without stripping the machine down. Whirlpool dishwashers, for example, report stored faults by flashing the Clean light, and running diagnostics is what turns that blink into an actual code.
Where you’ll meet it
Repairs that involve service mode
Related terms
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