Average professional repair
$100–$220
Parts$20–$80
Labor$80–$170
Time30–60 minutes
DIY difficultyModerate

National averages for independent repair companies. Service-call/diagnostic fees ($75–$150) are usually applied toward the repair. Costs vary by brand, model, and city.

What causes it — and what each fix costs

Latch assembly / microswitch worn

$100–$220

The most common no-start on dishwashers. The assembly lives inside the door’s top edge — inner door panel comes off, latch swaps in.

✓ DIY-friendly

Strike plate bent or door misaligned

$0–$120

On built-ins that shifted in their cabinet, the latch misses its strike. Adjustment is free.

✓ DIY-friendly

Child lock engaged

$0–free

The free fix everyone forgets — check the control lock indicator before anything else.

✓ DIY-friendly

Repair or replace?

Repair — cheap part, and the alternative to fixing it is a dishwasher that only runs when you lean on the door.

♻️ DECIDED NOT TO FIX IT?

We'll quote you on hauling it away — or buying it.

Not every dishwasher is worth repairing, and we'd rather tell you that than sell you a repair. If you're replacing it, we'll give you a free quote either way: scrap pickup for a machine that's finished, or a cash offer if it still has life in it. Working units, recent models and premium brands are often worth real money.

Get a Free Quote → Free · No obligation · Arizona only

Common questions

My dishwasher stops when the kids run past — really the latch?

Yes — a worn microswitch loses contact with the slightest door flex. It gets worse until the machine won’t start at all.

Model-specific guides for this problem

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