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Your dishwasher comes with many features, including the ability to lock its controls when you feel it’s necessary. Doing so will disable most controls on that panel, ensuring no one bothers the machine while it works. But how do you unlock it when you’re done?
You can unlock your dishwasher control panel by pressing and holding the Heated Dry button for 3 seconds. You’ll know it’s unlocked when the light above the LOCK pad turns off.
This quick guide will teach you how to restore your dishwasher’s control panel functionality after it’s been locked. On top of that, you’ll also learn why it’s essential to use that feature and what you can do if you cannot turn that lock off.
How Do You Unlock A Locked Dishwasher Control Panel?
You can unlock your dishwasher control panel in one easy step.
Press and hold the Heated Dry button for 3 seconds. You’ll know the panel is unlocked when the light above the LOCK pad turns off.
When that happens, all the buttons on your control panel will become responsive again. You can start, stop, or adjust the wash cycle in any way you need to.
Later, when you want to lock your control panel again, repeat the same steps:
- Press and hold the Heated Dry button for 3 seconds
- Wait for the LOCK light to turn back on
Your control panel will not be usable when you do that.
Read: Why GE Dishwasher Won’t Start Just Beeps?
What Is The Lock Feature For On A Profile Dishwasher?
Now that you know how to lock and unlock a dishwasher’s control panel let’s take a step back to understand what the feature is designed to do.
The Lock feature allows you to disable most of the panel’s buttons. When you do that, pressing the buttons will not interfere with any dishwasher settings you’ve already keyed in.
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Locking your GE Profile dishwasher’s control panel ensures that your kitchenware will get washed precisely how you want them to, without anybody interfering with the controls on purpose or by accident.
As you’ve read in the previous section, enabling and disabling the lock is incredibly easy. That way, using it won’t frustrate you or other adults. Still, it’ll keep kids away and prevent problems if those buttons are accidentally pressed.
Read: 5 Reasons Why GE Dishwasher Not Draining
Why Do You Need To Lock Your Dishwasher Controls?
Under normal circumstances, you don’t have to lock your GE Profile dishwasher’s control panel. Instead, you’ll input your desired settings and allow the machine to clean your dishes automatically.
However, the lock feature can be handy if you share a home with other people, especially children.
Locking your dishwasher controls allows you to:
- Prevent unwanted use by children: Even though dishwasher brands have unique names for their lock feature, people often recognize it as the ‘child lock’. That’s because locking your control panel is a helpful way to prevent kids from playing with the buttons and unknowingly starting or stopping a wash cycle.
- Prevent others from interfering with the wash cycle: Locking the control panel isn’t just about keeping kids out and other household occupants. An engaged lock prevents people from stopping your dishwasher or changing it to an incorrect setting. So, that lock ensures you get the precise wash cycle you’ve chosen without anyone making any changes.
Why Is My GE Profile Dishwasher Stuck On Lock?
Let’s suppose you’re trying to unlock your locked GE Profile dishwasher control panel, but it doesn’t work. In that case, here’s what you can do to troubleshoot and fix the problem:
Incorrect Unlocking
About this: Firstly, remember that there’s a correct way to lock and unlock your GE Profile dishwasher’s control panel. Typically, you’ll have to hold the Heated Dry button for 3 seconds until the LOCK light turns off.
However, your model might require you to press a different button or pair of buttons to unlock the control panel.
What’s happening: When your dishwasher control panel fails to unlock, the first thing to consider is you’re not following the correct steps. For example, you might let go of the button too quickly before the control panel can unlock.
Besides, you might not be pressing the correct buttons that apply to your dishwasher model.
How to fix it: Firstly, press and hold the unlocking button until the control panel unlocks. Besides that, you can also check the dishwasher user manual to confirm if you’re pressing the correct buttons to unlock your control panel.
Read: Should You Use Dishwasher Detergent Substitute’s?
Dishwasher Suffered A Minor Error
About this: Dishwashers rely on plenty of electronic components. That’s especially true for GE’s line of Profile dishwashers, which have more tech features than other models.
Unfortunately, the dishwasher can suffer from glitches or other short-term errors. These errors do not cause extensive damage but can lead to erratic or unusual behaviors in your dishwasher.
What’s happening: Another reason you can’t unlock your control panel is it has suffered a minor error. These electronic faults are not damaging, and their root causes can be almost impossible to figure out.
Still, it will cause unpredictable errors like your dishwasher lock staying stuck on even when you try to disable it.
How to fix it: Minor errors and glitches are fixed by resetting your dishwasher. First, disconnect its power supply and keep it that way for 1 minute. Once that time passes, reconnect the dishwasher and start it up like normal.
Read: Why Is Dishwasher’s Detergent Door Not Opening?
Damaged Control Panel
About this: This part is also referred to as the user interface, and it’s how you input all your instructions to your GE Profile dishwasher.
This is where you’ll lock and unlock the controls. So, if you cannot unlock it, it’s likely because there’s a fault in the control panel itself.
What’s happening: In this case, the control panel is likely damaged or otherwise faulty. When that happens, you can experience unusual behaviors, including not being able to unlock the dishwasher’s controls.
How to fix it: Unfortunately, you can’t repair a dishwasher control panel once it’s damaged or faulty. So, the only solution is for you to replace it with a functioning one, whether it’s new or used.
Take the faulty control panel out and carefully disconnect its wire harness. Then, mount its replacement in its place and replace the electrical connectors exact same way as before.
Read: Why Dishwasher Hums And Not Getting Water?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are a few more questions and answers you’ll find helpful when troubleshooting the control lock feature on your dishwasher:
What Does Lock Control Mean On GE Dishwashers?
Lock Control is a feature on GE dishwashers that disables the control panel. That way, it prevents unwanted use of the dishwasher or any settings changes once you’ve locked it.
Why Is The Control Panel On My Dishwasher Locked?
Your machine’s control panel is locked because someone has enabled the lock feature. The dishwasher will remain locked until you disable it by pressing and holding the lock button for that model.
Can You Turn A Dishwasher Lock Off Mid-Cycle?
Yes, it’s possible to disable the dishwasher lock mid-cycle if you need to change the machine’s settings. You can also lock it again while the machine is running.
Does A GE Dishwasher Control Panel Unlock Automatically?
No, GE dishwashers will not unlock automatically. Instead, you’ll have to disable the lock yourself when you want to use the machine’s controls.
Is It Possible To Change A Dishwasher Control Panel Yourself?
Yes, performing the replacement as a DIY task is possible. First, order the replacement part directly from the manufacturer. Then, install it yourself without having to call a technician. Of course, you should call a technician if you’re not comfortable doing it yourself.
