Dishwasher Keeps Tripping the Breaker? Causes and Fixes

A dishwasher usually trips the breaker for one of two reasons: it shares a circuit with something else (often the garbage disposal), or it has a fault that leaks current, such as a failed heating element, a wet wiring connector or a bad control board. Run it alone first. If it still trips, unplug or switch it off and have it repaired.

A tripping breaker is a safety device doing its job. This guide helps you tell a harmless overload from a fault, and shows what you can check without opening any wiring.

Common causes

• A shared circuit. A dishwasher heats water and dries dishes with a heating element, so it draws a lot of power for part of the cycle. If the garbage disposal or a countertop appliance is on the same circuit, the total can pass the limit.
• A failing heating element. Over time the element can crack and leak current to the tub. This often trips the breaker only when the element turns on.
• Water where it should not be. A leaking door seal, hose or pump can drip onto wiring, the terminal block or the control board.
• Loose or damaged connections. Vibration can loosen connectors over the years, and a bare wire touching the frame will trip a breaker or a GFCI at once.
• A failing motor or pump. The wash motor and drain pump can short or seize and draw too much current.
• A worn breaker or GFCI. Less common, but old ones can trip below their rating.

What the timing tells you

Watch when the breaker trips. It narrows things down more than anything else you can do.

How to fix it

1. Turn the dishwasher off at the breaker and let the house breaker reset. If the breaker will not reset with the dishwasher off, the problem is not the dishwasher. Call an electrician.
2. Run it alone. Make sure the garbage disposal and any other kitchen appliance on that circuit are off, then start a short cycle.
3. Note when it trips. Use the table above. Write down the point in the cycle.
4. Look for water. Check under the door and around the base for puddles, stains or a wet floor. A dripping hose or worn seal needs fixing before anything else.
5. Check the outlet and plug. If your dishwasher plugs in under the sink, unplug it and look for scorch marks or a loose fit. If it is hardwired, do not open the junction box unless you are qualified.
6. Try the GFCI. If the dishwasher is on a GFCI outlet, press the reset button. A GFCI that trips instead of the breaker tells you current is leaking to ground, which points to the appliance, not the circuit.

Checks for people who are comfortable with a multimeter

With the power off at the breaker and the dishwasher unplugged or disconnected, a technician (or a confident DIYer) can check a few parts. The heating element should show continuity across its two terminals, and no continuity between either terminal and the metal tub. A reading to the tub means the element is leaking current. Wiring connectors near the kick plate can be inspected for discoloration, loose pins or water marks.

If you are not sure, stop here. A repair visit costs less than a damaged board or a house fire.

Is it worth repairing?

A heating element is usually an inexpensive part, and a repair is often worth it on a dishwasher that is otherwise in good shape. A new control board or pump can cost enough that replacement makes sense on an older machine, so ask for a quote and compare it with the price of a new dishwasher before you commit. If the tub, door seal or racks are also worn out, replacement is usually the better choice.

When to call a professional

Call a licensed electrician or an appliance technician if:

• The breaker trips the moment you start any cycle.
• The breaker will not reset with the dishwasher turned off.
• You smell burning, or see melted plastic or scorch marks.
• The dishwasher has leaked and you cannot find where.
• The outlet or the cover plate is warm.

Garbage disposals share the same kitchen circuit and can trip it in a similar way, as covered in why a disposal keeps tripping the breaker.

What not to do

• Do not keep resetting a breaker that trips at once.
• Do not install a bigger breaker. The breaker protects the wire in the wall.
• Do not run the dishwasher with a leak you have not found.
• Do not bypass or replace a GFCI with a standard outlet to stop it tripping.

Bottom line

Run the dishwasher by itself first. If it only trips with the disposal on, you have an overload and the fix is to avoid running both. If it trips alone, especially during heating or draining, treat it as a fault and get it repaired. For other breaker problems around the house, see other causes of a tripping breaker. If your machine is working but will not empty, read a dishwasher that will not empty.