Why Is My Whirlpool Microwave Not Working – Reasons & Fixes

Although Whirlpool offers the best quality microwaves worldwide, it is not always perfect. So even if it is rare, you will face issues like “Whirlpool microwave not working or won’t start”.

Well, there can be many possible issues responsible for your Whirlpool microwave malfunctioning. For example, your microwave is not getting enough power to start, and the door is not closed properly, the fuse is damaged, or broken capacitor, etc.

Therefore, you will need to look into the issues, find out about the root cause, and resolve them to make your microwave work properly.

So, let’s figure out why the Whirlpool microwave won’t turn on and how to solve it with thorough instructions with steps. Thus, we will start by looking into the causes of why the Whirlpool microwave is not working.

Whirlpool Microwave Won’t Start: Reasons & Fixes

The reasons why the Whirlpool microwave won’t turn on can be many. Moreover, the issues causing the Whirlpool microwave no power are common yet crucial.

Therefore, these are a few possibilities and the most common issues making your Whirlpool microwave not work:

• Insufficient Power Supply
• Damaged Heating Element
• Door Not Closing
• Check the Turntable
• Error Codes On Display
• Check The Whirlpool Microwave Switch Holder
• Burned Out Line Fuse Or Thermal Fuse
• Defective Control Board

These are the most general reasons that will most likely cause your Whirlpool microwave not to work or turn on. Thus, let’s discuss these reasons and find the most suitable solutions.

Now you know why is your Whirlpool microwave not working but has power. To fix these microwave problems, please follow the troubleshooting guidelines with the steps below:

1. Ensure Sufficient Power Supply

If your Whirlpool microwave has no power, it won’t turn on in the first place. The most common issue is a Lack of power supply that makes your Whirlpool microwave not work.

Therefore, you need to check the power connection of the microwave, and you can do that by using the following steps:

• Ensure the power connection is properly grounded (earthing) and has a working outlet.
• Verify the outlet’s operational state by plugging in a charger lamp or other electric appliances.
• Look into the household circuit breaker to check if it is damaged or if its fuse is burned out.

If you can detect any issues, call an electrician to make necessary repairs and replacements.

2. Repair the Heating Element

If the heating element of your Whirlpool has tripped, the microwave will turn on but won’t start cooking/heating. Therefore, you need to verify whether the heating element is broken or not by trying to heat something in the oven:

• Put half a cup of water on the turntable and close the microwave door.
• Start the microwave, set the time to 1 minute, and set the setting to H1.

So, if the heating element is damaged, your Whirlpool microwave won’t heat up, and you need to contact a professional to repair it.

3. Close the Microwave Door Properly

Failing to close the door properly is another reason your Whirlpool microwave is not working. In this case, you will need to ensure that the door is closing properly and not hampered by any issues:

• Slowly close the door, observing if anything is blocking it from firmly closing.
• If you’re using the microwave for the first time, remove the shipping space inside the door to close the door all the way.

If the door is not closing because of stuck food debris, wipe the dirt with a washcloth. On the other hand, if the door is damaged or bent somehow, repair it immediately by seeking an electrician.

4. Fix the Turntable of the Microwave

Your Whirlpool microwave may stop working if the turntable fails to rotate during cooking. To check if the turntable is working, do this:

• Start your microwave and monitor whether the turntable is rotating.
• If the turntable is working well, then it’s all good.
• But if the turntable is not spinning, you should repair it.
• To repair the turntable, remove the rollers and hubs and clean the debris off them.
• After that, place the rollers and hubs back in their place and ensure the turntable is placed in the supported position.

5. Check the Error Codes

The error codes or display codes appear when there is a technical error in the Whirlpool microwave. In this regard, you will require to check what the error code says and act upon it.

So, follow the steps below to know what these error codes indicate:

• F2 – This error code appears if the microwave is overheating, has a temp sensor malfunction, faulty control pad, or damaged membrane. You need to change the membrane switch control immediately.
• F5 or F3H – This indicates the humidity sensor is shorting for more than 5 seconds. To resolve this issue, you should get a new humidity sensor.
• F6 – When there is a microwave failure, this error displays. So, you will need to fix the wiring and controls related to it.
• F7 – It means the microwave is stopped cooking because of the interruption between the Neutral and L1 inverter circuit. Thus, changing the micro control board is the ideal solution.
• F3T – Damaged Exhaust Fan Thermostat leads to this error message, and you must make sure the microwave oven is not too hot or cold to operate.
• LOC or L – This means that you turned on or enabled the control lock. So, unlock the control lock, and you are good to operate the oven.
• Demo Mode – This is Whirlpool’s learning mode which will operate the whole oven without switching on the magnetron. It will also turn on the microwave light, fan, turntable, and other functions on its own accord. So, in this mode, your Whirlpool oven won’t work the way you want it to. Thus, you will need to switch the Demo mode off by pressing the Start button.

Hence, these are the most common display error codes on the Whirlpool microwave. Check the Instruction manual for guidelines if you see different error codes.

6. Change Whirlpool Microwave Switch Holder

The switch holder of the microwave consists of all the switches which are controlling the functions behind the control panel. The microwave won’t turn on if the switch holder is damaged or broken.

Further, the misaligned switch control will not actuate to and perceive any input from the switches you are pressing the buttons to command after the door closes.

So, if the switches are not cooperating, you need to check their state and make the necessary adjustments. So, contact the professionals to replace or repair the switch holders.

7. Replace Burned Out Line Fuse, Thermoprotector, Or Thermal Fuse

If the Whirlpool microwave’s line or thermal fuse is blown, the microwave will overheat. That’s why, as a defense mechanism, the microwave won’t start or turn on till you replace the thermal fuse, Thermo protector, or line fuse.

So, verify whether the thermal fuse (thermostat) or line fuse is defective by using the given steps –

• Switch off the Whirlpool microwave before attempting anything disassembling.
• Take off the Whirlpool microwave from the wall.
• Unscrew and remove the case of the microwave with a Philip screwdriver.
• Now open the door and remove the control panel by unscrewing it.
• Lift the control panel board, and it will smoothly detach.
• Unscrew the bolts of the inner access panel to get to the line fuse and thermal fuse.
• Detach the fuses from the noise filter board using a plier.
• Inspect the continuity of the line and thermal fuse with a multimeter.
• If there is no continuity, the fuse is burned out and requires replacing.
• If the fuse is in good shape, reattach the fuses utilizing pliers, as the problem lies elsewhere.

Note: There is a high risk of getting an electric shock while you’re testing the line and thermal fuse, as its capacitor contains a thousand volts of electricity. So, be very careful and wear insulated gloves while replacing them. ccc

8. Repair The Defective Control Panel Board

You will have to ensure whether the control panel is responsible for your Whirlpool microwave won’t start at all.

Well, it is very unusual for the main control board to get damaged, but things happen. So, here is how you can replace the damaged control board:

• Plug out the microwave from the power source.
• Open the control panel case and detach the board.
• Check for any wiring faults or dark smoke signs.
• Utilize a multimeter to verify the soldering point’s continuity.
• Fix the damaged wiring and solder the faulty soldering points as well.
• Make sure you seek assistance from a professional while inspecting and replacing.

Well, I have told you detailed solutions about the causes of making the Whirlpool microwave is not working.

How To Reset Whirlpool Microwave To Fix Errors?

Sometimes resetting the Whirlpool microwave is all it takes to fix some undetected issues. Such as, you can solve the Whirlpool microwave not working problem due to unknown causes with a reset.

So, how to do that? Here we go:

• Turn off the power unit of the Whirlpool microwave from the circuit breaker for 60 seconds.
• After a minute, Power up the microwave by switching on the circuit breaker.
• Initiate a bake cycle on the microwave.
• Observe the microwave for a few minutes to check if there is any display code.
• If not, enjoy operating the microwave and baking foods.

Thus, this method will help to solve the Whirlpool microwave not turning on all of a sudden.

Final Words

This is the end of discussing everything related to the Whirlpool microwave not working issue. I talked about all causes and the optimal solutions for the Whirlpool microwave won’t start problem.

Therefore, I hope you were able to find the issue and resolve it without any casualties. On this note, I will also like to say that microwaves can be very dangerous to repair without proper caution and training.

Well, its capacitors contain a high intensity of electricity even after being turned off. So, please stay vigilant and wear insulated gloves as a safety precaution. Thus, enjoy baking and cooking in the Whirlpool microwave.

Related Reading:

• Is A 900 Watt Microwave Good For Your Kitchen Needs?
• How Hot Does A Microwave Get? You Need to Know

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