The clean light on my dishwasher keeps blinking and the dishwasher won't work. How can I fix this?

Try pressing the heated wash then heated dry one after the other about 5 times. This should reset the unit.

I had the same issue with my kenmore elite-flashing green is error code for heater system.Coil heats water to temp also used to dry dishes. Can be reset by pressing (within 6 seconds)HEATED DRY/NORMAL WASH/HEATED DRY/NORM WASH . All lights will flash. THIS IS PROBABLY A FIRE HAZARD. The dishwasher will restart but quit again next time the heater cycles on. To work on it safely,pull the D/W out (should be 2 phillips screws into the counter),and leave open the door.This takes the power out of the circuits,allowing you to safely reach under the very back and find the 2 plastic nuts that hold the heater in place.check the wiring connectors there for heat signs.On mine the wire was burnt right off. If you remove the heater by removing those 2 plasti nuts is easy to replace and costs about $40. I paid $7 for 1 new plastic nut.Look for traces of water on floor below-mine dripped a tiny amount(1/2 teaspoon) and was done like dinner. If you remove it the instructions say to replace it. Look for the servicemans schematic in the paperwork you got with the D/W.If wiring looks OK ,Have other issue than element replacement.: Dozer

It worked Thanks so much

Mine had different buttons... "Hi temp scrub " and "air dry" but it worked to reset.

I have had the same problem with the "clean" light blinking constantly for the past two days. Thanks to the members of this website the problem got solved by pressing the heated dry and normal wash repeatedly. You saved me from an unnecessary service call or worse yet from purchasing a new dishwasher!!

I've tried pressing NORMAL WASH and HEATED DRY repeatly. It doesn't work for me. Any suggestions?

Tried the Sani Rinse and Air Dry button sequence. All buttons lit up. I pressed cancel. All lights went out. Then later, the China Gentle light came on and "79" was in the timer indicator. A few minutes after that, all lights/indicators went out. Any idea what this means?

Thank you, service call was going to cost $129.00.

Can someone tell more about fire hazard? I had clean light blinking also... I did reset it... but I am concerned if there is anything needed to replace to be safe!

There is a service diagnostic code for diagnosing dishwasher problems, the blinking lights are the codes. e.g. 6 flashes = 6. etc. You need the paper diagnostic in order to 'decode' the blinking lights, its usually on the back of the access panel at the bottom of the Dishwasher.

Thank You, Jeppes! My Kenmore Elite was blinking "CLEAN" on Christmas Day, but your post saved the day. These reset instructions are nowhere in the manual. Many thanks and Happy Holidays!

I followed the instructions provided by pressing the heated water and heated dry. However, this is the second time this as happened in 2 weeks. I'm wondering if the DW has a major with the heater.

Thank you, thank you, thank you!! It worked... I spent so much time with Sears on the phone who wouldn't let me speak to a tech because they wanted the service call.
I finally got one but he called me after I read this post.
Thanks again, this is awesome.

That was totally awesome. Thank you so much for that advice. It worked! Yeah!

It worked! Thank you!

Awsome help thanks

Model 665.1396K015, error code F2E2. Machine taking in no water.

Be careful. I tried the "HEATED DRY/NORMAL WASH/HEATED DRY/NORM WASH " and my dishwasher started. I could hear the water coming into the dishwasher. I decided to wait and watch because I was concerned about the fire danger. Within a minute the dishwasher stopped. I figured I needed to call a service technician. I was right. When I went down stairs I heard water. My dishwasher was leaking and pouring down the wall below. Thank goodness my dishwasher stopped before more damage was done. I am calling the appliance repair technician tomorrow since it is after hours now.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Cancelled the service call and we won't have to hand-wash a dishwasher full of Easter dinner dishes this morning. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Just had the same problem. Manual said there was a power interruption that caused it. Pressing the buttons allowed the unit to reset itself and it is working fine now. Thank you for the advise. Even though I have the protection plan, it kept me from having to wait a week for a technician to come press the buttons.

dozer1234 thank you so much, your advice worked!!

Hi Dozer,

First I want to thank you for the help in solving the flashing green light problem on my Kenmore Elite, that process does work and I am able to use my machine as I normally do, but there is a question I have, would you happen to know why it is something that happens every few days? Even thought following these steps helps resolve the issue is it something I should have to be doing often? Additional info, my husband did change the heating element, and I asked if there was water under it and he said there wasn't. If you have any advice for me I would greatly appreciate it, I appreciate your advice thus far! :-) If you have additional help for this matter, great... if not thank you anyway. I will continue to keep doing this process until it dies on me completely lol

This [pressing the heated wash then heated dry one after the other about 5 times] did the trick for my Whirlpool Gold. Thanks

Add one more step for Kenmore Model 587-1526900A. After pressing Heavy Wash and Heat Dry back and forth 5 times the lights were still blinking so I pressed the Start/Stop button and the blinking stopped. The washer now runs great!

Thanks!!