First - Husband tried to run and all lights across touchpad blinking many many times. We shut the breaker and turned back on - tried again. same thing. Decided to leave.
Second - Next morning. appeared that it might work. pressed normal and energy saver dry and start. nothing. Pressed normal and sani-rinse - then the sani rinse light blinked 3 times fast. Basically, most of the "Options" buttons blink 3 times fast if you select them. Dishwasher doesn't run. Tried to reset, dishwasher made some noise for a couple of minutes - but nothing - no water no lights that I noticed.
Third - noticed a crack over start button - did a little research and decided to order a new control panel (the outer covering - not the mother board). I am currently waiting for this new control panel as I write this. Also, have the "secret" instructions from underneath and to me they don't communicate anything!!!frustrating!!!

Since I have had a few days on my hands, I have done further research and I am very unclear what the actual problem might be. I am thinking it could be the control panel (on its way), thermal fuse, the control board (mother board), the entire heater element or i don't even know what. How can a DIY housewife tell if the thermal fuse is bad (besides replacing)? At this point I just disconnected the two prongs that attach to it - but can't tell anything. Also, how would one tell if that ribbon cable is bad? I am going to wait to disconnect all until the new panel comes in, but it would sure be helpful to get some step by step guidance how to troubleshoot the issue.

My thinking is to replace the control panel and see if that solves the problem. Second would be to replace the thermal fuse (cause that seems easy); Third would be ribbon cable? Fourth the heater element/w/board and last the control board (mother board). What else am I missing? I know there are other sensors but I don't know where they sit or how to access - saw reference to a temp sensor and a high temp sensor....(btw, we have been using the high temp and sani options a lot lately...if that helps).

Thanks (just returned from out of town). Rec'd new panel today and took it all apart. DOOR LOCK MECHANISM - When I took this piece out I see that the male connectors on each side (imo) appear to be a little fried. Blackened mostly above the area of where the female connectors were. Really, I look at them and I would say they are mostly blackened, maybe one side of one prong is metalic. As you state, I am thinking that these pieces are the problem. Is is safe to say that if these male prongs are blackened that they are indeed fried?

Yes, the ribbon cable looks fine, actually the thermal fuse looks fine - not blackened at all.

If anyone gets a chance to reply regarding my observations on those door lock mechanism pieces, that'd be great! thanks!

Take off the kickplate on the bottom. With a flashlight and inspection mirror, note the colors of the wires going into the heater element. The element has two long white hex shaped rods with wires comng out of it. Inspect the mainboard for these 2 colors of wires. Disconnect that plug from the board with he matching wire colors and check the terminals on that connector for around 30 ohms of resistance. If you're reading O/L or open, you need to pull out the unit and replace the heating element. Prior to this check that thermal fuse. It will read 0 ohms on your meter if it is good. O/L if it's bad.

Sorry to keep updating......Put the heating element back together since okay. Wired back in the control panel and ran a diagnositcs test per the tech sheet "hi temp" "energy dry" "hi temp" "energy dry".

This is what happened during the Diagnotics Cycle:
***ALL LEDs lit up accros the panel - even all 3 to the left of the start button (control lock, santized, clean).
***Lights flipped back and forth between "normal" and "rinse only" a few times, then sat there on the "rinse only" for what seemed like at least 1-2 minutes then stops. No other lights light up during this "diagnotic". It sounded like some water ran; but I don't see any evidence of it.
***What EXACTLY IS supposed to happen during a diagnostic cycle anyway? that chart doesn't really explain what I should be expecting to see or hear.

On this NEW Control Panel (which is just the plastice with membrane buttons) --- am I even supposed to see anything light up when I press the START button? (those 3 little lights next to it?) ALSO, I pressed the normal and start button and nothing happened. NEXT, I pressed the "cancel" button and then it started making noises and stopped after a couple of minutes. Now if I press the normal, energy save dry and start button, close the door - the normal and energy dry lights stay lit for about 10 seconds and then just shut off.

My dishwasher light always blink and it never starts. The funny thing is that when I turn my microwave on the dishwasher works just fine. When I turn of the microwave the cycle stops and the light start to blink again, this is driving me crazy. Any ideas?