Dishwasher Does Not Start

For the past 15 years our dishwasher will not start unless the selector button for pots/pans is the one engaged. The other two washes are normal and china. I know the normal button does nothing. The rinse-hold button works properly.

When you press the normal button, the timer runs and you an hear the click as the cycles are indexed by the timer. The washer works fine if the pots/pans button is pressed. I cannot say anything about the china cycle as it is never used.

What do you think needs replacing? The big switch behind all the buttons for pots/pans, normal, china, heated drying, rinse hold, etc.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

A few minutes later: I was going by memory here but was running a test as I typed above. I had engaged the normal button. Nothing happened until the timer button got to china, then the dishwasher began filling. The timer was originally at the pots/pans location. It passed by the normal index position where the washer should have started making only an easily audible click. When it got to the china position it began the fill process. But it should have started at the normal position.

Hi.

The key parts for this dishwasher is no longer available.

Sorry.

Simon.

But what is the problem? The switch or the timer?

But what about this?

http://www.********.com/itm/NEW-WHIRLPOOL-DISHWASHER-SWITCH-PART-4163547-/300565410339

But is it the timer or the switch that is the problem? I’m hoping someone can tell me so I don’t have to go inside and investigate with a multimeter.

And what about this?

http://www.********.com/itm/NEW-WHIRLPOOL-DISHWASHER-SWITCH-PART-4163547-/300565410339

If you google the part number, you can find it on ********.