Cuisinart Food Processor Won’t Turn On-What Could Be Wrong??

A faulty Cuisinart food processor can frustrate you. Imagine when your family is waiting for a delicious dinner, and your processor won’t start. So you try to chop meat, crush vegetables or mince some cheese, but the appliance won’t work!

What might be the problem? Several reasons can damage a Cuisinart processor. Some reasons include a damaged motor, components not being well aligned, a jammed blade, a broken bowl, or an overheated device.

Read on to have a better understanding of why your Cuisinart food processor is not starting.

At A Glance!

  1. The Device Is Not Well Aligned

The Cuisinart food processor cannot run if the components are not well aligned. To ensure that the components are well aligned, make sure that the work bowl locks in place.

You can lock the bowl by setting the cover and turning it to ensure it is properly locked. Then, slide in the small and large pusher to ensure that the mechanism is properly engaged. Kindly refer to this guide, Cuisinart DFP-14BCN Bowl Replacement, to ensure that the appliance is well aligned.

2. Damaged Motor

If you hear a whirring sound after turning on the motor, this is an indication that the motor is faulty. You should inspect the motor by unplugging it from the power source and opening it up.

The best thing about a Cuisinart processor is that it comes with a guide that walks you through how to spot a faulty motor and replace it. Therefore, you will not experience any difficulties when inspecting the motor. 

 In most cases, the motor components such as switches are the problem. They require a replacement.  However, a worse situation is when the motors burn out. See, the motors have sensitive coils that power the center rotor. Therefore, if the switches burn, you will need to replace the entire motor.

Nonetheless, if your appliance is still under warranty, we recommend that you return it for a checkup or replacement. 

3. Jammed Blade

If you exceed the amount of food used in a Cuisinart processor, the motor will slow down or fail to function completely due to high resistance.

To remove the jam, reduce the amount of food in the processor. In addition, we recommend that you adhere to the recommended capacity of the processor. 

4. Broken Bowl

Are you using a broken or cracked bowl? It would be best if you replaced it urgently.  See, a broken bowl will leak fluids to the motor. If you don’t replace the bowl, you are likely to damage the motor.

As we mentioned earlier, a motor is extremely expensive to replace. Therefore, once you notice a crack on your bowl, replace it to avoid additional problems.

5. Overheated Device

If the appliance stops working midway, you need to allow the machine to cool. For example, the motor might have stopped due to excessive strain and heat.

Therefore, turn off the machine after every 5 to 10 minutes and allow the motor to cool. Also, always process the food in smaller batches for a limited time to prevent the motor from overheating.

What Do You Do When Your Food Processor Stops Working

When your kitchen food processor stops working, review your working pattern before it stopped running. Were you cutting thick vegetable pieces? Did you overwork the processor? Did the power go off? The answers to these questions will enable you to fix the processor.

However, if you are still unable to fix the processor, you can troubleshoot your appliance. Troubleshooting requires you to follow some steps. We have outlined the steps to guide you.

Step 1: Check If The Power Is Plugged In

Before you troubleshoot your appliance, you need to ensure that it is unplugged from power. It is risky to troubleshoot your machine while it is still plugged in. You can also unplug and plug back the appliance to see if it will address your issue.

Step 2: Ensure That The Bowl And Lid Are Locked In Place

If the two components are not locked in place, the processor won’t turn on. As you inspect the components, you also need to ensure that the buttons are not stuck down. If they are, try to take them back to the proper position.

Step 3: Inspect The Power Outlet

In some cases, the power outlet is the problem. Therefore, move your processor into another outlet. If the appliance still fails to work, inspect the circuit breaker box to ensure that breaker is in the right position.

Step 4: Check If The Food Processor Is Overheating

If the appliance has overheated, allow it to cool for some minutes. You can verify if your processor is overheating by checking the processor lights. If the light speed turns off and a ray of light flashes, the processor is overheating.

Therefore, you need to allow the device to switch off.

Step 5: Reset The Appliance

 If all the above options fail, it is time to reset your appliance. Below, we have discussed in depth the process of resetting a Cuisinart food processor.

Related article

How Do You Reset A Cuisinart Food Processor

Every Cuisinart food processor has a reset button. The button is used to restore the machine set to its initial situation. Therefore, if you are experiencing any issues with your processor, you can press the button and restore your machine.

Nonetheless, if the machine is still faulty, you can call the number on your manual or the manufacturer’s website and ask them to help troubleshoot your appliance.

The first thing they will likely do is ask you to follow all the troubleshooting steps in the manual. If the steps fail, they will check if your machine is still under warranty. If you still are under warranty, you may receive a new appliance.

However, if you are not under warranty, they will rest your machine for you or send you a technician at a discounted price.

Final Thoughts

A faulty Cuisinart food processor can irritate you. You are lucky if an improper assembly of the machine is the problem.

However, if the parts of the machine are damaged, you can replace them. Just call the manufacturer or purchase them on online markets. After purchasing your parts, please adhere to the manual guide for fixing them.

Nonetheless, if your machine remains faulty, call the manufacturer’s customer service on the way forward after the repairs.

We wish you luck as you enjoy using the Cuisinart food processor!

You May Also Like:

Leave a Comment