My Pressure Washer Does Not Turn On

When the power washer does not turn on, it is either due to no water flow or no electricity going to the power washer. In other words, either a water or electrical problem.

Water-flow Issue

The first area to check is water flow. There must be water flow through the system for the unit to turn on. The water flow check is as follows:

1. The high pressure hose, spray gun and lance must be connected to the power washer.
2. The garden hose must be connected to the power washer using the garden hose adapter.
3. Turn the water completely on at the water faucet.
4. The power cord should not be plugged in.
5. Squeeze the trigger on the spray gun.
6. If there is water flow through the spray gun and lance shooting 10 – 25 feet, this confirms water flow is NOT the problem for the power washer not turning on.
7. If there is no water flow, perform the following troubleshooting procedures:
   a. Remove the lance, squeeze the trigger. If water flows, the lance is blocked. Use cleaning wire to clean the nozzle tip and try again.
   b. If no water flows with lance removed, turn the water off. Remove the spray gun from the high pressure hose. Turn the water on, if water flows, the gun is the problem. Reattach the gun, turn the water on and squeeze the trigger. Sometimes this unblocks the gun. If not, replace the spray gun.
   c. If no water flow with the gun removed, remove the high pressure hose, turn the water on to make sure there is no blockage in the hose. This is very unlikely but we need to make sure.
   d. If no water flows out of the water outlet, the quick connect garden hose adapter is problem. See Garden Hose Adapter troubleshooting.

Electrical Solutions

1. The power switch was not turned on. Find the power switch and make sure the “—“side of the rocker switch is pushed down. “O” = Off and “¾” = On.
2. Next, make sure the power cord is plugged directly into an outlet and NOT into an extension cord. The directions do say not to use an extension cord.
3. Each time the power cord is plugged in to an outlet, the Reset button on the GFCI module must be pressed down to connect to electricity.
4. Check to see if the Reset button has been pressed.
5. Next, confirm the small plastic window below the Reset button shows RED in the window. The RED color is not a light but a RED screen that slides into the window when the Reset button is pressed down. Because it is not a light, it can be hard to see in low light. If you are unsure, press the TEST button down. If the GFCI was set and RED was in the window, you will hear and feel a “click.”
6. The RED color must stay in the window once the button is released. This confirms there is electricity going to the power washer.
7. If the RED color goes away when the Reset button is released, there is NO electricity going to the unit. Try another outlet until the RED stays in the window.
8. Now if the unit turns ON for a second or two with the Reset button pressed and the power switched on, it is working as it should. All that is left to do at this point is to squeeze the trigger on the spray gun and the power washer will turn on. When the trigger is released, the power washer will turn off. This is due to the Total Stop System (TSS) that only turns the unit on when water is flowing through the power washer. When the trigger is released, water flow stops which the TSS sensed and immediately shuts the unit off. a) So to review, if the Reset button has been pressed and is holding and the power switch is ON, the power washer is supposed to start up for a second or two and immediately shut off. At this point all you need to do is squeeze the trigger; the unit will turn on.