What If A KitchenAid Food Processor Won't Work?

If you have a KitchenAid food processor, chances are good you use it often. Food processors are a fabulous kitchen tool for everything from chopping vegetables for soup to pureeing baby food. Thanks in part to how frequently your food processor might be used, there is a chance it will wear out over time. Fortunately, troubleshooting a food processor that won't work, whether due to age and use or a malfunction, can be fairly straightforward.

If your KitchenAid food processor is not working, consider what you were doing when it stopped functioning. Were you chopping a particularly thick or hard piece of food? Is it possible that caused the motor to burn out? Alternatively, was the appliance sitting in your cabinet and simply wouldn't turn on the next time you took it out to use it?

The first step to troubleshooting your food processor is to refer to your manual. It likely outlines the steps you should take. If not, follow these steps:

1. Check to see whether your food
   processor is plugged in. If so, be sure to unplug it before you get
   started. It is very dangerous to troubleshoot your appliance while it
   is plugged in. You may also wish to try unplugging the appliance and then
   plugging it back in to see if it resolves your problem.
2. Are the bowl and lid of the
   unit set up properly and locked in place? If not, your food processor may
   not turn on.
3. Are buttons accidentally
   depressed or stuck down? If so, try to raise them back to their original
   position.
4. Be sure that the outlet you
   have your food processor plugged into is not the issue. Test another appliance in the same outlet. If it also doesn't work, check the circuit
   breaker box to be sure your breaker has not tripped.
5. It is possible that your food processor
   has overheated. Let it sit for several minutes to cool to a safe temperature.
6. If the speed light on your
   KitchenAid food processor turns off and the Off/Pulse light flashes, wait
   until the Off/Pulse light turns off and retry the food processor. This
   could also be happening because the KitchenAid food processor is
   overheating.
7. It is possible that the motor is
   locked. If the speed light stays on while the Off/Pulse light flashes,
   press the Off/Pulse button to reset the motor.

If all else fails, you can try to use your KitchenAid food processor reset button. This should restore it to its initial settings and permit you to use the appliance.

If you are still having difficulty, the motor of the appliance may no longer be functional. Call the number on your KitchenAid food processor's manual and ask to speak to someone to help you troubleshoot your unit. They will likely walk you through the steps you have already tried based on what is in the manual.

If these steps do not work, ask to be connected to the warranty department. If your device is under warranty, KitchenAid should ship you a new one free of charge. They may ask you to send back the malfunctioning device but should not require you to pay to do so. If your device is not under warranty, many companies like KitchenAid will still attempt to help you by offering discounted repairs from certified technicians or sending you a coupon toward a new unit.