What to Do When Your Cuisinart Food Processor Won’t Turn On

Has this ever happened to you?

You’re in the kitchen trying to get the prep work done for a super delicious dinner. You go to chop your vegetables, or shred cheese, or make breadcrumbs, but your Cuisinart Food Processor won't turn on. Worst of all, you have no idea why because it worked last time you used it.

This can be incredibly frustrating. But I have good news for you! Even if your Cuisinart Food Processor won’t turn on, it’s probably NOT broken. I know, what a relief!

More than likely, your Cuisinart Food Processor won’t turn on due to improper assembly. However, there could be bigger issues at play, such as rusted out parts or even a burned-out motor.

Reasons Your Cuisinart Food Processor Won’t Turn On

1. Is your Food Processor Appropriately Assembled?

If you’re lucky, the reason your Cuisinart Food Processor won’t turn on is solely based on the fact that it has not been correctly assembled. Cuisinart food processors have a safety feature that won't allow the device to turn on if it has been improperly assembled.

You can judge if it is improperly assembled by looking at the appliance. The bowl, the lid and the plunger all need to be in line for proper assembly. Additionally, everything needs to be clicked in properly. This safety feature can be a pain, but at least it offers a simple fix for when your food processor won’t turn on. Below is a guide that will walk you through how to put your Cuisinart Food Processor together, so we can eliminate improper assembly as the cause of it not turning on.

Quick Assembly Guide for When Your Cuisinart Food Processor Won’t Turn On

Bowl – Most Cuisinart Food Processors have bowls with ridges on the bottoms that will prevent you from putting the bowl on the base incorrectly. However, it never hurts to check this. Make sure the bottom of the bowl is flush with the base, and you hear an audible clicking sound when you turn it into place to secure it tightly.

Blade – The cutter blade will go into the bowl next. You may need to give it a little wiggle to make sure it slides down entirely into place.

Lid – The lid will go on to the top of the bowl. Typically, there will be a little handle on the lid that lines up with the handle on the bowl. This might be accomplished by putting the lid on and turning it into place, or it could simply just snap on depending on your model.

Guard – This is the most important piece, and I bet that it’s the piece you forgot! The metal handle on the guard slides into the handle on the lid and will hit a trigger. For safety reasons, your Cuisinart Food Processor won’t turn on if your guard is not on the machine. So, if you’ve misplaced this piece, you have to go find it so you can get back to dinner!

2. Did Your Food Process Overheat?

If your food processor was working and then suddenly stopped, this could be due to overheating. If it has overheated, it is possible that your Cuisinart Food Processor won't turn on for a short time. It can take anywhere from 5 mins to one hour for your appliance to recover. Hence, patience will be vital in this situation.

If you believe that overheating may be the cause of your Cuisinart Food Processor not turning on, then go ahead and wait at least an hour before trying to start it up again.

Unfortunately, if your Cuisinart Food Processor won’t turn on but it is assembled correctly and hasn’t overheated, the fix may be a little more challenging.

3. Is the Blade Jammed?

This may cause your food processor to stop mid-processing. You may be able to just remove a large food piece that caused the jam. However, if your blade was damaged in the process it may need to be replaced.

The blade can become damaged in a number of ways, such as:

• It became unattached for the casing.
• The blade has shattered (at one-point, Cuisinart recalled several items due to the blades leaving metal shavings in the food. You can request a replacement part from Cuisinart or opt to purchase the part online).
• The blade has become dull. This alone won’t be the reason your Cuisinart Food Processor won’t turn on, however if your blades are dull and ineffectual it may be time to consider a replacement.

4. Is the Bowl Broken?

If your bowl is cracked or broken, you must replace it immediately. A cracked bowl can cause fluids to leak from the bottom of the bowl onto the motor. Not replacing the bowl can potentially lead to a damaged motor which will be a more expensive fix. If your original bowl is cracked, you can buy a replacement online, or purchase it as an OEM part directly from Cuisinart. OEM means original equipment manufacturer.

5. Is the Motor Damaged?

If the blade isn’t spinning, but you can hear a whirring sound from the motor, this could be an indication that your motor is damaged. You can test this by unplugging your food processor and opening it up to check the motor.

There will be a motor replacement guide that will walk you through how to identify if the motor is in the appropriate condition or needs to be replaced. In addition to checking the motor replacement guide, you should check to see if your machine is still under warranty.

There are components in the motor that may need replacing. These components are mostly just switches that control the motor function. A worse problem would be the motor’s coils have burnt out. The motor has magnetic field coils that drive the center non-electrical rotor. The aforementioned switches are connected to these coils, so if the coils are burnt out a repair isn’t an option, you will need to get the whole motor replaced. This is why your first step should be checking to see if your machine is still under warranty if you find your Cuisinart Food Processor won’t turn on.

Related: Quick Troubleshooting Guide: My Ninja Blender Won’t Turn On!

6. Is There Rust on Your Food Processor?

If you notice rust on your food processor, especially the blade, you need to clean your machine properly before the rust inhibits function. This rust is caused by improper cleaning in the first place, so going forward, you will want to take more care with this task.

First, you will need to take the food processor apart. There could be bits of food that can hide in the top, the pusher, under the blade or even under the bottom of the bowl if you’ve acquired a leak. After you’ve taken apart the machine, set the bowl aside and wash everything else very thoroughly.

Now, it’s time to clean the blade. If it has rusted, you can use a scratch pad to gently remove the rust. Once this is done, rewash the blade thoroughly, taking care not to cut yourself.

Next, you can wipe down the motor/base. Just wipe it down, but do not submerge the motor in water or use a heavily saturated cloth. A damp cloth and a mild soap will suffice.

Finally, the most important part is to dry everything. Dry everything very, very well. Moisture leads to rust.

If you find your machine to0 rusted out beyond salvageability, you can opt to purchase a new Cuisinart Food Processor or replace individual parts.

To Conclude

It can be a super bummer if your Cuisinart Food Processor won’t turn on. Hopefully, it just comes down to improper assembly because this is a free fix.

If you do find parts that are damaged and need replaced, you have a few options. You can seek replacement parts online, like on Amazon or you can buy OEM parts directly from Cuisinart.

After you buy your replacement parts, make sure you are diligent about caring for your food processor. Wash and dry each piece thoroughly after use. And be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions about what and how much can be processed at once to prevent damage to the bowl, blade and motor.