Garbage disposal emits a burning smell or smoke when turned on
Safety Warning
This repair may involve working with high voltage components or water connections. Always unplug the appliance before removing any panels.
If you are not confident in your ability to perform this repair safely, we strongly recommend contacting a professional technician.
Possible Causes
How to Fix / Troubleshooting
Immediate safety: Turn the wall switch OFF, then shut off the circuit breaker. Do not continue to run the disposal if you smell burning or see smoke.
- Allow cooling: Let the Project Source unit cool for at least 30 minutes.
- Clear jam: With power OFF, use a hex wrench in the bottom socket to free the rotor and remove any debris from the grinding chamber with tongs.
- Inspect for damage: If there is visible charring, melted plastic, or a strong burnt odor from the motor housing, the motor is likely damaged.
- Test briefly: Restore power and test for only 1–2 seconds with water running. If humming, smoke, or burning smell returns, shut off power and replace the disposal.
Do not attempt to disassemble the sealed motor housing; Project Source disposals are not designed for internal motor repair.
Repair Difficulty
Required Part
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