Whirlpool Dishwasher Error Codes

Whirlpool and KitchenAid dishwashers use F8, F9, and F12 codes for drain, fill, and heating faults. Flood float switches trigger F8E4 on many 2020+ models.

General troubleshooting

Try these checks before opening a specific error code page—they resolve many Whirlpool dishwasher faults without parts.

1Remove kick plate and check for water in the float pan—towel dry if present
2Clean the filter and sump area under the lower spray arm
3Verify the drain hose loop is at least 20 inches high under the counter
4Run a hot water tap at the sink for 30 seconds before starting the dishwasher
5Use fresh rinse aid and avoid oversudsing detergent in soft water areas

Common symptoms

Owners often search for a code after noticing one of these issues on their Whirlpool dishwasher:

F8E4 or overfill with water in the base pan
F9E1 long fill or slow fill at the start of a cycle
Dishes wet and cold when the heating element fails
Grinding noise at drain with F6 or chopper-related faults
Door won't latch and cycle won't start

All Whirlpool dishwasher error codes

Code	What it means	Guide
E1F1	Optical water indicator sensor faultE1F1 flags the Optical Water Indicator—the sensor in the tub floor that detects water presence and turbidity. Whirlpool uses OWI feedback for fill verification and soil sensing; E1F1 means the signal was missing or out of range.	View fix →
E1F9	Wash temperature sensor reading invalidE1F9 reports the wash temperature sensor (thermistor in the tub or OWI assembly) sent resistance outside the expected range. The control cannot regulate heat or verify sanitizing temperature without valid readings.	View fix →
F1E2	Main control board memory corruptionF1E2 means the main control board detected corrupted memory or a failed self-check on its EEPROM. The dishwasher may power on but refuse to start cycles or may flash F1E2 immediately.	View fix →
F21	Heater relay not switching properlyF21 on legacy Whirlpool dishwasher displays indicates the heater relay on the control board is not switching the heating element correctly. The machine may finish cycles with cold water and wet dishes.	View fix →
F24	Overfill float switch stuck openF24 reports the overfill float switch in the front-right tub floor is stuck in the open position. The control interprets this as a flood risk and stops filling or running until the switch resets.	View fix →
F2E2	User interface cannot talk to main controlF2E2 means the touchpad user interface cannot communicate with the main control board inside the door. The display may freeze, flash, or show F2E2 alternating with blank segments.	View fix →
F2E4	Touch panel or UI wiring faultF2E4 indicates a fault with the user interface or its associated wiring—similar to laundry F2E4 alerts. The touch panel may not register inputs or may flash F2E4 when a cycle is selected.	View fix →
F3E2	OWI or thermistor temperature circuit shortedF3E2 means the Optical Water Indicator or tub thermistor temperature circuit reads shorted. The control cannot measure wash water temperature or turbidity for cycle optimization.	View fix →
F4E1	Circulation pump communication failureF4E1 means the main control lost communication with the circulation (wash) pump motor. Spray arms may not spin and the control halts the cycle shortly after fill completes.	View fix →
F5E1	Door not latched within three seconds of StartF5E1 means the door was not confirmed latched within three seconds of pressing Start/Resume, or one of the two door switches failed. The dishwasher will not fill until the latch circuit reports closed.	View fix →
F6E1	Vent and fan circuit electrical faultF6E1 is a vent/electric fault on Whirlpool dishwashers with a drying fan in the door vent assembly—the control detected an open or shorted circuit when energizing the vent fan during the dry phase.	View fix →
F6E2	Water inlet valve electrical faultF6E2 means the water inlet fill valve circuit has an electrical fault—the valve did not open when commanded or the control cannot verify valve current. The tub stays dry through the fill window.	View fix →
F6E4	Float switch open or dishwasher not levelF6E4 is the modern F/E code for an open overfill float switch—the same condition as F24 on numeric displays. The control detected the flood sensor tripped before or during a fill step.	View fix →
F7E1	Heating element not workingF7E1 means the dishwasher ran a cycle but the control detected no heat from the wash or dry heater. Dishes come out cold and wet even though the cycle appeared to complete.	View fix →
F7E2	Heating element stuck onF7E2 is a serious fault—the control detected the heating element staying energized when it should be off. This can overheat water and damage the tub if ignored.	View fix →
F8E1	Slow drain or inadequate water levelF8E1 means the dishwasher did not reach the expected water level or could not drain within the allotted time. The tub may show a shallow pool at the bottom when the code appears.	View fix →
F8E2	Drain pump electrical circuit faultF8E2 means the drain pump motor circuit has an electrical fault—open, shorted, or not responding when the control energizes drain. Water remains in the tub after the drain phase times out.	View fix →
F8E4	Detergent dispenser flow not detectedF8E4 means the control opened the detergent dispenser but did not detect the expected water flow or actuator movement through the dispenser chamber. Wash performance drops because main wash detergent never entered the tub.	View fix →
F9E1	Diverter disc cannot find positionF9E1 means the wash diverter motor cannot locate its home position to route water between upper and lower spray arms. The control times out waiting for the position sensor to confirm arm selection.	View fix →
FAE4	Dispenser actuator position not confirmedFAE4 means the detergent dispenser actuator did not reach the expected position after the control sent open command—related to F8E4 but specifically on models that monitor actuator travel with a position switch.	View fix →

20 codes documented with causes, fixes, and affected models.

← All Whirlpool error codes