Whirlpool Washing Machine Error Codes
28 error codes with causes and fixes
- F21Drain cycle taking too longF21 is Whirlpool's long-drain fault on Duet and similar front-load washers. The drain pump ran longer than about eight minutes without emptying the tub. The washer pauses and locks the door until water is removed or the fault clears.
- F09Overflow water level detectedF09 reports an overflow condition on Whirlpool Duet front-load washers. The pressure switch sees tub water above the safe fill level. The drain pump may run continuously trying to lower the level while the cycle is halted.
- F08Wash water not heating properlyF08 means the washer could not raise water temperature as expected—on Duet models the tub must pass 86°F within the first 40 minutes of a heated cycle. The heater circuit or element is not delivering heat the control board can verify.
- F22Door lock failed after six attemptsF22 appears when the door lock motor cannot achieve a locked position after six tries. Whirlpool front-loaders will not fill or spin until the latch confirms closure. You may hear repeated lock attempts before the code displays.
- F20No water detected during fillF20 (also shown as FH on some displays) means the pressure sensor detected no water in the tub within about 30 seconds of the inlet valves opening. Both hot and cold supplies must be connected—single-hose setups trigger this fault on Duet washers.
- F23Heater not warming water in timeF23 is a wash-heater fault distinct from F08 on some model years. The control timed out waiting for the in-tub heater to bring water to the programmed temperature during the initial wash phase.
- F24Tub temperature sensor reading invalidF24 means the tub temperature sensor (NTC thermistor) at the rear bottom of the outer tub sent an out-of-range reading. The washer cannot safely regulate wash heat or cold-water rinses without valid temperature feedback.
- F25Motor tachometer signal missingF25 means the motor tachometer on the direct-drive stator is not reporting drum speed to the main control. Without tach feedback the washer cannot modulate spin acceleration and stops the cycle as a safety precaution.
- F26Door switch not confirming open cyclesF26 triggers when the control does not detect the door opening after three consecutive completed loads, or when the door switch reads open while the lock is engaged. The washer assumes the door switch circuit has failed.
- F27Water level above overflow thresholdF27 is an overflow error—the water level sensor reports the tub at or above the overfill threshold. Unlike F09 on some models, F27 specifically tracks sustained high level readings during or between cycles.
- F28Main and motor control not communicatingF28 means the Central Control Unit lost serial communication with the Motor Control Unit. The washer cannot command drum rotation until both boards exchange data again. A two-minute power reset is the first recovery step.
- F29Door will not unlock after six triesF29 means the door lock motor could not release the latch after six unlock attempts. Clothes remain trapped inside and the display stays locked until the fault is cleared or power is removed.
- F30Detergent dispenser cannot reach positionF30 means the automatic detergent dispenser motor could not drive the diverter to the commanded position. The washer detects the cup is not aligned for prewash, main wash, or bleach dosing.
- F31Motor control unit overheatedF31 appears when the Motor Control Unit heat sink exceeds its safe temperature and shuts down the drive motor. After four consecutive heat trips the code latches on the display until the MCU cools or is replaced.
- F33Drain pump lost communication with controlF33 means the Central Control Unit lost communication with the drain pump driver circuit. The washer cannot confirm pump operation during drain phases and halts with water still in the tub.
- SDExcess suds detected during drainSd (also shown as 5d on some displays) is Suds Detected—a suds lock fault. The washer sensed too much foam during drain and extended the pump time trying to break suds. Whirlpool pauses the cycle until suds drop or you intervene.
- F5E3Door failed to unlock after cycleF5E3 means the door lock motor tried to release but the latch never reported unlocked. Whirlpool front-loaders block the door when water remains or when the lock motor fails on the release stroke.
- F9E1Drain cycle exceeded time limitF9E1 is Whirlpool's long-drain fault—the drain pump ran longer than about eight minutes without emptying the tub. The washer stops before spin and may display F9E1 alongside a flashing Start light.
- F8E1Water level stuck on fill or drain stepF8E1 reports the main control detected no water level change during a fill or drain step—the pressure switch reading stayed flat when the board expected rise or fall. Whirlpool halts the cycle to avoid flooding or dry pump run.
- F5E2Door lock failed to engageF5E2 means the door lock motor could not achieve a locked position after multiple attempts. Whirlpool will not fill or spin until the latch confirms closure—you may hear repeated lock buzzing before F5E2 displays.
- F3E1Pressure switch out of range at idleF3E1 indicates the water level pressure switch reported an out-of-range reading when the tub should be empty—or the signal never matched expected fill steps. The control cannot safely open inlet valves without valid level feedback.
- F7E1Heater did not reach target wash temperatureF7E1 means the washer could not raise water temperature as programmed—the tub did not pass the minimum heat threshold within the allowed window on a cycle that calls for hot wash water.
- F8E6Water supply fault during fill attemptF8E6 is a water supply error—the control opened inlet valves but flow did not meet minimum rate or stopped unexpectedly mid-fill. Whirlpool aborts before agitation to protect the drum and heater from dry operation.
- LFFill cycle took too long to completeLF is Long Fill—the washer did not reach the expected water level within the fill timeout, usually about six to eight minutes. Both hot and cold must be connected on Duet front-loaders; single-hose installs trigger LF.
- E1Main control detected internal faultE1 on Whirlpool washers signals a Main Control fault—the ACU logged an internal error or lost synchronization with a subsystem. The washer may stop mid-cycle and flash E1 or F1E1 depending on display firmware.
- F5Door switch circuit open at cycle startF5 is a door switch fault—the control did not see the door circuit close within the startup window. On some Cabrio and VMT top-loaders F5 relates to lid lock; on front-load Duet models it maps to door latch circuits similar to F22/F5E2.
- F6E8UI lost communication with main controlF6E8 reports lost communication between the User Interface board and the Appliance Control Unit. Buttons may be dead, lights flash randomly, or the display shows F6E8 while the washer will not start.
- 5DDisplay shows 5d instead of Sd—suds lockout5d appears on some Whirlpool LED panels where the letter S looks like the numeral 5—it is the same Suds Detected lockout as Sd, not a separate hardware fault. The machine extended drain trying to break foam before spin.