Frigidaire Dishwasher Codes: Most Are Not Faults at All

Several of the things a Frigidaire dishwasher shows on its display are not error codes at all. A number between 1 and 199 is just the minutes left in the cycle. 01 to 24 means the delay start option is on. Hd or HO means the machine is heating the water before it washes. PRESS START is a prompt to shut the door.

Of the codes that do mean something went wrong, the two most common are i20 (the unit did not drain completely) and i40 (a clogged filter or sump), and both usually come down to cleaning a filter or fixing a drain hose.

Frigidaire dishwasher codes, and which ones are actually faults

Display	What Frigidaire says it means	Is it a fault?
1-199	Number of minutes left in a cycle	No. No action needed.
01-24	Delayed option has been activated	No. The cycle starts when the countdown reaches 0.
Hd or HO	Heat delay or heater on mode activated. The unit is heating water to temperature before washing.	No. No action needed.
PRESS START	Prompt to close the door within 5 seconds of pressing start	No.
LOC	Door locked	No.
CL or Cd	Door is open and has not latched	Minor. Close the door fully. If it will not close, contact service.
PF	Loss of power	Minor. Press START/CANCEL to clear it, then start a new cycle.
i20	Unit did not drain completely	Yes, but usually fixable at home.
i40	Clogged filter or sump	Yes, usually fixable at home.

Source: Frigidaire's dishwasher error codes and alarms guide and its individual code articles.

Why your dishwasher seems to sit there doing nothing

This is the question behind a lot of Frigidaire dishwasher searches, and the answer is usually Hd or HO rather than a fault.

Frigidaire explains that the unit heats incoming water to the proper temperature before it starts washing, and gives a figure worth knowing: roughly 1 to 2 minutes for each degree of temperature rise. The colder the water arriving at the machine, the longer that wait.

So in winter, or if the dishwasher sits a long way from the water heater, a cycle can appear stalled for a long stretch while the display shows Hd. Nothing is broken. One practical habit that genuinely helps: run the kitchen hot tap until the water turns hot before you start the dishwasher, so it fills with warm water rather than cold and has less heating to do.

i20: the unit did not drain

i20 is the code most likely to need your attention, and Frigidaire's checklist is specific:

• The knockout plug in the disposer has been removed. This is the big one on a new installation. When a dishwasher drain is connected to a garbage disposal, a sealed plug inside the disposal inlet has to be knocked out first. If nobody did, the dishwasher can never drain, and it will fail every cycle from day one.
• The drain hose is not blocked or obstructed.
• The drain hose is not pinched or restricted.
• The drain hose is at the correct height, a minimum of 32 inches from the floor.
• The glass trap and filter are clear of food soils.

That 32 inch figure is worth checking rather than assuming. A drain hose that runs too low lets water siphon back out, and the machine never completes its drain.

Frigidaire gives three ways to reset the code: pressing and holding the cancel button, turning power off at the breaker, or unplugging the dishwasher for 3 minutes. A reset clears the display, but if the cause is still there the code returns on the next cycle.

i40: clean the filter

i40 means a clogged filter or sump. Frigidaire says food soils have built up, and the fix is to clean out the glass trap and filter and run the unit again.

On most modern dishwashers the filter twists out from the floor of the tub. Rinse it under the tap, clear the mesh with a soft brush, and seat it back firmly, because a filter that is not locked in can let debris reach the pump. Doing this every month or two prevents both i40 and most complaints about dishes coming out gritty.

If your dishwasher is draining slowly rather than throwing a code, our guide to a dishwasher that will not drain walks the same path in more detail.

CL, Cd and PF

CL or Cd means the door is open and has not latched. Make sure it is fully closed. Frigidaire says that if the door will not close, contact service, because that points at the latch rather than the user.

PF is a loss of power. The dishwasher is telling you the cycle was interrupted. Press START/CANCEL to clear it and start again. If PF keeps appearing without any obvious outage, that is worth mentioning to an electrician, because it can indicate a supply problem rather than an appliance problem.

What about dishes that come out wet?

Wet dishes with no code on the display is a different issue from anything on this list, and it is usually rinse aid, the heat dry setting, or the heating element. Our guide on a dishwasher leaving dishes wet covers it.

Getting it fixed

If you are in Fairfield or anywhere in Solano County, California, we can connect you with a local technician who works on Frigidaire dishwashers. Our dishwasher repair page explains how the referral works.

Frequently asked questions

What does i20 mean on a Frigidaire dishwasher?

The unit did not drain completely. Frigidaire's checks are the disposer knockout plug, a blocked or pinched drain hose, the hose being at least 32 inches from the floor, and a clear glass trap and filter.

Why is my Frigidaire dishwasher showing Hd?

It is heating the water before washing. Frigidaire says this takes roughly 1 to 2 minutes for each degree of temperature rise, so colder incoming water means a longer wait. It is not a fault.

How do I reset a Frigidaire dishwasher error code?

For i20, Frigidaire lists three methods: press and hold cancel, turn the power off at the breaker, or unplug the dishwasher for 3 minutes. A reset clears the display but not the cause.

Is a number on the display an error code?

Usually not. Frigidaire says 1 to 199 is the number of minutes left in the cycle, and 01 to 24 means the delay start option is active.

What does i40 mean?

A clogged filter or sump. Clean the glass trap and filter and run the unit again. If it persists, contact support.

Related guides: Frigidaire washer error codes, Haier dishwasher error codes, and Midea dishwasher error codes.