Whirlpool Dishwasher Error Codes: All 19, Plus How to Read a Blinking Light

Most Whirlpool dishwashers have no number display, so the code arrives as a blinking light that you have to count. Whirlpool explains how: count the first group of rapid flashes, which is the Function (F) number, wait through a pause of about one to two seconds, then count the second group, which is the Error (E) number. A longer pause of about five seconds means the sequence is starting over.

Whirlpool's own example: "If the light flashes 7 times, pauses, flashes 1 time, pauses, and then repeats, that is an F7-E1 error code."

Below is every one of the 19 codes Whirlpool publishes for dishwashers, taken from its individual support pages rather than a summary table. One of them has a warning that runs against instinct, so it is worth reading the leak section even if your code is not on this list yet.

How to read the code if you have no display

Whirlpool splits this by model type:

• Digital display models: "Most show the code automatically when a fault occurs. If the screen is idle, wake it by pressing a button."
• Flashing LED models: a flashing clean light "usually" means a code is being communicated, and Whirlpool says to "look for a distinct pause in the blinking pattern."

So the count is: flashes, short pause, flashes, long pause, repeat. First number is F, second is E. Get the pause lengths wrong and you will read F9E1 as F10 or miss the split entirely, which is why people end up looking up codes that do not exist.

All 19 Whirlpool dishwasher error codes

Code	Whirlpool's stated cause	Whirlpool's recommended action
F1E1	Control module	Cycle power. If the code returns, schedule service.
F1E2	Main control communication error	Cycle power. If the code returns, schedule service.
F2E1	Stuck key or console error	Cycle power. If the code returns, schedule service.
F2E2	Main control communication error	Cycle power. If the code returns, schedule service.
F3E2	Thermistor or OWI sensor	Cycle power. If the code returns, schedule service.
F4E2	Heating system	Cycle power. If the code returns, schedule service.
F4E3	Heating error	Cycle power. If the code returns, schedule service.
F6E1	User interface error, main control	Cycle power. Whirlpool's wording here is "if the error code remains call for service."
F6E3	Excessive suds	Remove the suds and run a clean wash cycle. Full method below.
F6E4	Water float switch	Level the dishwasher, then cycle power. Whirlpool says incorrect leveling "can actuate the overfill / floater switch and cause the error."
F7E2	Wash motor error	Cycle power. If the code returns, schedule service.
F8E2	Fill valve electric error	"Remove drip tray and inspect the inlet valve connection, ensuring no leaks." Then cycle power, and schedule service if it returns.
F8E4	Water detected in the drip tray	Check water connections for leaks, confirm the float switch is connected, empty the drip tray. Has its own Cancel procedure, below.
F8E5	Fill valve stuck open	Turn off the water, press Cancel once to silence the tone, shut the door. Do not turn off the power.
F9E1	Long drain	Clean the filter, check the drain hose, check the disposer and the air gap. Details below.
F9E2	Drain motor error	Check the disposer knockout plug, clogs and drain hose routing, then cycle power. Schedule service if it returns.
FAE4 or F10E4	Diverter valve error	Cycle power.
FAE5 or F10E5	Diverter leak	Check for leaks underneath and confirm connections are secure, press Cancel twice, start a new cycle. Schedule service if it returns.
H2O	Not detecting water	Confirm the water supply is on and the supply hose is not kinked, then press Start and the dishwasher "will attempt to fill and resume the cycle."

Sources: Whirlpool's dishwasher error codes section and its guide to reading dishwasher error codes. Whirlpool notes that "Exact codes vary by model," so your owner's manual is the final word for your machine.

The leak codes are the ones to get right

Three codes involve water where it should not be, and they are the only three with a Cancel key procedure. They also carry an instruction most people get backwards.

For F8E5, fill valve stuck open, Whirlpool's steps are to turn off the water to the dishwasher if you can, then: "Press Cancel key one time to silence alarm tone, then shut the door. DO NOT turn off the power and keep the door closed." Only if you cannot shut the water off does Whirlpool tell you to cut power instead.

The same warning appears in the professionally installed case of F8E4, where Whirlpool notes "The drain sequence will begin, and machine operation will be prevented," and again says to silence the tone but not kill the power.

The reason is simple once you see it. A dishwasher that has detected water needs to run its drain sequence, and it cannot pump if you have cut its electricity. Pulling the plug on a leaking dishwasher feels like the safe move and leaves the water sitting in the machine. Shut the water supply off instead.

For F8E4 on a normal install, Whirlpool gives a two step clear: "Press the Cancel key once to silence the alarm tone," then "Press the Cancel key again to clear the code." It also tells you to reseat the float switch "by aligning the connector with the connector housing and pushing in until the locking tab is visible over the back of the connector," and to route the fill hose out the rear left side of the unit.

F6E4 is a spirit level problem, not an electronics problem

This one looks like a failed sensor and usually is not. Whirlpool's stated cause is the water float switch, and its first instruction is not to replace anything, it is to level the dishwasher. Its explanation: "Incorrect leveling of the dishwasher can cause this error. Incorrect leveling can actuate the overfill / floater switch and cause the error."

A dishwasher sitting out of level lets water pool toward one corner, which lifts the overfill float and convinces the control that the machine is flooding. Worth checking before anyone quotes you for a part, particularly on a recent installation or after a kitchen floor was redone.

F6E3, and Whirlpool's cooking oil instruction

Excessive suds gets its own code because a sudsy dishwasher does not sense water properly. Whirlpool says that "If foam or suds are detected by the dishwasher sensing system, the dishwasher may not operate properly or may not fill with water."

It names three causes: using the wrong detergent such as laundry detergent, hand soap or dish soap meant for washing by hand; forgetting to replace the rinse aid dispenser cap after filling it; and simply using too much dishwasher detergent.

The removal method is the part people do not expect. Whirlpool's steps:

1. "Use a plastic cup to scoop out as many suds as possible."
2. "Remove dishes from the dishwasher and add 2-3 tablespoons of vegetable cooking oil to the bottom of the dishwasher to suppress suds."
3. "Run a full cycle with no detergent or dishes."
4. "Follow with a full cycle; fill dispenser cups with detergent, but do not add dishes."

Cooking oil in a dishwasher sounds wrong. It works because oil breaks the surface tension holding the foam together. This is Whirlpool's own published instruction, not a workaround from a forum.

F9E1 and F9E2: drainage, in that order

F9E1 is a long drain and F9E2 is a drain motor error. Both point outward at the plumbing before they point at the dishwasher.

For F9E1 Whirlpool lists four checks: clean the filter thoroughly under running water; check the drain hose for kinks, pinches or clogs along its run to the sink; make sure a connected disposer is clear and that the knockout plug was removed on a new installation; and clear the air gap if one is used.

That knockout plug catches a lot of new installs. A garbage disposer ships with a solid plug in its dishwasher inlet, and if the installer never punched it out, the dishwasher is draining into a sealed wall. It will never clear by itself and no part replacement will fix it.

F9E2 repeats the knockout plug check first, then clogs, then a kinked hose, then hose routing, and only then a power cycle followed by service.

Why most of the list has the same answer

Worth being straight about this. Of the 19 codes, eleven have the identical remedy: disconnect power for 30 seconds, and if the code comes back, book a technician. Whirlpool's instruction is to unplug the unit for 30 seconds, or if it is hard wired, switch the breaker off for 30 seconds and back on.

So the practical value of looking up your code is not usually a repair procedure. It is finding out which bucket you are in. F6E3, F6E4, F8E4, F9E1, F9E2 and H2O have real steps you can carry out. The control, communication, heating, motor and diverter codes mostly do not, and a code that returns after a 30 second power cycle is Whirlpool telling you the fault is internal.

Frequently asked questions

What do the F and E numbers mean on a Whirlpool dishwasher?

Whirlpool's dishwasher documentation says the first set of rapid flashes is the Function (F) number and the second set is the Error (E) number, describing the format as "a fault category and subcategory." Count the first group, allow for a pause of about one to two seconds, then count the second group.

How do I reset a Whirlpool dishwasher?

Whirlpool's reset is a 30 second power disconnection. Unplug it for 30 seconds and plug it back in, or turn off the breaker that powers it for 30 seconds and turn it back on. Whirlpool compares it to restarting a computer.

What does F8E4 mean on a Whirlpool dishwasher?

Water has been detected in the drip tray. Check the water connections for leaks, make sure the float switch is connected, and empty the drip tray. To clear it, press Cancel once to silence the alarm tone and press Cancel again to clear the code.

Why does my Whirlpool dishwasher say F6E4?

Whirlpool attributes it to the water float switch, and its first recommended action is to level the dishwasher, because incorrect leveling can trip the overfill float and create the error on its own.

My Whirlpool dishwasher is leaking and beeping. Should I unplug it?

For F8E5 and for the professionally installed F8E4 case, Whirlpool says the opposite: silence the tone with the Cancel key, keep the door closed, and do not turn off the power, because the machine needs to run its drain sequence. Turn off the water supply instead. Whirlpool only suggests cutting power if you cannot shut the water off.

Is H2O the same as an F code?

No. H2O is listed separately and means the dishwasher is not detecting water. Confirm the supply is on and the hose is not kinked, then press Start and it will try to fill and resume. Note that Whirlpool's summary table writes it as H20 with a zero while the code's own page writes H2O with a letter O, so you may see both spellings.

Does a code mean I need a new dishwasher?

Not by itself. Several of these codes are installation or usage issues, including suds, leveling, a drain hose and a disposer knockout plug. The codes that point at the control board, the wash motor or the diverter are the ones where a technician needs to price the repair against a replacement.

Related guides: Whirlpool washer error codes, GE dishwasher error codes, Frigidaire dishwasher error codes, and if yours is not clearing the water out, dishwasher not draining.