All GE Dishwasher Error Codes: Full List with Meanings

Quick Answer

GE dishwashers display fault codes starting with C, H, or PF. Common codes include C3 (drain pump), C7 (turbidity sensor), H2O (water supply), and PF (power failure). Match your code below for the exact diagnosis.

When a GE dishwasher throws a code, it's trying to tell you something specific. Ignore it and you're looking at a flooded kitchen, a burned-out heater, or a control board that fried itself compensating for the fault. I've shown up to jobs where someone ran the machine through three cycles with an active H2O fault and cooked their inlet valve. Don't do that. Find the code, look it up, reset first, and if it comes back you've got real diagnosis work ahead.

GeDishwasherSeverity: moderate82% DIY Success

Time to Fix

5–120 min

Difficulty

beginner

Parts Cost

—

Tools Needed

Phillips #2 screwdriver, Small flathead screwdriver (for prying panel clips)

What Does the ERROR-CODES Code Mean?

GE dishwashers have their own code language and it doesn't match anything Whirlpool or Bosch uses, so don't try to cross-reference. The good news is GE's system is actually pretty logical once you know it. H2O means water supply, FTD means failed to drain, IH means inlet heater, and so on. Most of these you can clear with a simple reset. Some mean you've got a $15 part that needs swapping. A few mean you're calling a tech.

Common Causes

The float switch gets stuck in the raised position from hard water mineral deposits, which tricks the machine into thinking it's always full and triggers H2O codes constantly even when there's no actual water supply problem.
Drain pump impeller gets jammed with broken glass, a shredded label, or a chunk of food that made it past the filter, so the pump runs but can't move water and throws FTD every cycle.
Turbidity sensor near the sump gets coated in a grease film after a few years of use, starts reading incorrect wash water data, and the board interprets that as a C7 fault even though the sensor itself isn't failed, just dirty.
Control board takes a voltage spike during a storm and corrupts one of its memory registers, which shows up as an 888 or CFE code that keeps coming back even after resets because the damage is already done.
Water inlet valve screens clog with sediment and the flow rate drops below the fill threshold the pressure sensor expects, throwing H2O codes that look like a supply problem but are actually just screens that need cleaning.
Door latch microswitch wears out and sends intermittent signals to the board mid-cycle, which the machine logs as a communication fault even though nothing is actually wrong with the electronics or wiring.

Symptoms You May Notice

A 2-3 character code sitting on the display and the machine just stopped mid-cycle with water still sitting in the tub.
Machine beeps three or five times and re-displays the code every time you open and close the door.
Cycle runs 10-15 minutes, then stops cold. No draining, no finishing, nothing. Just a code and silence.
Dishes come out wet and dirty with soap residue still on them because the cycle never actually completed.
Won't start at all. Press Start and it immediately flashes a code before the cycle even begins.

Can you reset a Ge dishwasher to clear the ERROR-CODES code?

Hold Start/Reset for 3 seconds and let the drain pump run all the way out, usually about 90 seconds. If that doesn't clear it, go to the breaker and kill power for a full 30 seconds, then restore. For GE Profile models, try holding Select Cycle and Start together for 5 seconds. Always wait 60 seconds after any reset before starting a new cycle.

Tools Required for Diagnosis

Phillips #2 screwdriverSmall flathead screwdriver (for prying panel clips)Multimeter (for testing inlet valve solenoid, float switch, and pump continuity)Flashlight or headlampTowels or a shallow pan (water will spill when you disconnect hoses)Needle-nose pliers

Diagnostic Checklist

Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are GE dishwasher error codes different from other brands?

GE uses a proprietary 2-3 character alphanumeric system developed specifically for their platform. Whirlpool uses F-E pairs like F6E1, Bosch uses single E-codes, Samsung uses completely different numeric codes. They don't cross-reference at all. So if you googled a Whirlpool fix and your machine is a GE, toss that info. The codes look similar sometimes but they mean completely different things. Don't mix them up or you'll be chasing the wrong part.

Do all GE dishwasher models show the same codes?

Core codes like H2O, FTD, IH, 888, and CFE show up across Adora, Profile, Cafe, and Monogram lines pretty consistently. But older models without a text display use flashing LED sequences instead of alphanumeric codes. And some Monogram ZDT models have additional codes specific to their brushless motor and WiFi systems that you won't find on a standard GDT model. If you've got a ZDT and you're seeing something not on this list, you need the Monogram-specific service documentation.

Can I just reset the code and keep using the dishwasher?

Depends on the code, honestly. PF (power failure) codes are basically fine to reset and move on. But H2O and FTD codes that come back after a reset mean something is actually wrong, and running the machine is just making it worse. I've seen people reset an FTD code over and over for two weeks until the drain pump burned itself out completely. What would've been a $45 pump job turned into a $180 repair because they kept running it. If the same code comes back a second time, stop and actually diagnose it.

What's the most common GE dishwasher error code you actually see in the field?

H2O and FTD, by a mile. H2O (no fill) usually turns out to be a kinked supply hose or a clogged inlet valve screen, both of which take maybe 20 minutes to fix yourself. FTD (failed to drain) is almost always a gunked-up filter or a chunk of debris stuck in the drain pump. I probably clear three or four of those a week. Replaced two FTD-related drain pumps just last Tuesday. Both times the filter hadn't been cleaned in years and the pump finally gave out.

How do I know if the error code means a new part or just a cleaning?

H2O, FTD, C3, and C7 codes are usually dirty-first problems. Clean the filter, clean the valve screens, clean the sensor, and see if it comes back before you buy anything. IH, 888, and CFE codes are way more likely to mean an actual failed component. NE and PR5 are somewhere in the middle. Start with the free fix every single time. Most of the time you'll solve it without spending a dime. Only order parts after a code comes back clean post-cleaning.

My GE dishwasher shows 888. Is that bad?

888 is the control board fault code and yeah, it can be bad. But before you panic and order a $200 board, try a hard reset first. Kill the breaker for a full 60 seconds, not just 30. Restore power and see what happens. About 40% of the 888 codes I've seen were just the board getting confused after a power spike and they cleared right up with a proper reset. If 888 keeps coming back after multiple resets though, you're probably looking at a board replacement.

Related Ge Dishwasher Error Codes

Code: H2OGE Dishwasher H2O Error Code: Water Not Filling Code: FTDGE Dishwasher FTD Error Code: Failed to Drain Code: IHGE Dishwasher IH Error Code: Inlet Heater Fault Code: FEDGE Dishwasher FED Error Code: Failed End of Drain Code: 1HGE Dishwasher 1H Error Code: Temperature Too High Code: 888GE Dishwasher 888 Error Code: Control Board Fault Code: CFEGE Dishwasher CFE Error Code: Communication Fault Code: PR5GE Dishwasher PR5 Error Code: Pressure Sensor Fault Code: NEGE Dishwasher NE Error Code: No Energy/Power Fault

Models Known to Experience ERROR-CODES Errors

This repair applies to most Ge dishwashers with this error code. Common model numbers include:

GDT630PSMSS, GDT645SSNSS, GDT665SSNSS, GDF570SSJSS, PDT715SYNFS, GLDT696JSS, CDT845SSJSS, ZDT800SNJSS, GDT535PSMSS

Written by

Mike Sullivan

Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 20 years experience

Last verified for technical accuracy on March 17, 2026