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ErrBase

Whirlpool Dishwasher Error Codes

All Whirlpool dishwasher error codes with step-by-step troubleshooting, multimeter specs, and OEM part numbers.

62 error codes

CodeMeaning
4-3The control board ran the heating element during a wash cycle, then checked the thermistor to see if water temp actually climbed. It didn't. Either the element isn't generating heat, the thermistor can't measure it correctly, or the board's relay never fired in the first place.
moderatebeginner
7-1The control board expected to see water temperature climbing during the wash cycle and it didn't. So it tripped a heating fault and locked everything out. Could be the element itself is dead, could be a bad connection, could be the safety thermostat cut power to the heater before the water got hot enough.
moderateintermediate
7-1The 7-1 code, also called F7 E1 on some displays, means the control board didn't see the water temperature rise during the heated wash. The thermistor's reporting temps and the board's saying 'something's wrong with this circuit.' Heating element, thermostat, wiring, or the relay on the board itself.
highintermediate
7-1The control board fires the heater relay and then watches the thermistor for a temperature rise. If it doesn't see that rise within a set window, it kills the cycle and logs 7-1. Also shows as F7 E1 on some displays. The machine basically gave up waiting for heat that never came.
moderateintermediate
BEEPINGThe control board is sending you an audio signal. Could be a normal end-of-cycle chime, a door-open warning, or an error code trying to get your attention. The board uses different beep counts and intervals to communicate different states to whoever's in the kitchen.
lowbeginner
CLEAN-BLINKThe Clean light flashes after a cycle when the sanitize or cycle completion condition wasn't properly met, or the cycle got interrupted. Basically the dishwasher is saying it didn't finish what it started. Could be a temp issue, a door opening at the wrong time, or a sensor flagging something wrong.
lowbeginner
CLEANINGThe dishwasher couldn't complete a full cycle because the control board detected a problem with water heating or circulation. It latches that fault and flashes the clean light to tell you something went wrong before the cycle wrapped up.
lowbeginner
CLEANINGRoutine maintenance to clear trapped food particles, grease, and mineral scale from the dishwasher's filtration system. The filter catches everything your dishes rinse off so it doesn't recirculate onto clean dishes or jam up the pump.
lowbeginner
CLEANINGYour dishwasher's multi-stage filter sits at the bottom of the tub and catches food particles before they can reach the drain pump. The cylindrical upper filter traps the big stuff, and the flat lower mesh catches fine particles. When both get clogged, water can't drain properly and wash performance tanks fast.
lowbeginner
CONTROL-LOCKControl Lock is a firmware feature baked into the control board. When it's active, the board ignores every button input except Power. Think of it like locking a phone screen. The hardware is completely fine. It's just the software telling the panel to stop accepting commands until you unlock it.
lowbeginner
DIAG-MODEIt's a hidden self-test sequence built into the control board. When you enter it, the board runs every major component through its paces, fills the tub, fires the heater, spins the wash motor, and drains it out. It also reads back any stored fault codes the machine logged but never bothered to show you during normal operation.
lowbeginner
DOOR-WONT-CLOSEThe dishwasher door will not latch closed - preventing any cycle from starting, caused by a misaligned latch strike, broken latch assembly, or overloaded bottom rack preventing door swing
moderatebeginner
DRAIN-FILTERThe Quiet Partner I uses a two-part system: a coarse plastic strainer that catches the big stuff like seeds and broken glass, and a fine mesh filter underneath that traps smaller particles so they don't get recirculated back onto your dishes. When either one gets clogged or torn, you're basically washing your dishes in dirty water on every single cycle.
moderateeasy
E1 F1A relay on the main control board is stuck open or closed, so a critical circuit can't be switched on or off. The board knows something's wrong because it's not getting expected feedback when it tries to energize the motor, heater, or pump.
highadvanced
E1 F6Water inlet fault, same fault as F6 E1 but displayed in reversed code order on certain model variants. The control board started the fill timer, water didn't reach the sensor in time, and the board threw the code and bailed on the cycle.
moderatebeginner
E1 F9The drain cycle didn't finish within the time the board allows. The pump ran, but the water level didn't drop fast enough for the pressure switch or flow sensor to confirm the tub was clear. So the board gave up and threw the code.
moderatebeginner
E2 F2Water inside the dishwasher didn't reach the minimum temperature the control board expects during the fill or wash phase. Could be cold supply water, a burned-out heating element, or a thermistor that's giving the board a completely wrong reading.
moderateintermediate
E4The NTC thermistor (water temperature sensor) is reporting a resistance value outside what the control board expects. Either the sensor element has failed open or shorted, or something in the wiring between the sensor and board is broken.
moderateintermediate
F2 E1F2 E1 means the main control board and the user interface console have lost communication. The brain of the dishwasher is powered up and working fine, but it can't get any signal from the buttons you're pressing on the door panel.
highintermediate
F4 E3The thermal fuse in the heater circuit has blown open. That means there's a physical break in the electrical path, the dishwasher can't run the heater or motor, and it won't start any cycle until that fuse is replaced and whatever caused the overheating is fixed.
highintermediate
F7 E1The heating element circuit has failed. Either the element itself burned out, the heater relay on the control board fried, or the thermistor's reporting no temperature rise because nothing's actually heating up in the first place.
highintermediate
F8The main control board sent a signal to the wash motor controller and got nothing back. Not a mechanical failure, not a seized pump, just a broken data line between the two boards. The motor might be perfectly fine, completely unaware there's even a problem.
highintermediate
F8 E1The F8 E1 error code indicates a slow drain condition. The dishwasher control board has detected that the water level is not dropping fast enough during the drain cycle or that the sump is failing to empty within the programmed time limit.
moderateintermediate
F8 E4The wash motor circuit failed. Either the motor didn't start, pulled too much current trying to start, or the motor control relay on the main board never fired the signal. Net result: no water circulation, cycle aborts.
highintermediate
FA E4The door switch is sending a bad signal to the motor control circuit while the motor's running. The dishwasher thinks the door popped open during a cycle, so it kills the motor as a safety response. Basically a false alarm triggered by a worn-out switch.
moderateintermediate
FILTER-ASSEMBLYThe filter system catches food particles during the wash cycle so they don't get pumped back onto your clean dishes or jam up the drain pump. It's actually two parts: a coarse outer filter that catches the big stuff, and a fine inner mesh that catches everything else.
moderateeasy
FILTER-ASSEMBLYThe filtration system in this model consists of a coarse strainer and a fine mesh filter designed to capture food particles and prevent them from redepositing on dishes or damaging the drain pump.
moderateeasy
FILTER-SCREENThe Quiet Partner 1's filtration system is a two-part setup: a coarse plastic basket catches the big stuff like bones and seeds, and a fine mesh screen underneath traps smaller particles so they don't get sprayed back onto your dishes during the wash cycle.
moderateeasy
FLASHING-LIGHTSThe flashing lights indicate that the main control board has entered a fault state. This is typically caused by a stuck button on the keypad, a failure in the water heating circuit, or a loss of communication between the user interface and the main logic board.
moderateintermediate
H2OThe control board sent power to the inlet valve to start filling, but the float switch or pressure sensor never confirmed any water entered the tub. Either nothing came in at all, or the float switch is lying to the board and reporting a full tub when it's completely dry.
moderatebeginner
HOW-TO-REMOVEThis guide walks you through the exact sequence to safely cut power, disconnect the plumbing, free the wiring, and slide your Whirlpool dishwasher out of the cabinet without wrecking your floor or countertop.
low
HUBHub page covering all Whirlpool dishwasher error codes across both modern F/E format and older blink-code format models
lowbeginner
LEAKINGYour Whirlpool dishwasher is letting water escape somewhere it shouldn't during the fill, wash, or drain cycle. Water's either pushing past a dried-out seal, dripping from a cracked component, or overflowing because the tub filled too high. Whirlpool's design routes water through a lot of rubber and plastic connections, and any one of them can give out.
moderateintermediate
LIGHTS-FLASHMultiple control panel lights flashing in a pattern, used by older models without displays as the only diagnostic code system, or indicating a fault condition or communication failure on newer models.
lowbeginner
NOISESomething's mechanically wrong inside the sump, pump, or spray system. Could be hard debris jammed in the chopper blade, worn motor bearings spinning metal on metal, or a spray arm that's lost clearance and hitting dishes. The machine doesn't throw a code for noise, it just keeps making it until something actually fails.
moderateintermediate
NORMAL-BLINKThe Normal cycle indicator is flashing, which means the cycle was interrupted or the control board detected a fault mid-wash. On older Whirlpool models without a digital display, the blink pattern itself is the error code, so count how many times it blinks before the pause because that number actually tells you which component failed.
lowbeginner
NORMAL-LIGHT-FLASHINGThe Normal light flashing means the dishwasher caught a cycle interruption, a door latch sensing error, or a stuck button on the user interface. It's a general fault signal, not a specific numeric code, so it's basically the machine saying something's off and it won't start until you sort it out.
moderateeasy
NOT-CLEANINGDishes coming out dirty, with food residue, or with a film - caused by spray arm blockage, detergent issues, clogged filter, or inadequate water temperature
lowbeginner
NOT-DRAININGThe dishwasher ran through a wash cycle but the drain pump couldn't push water out through the hose into your sink drain or disposal. Water's sitting in the tub because something's physically blocking the flow or the pump motor can't run. It's either a mechanical blockage, a plumbing issue with the drain line, or an electrical failure in the pump itself.
moderateintermediate
NOT-DRYINGYour Whirlpool dishwasher isn't reaching the heat and airflow conditions needed to evaporate moisture off dishes at the end of the cycle. Either the heating element isn't warming the final rinse water enough, the vent system isn't opening to let humid air escape, or the rinse aid that helps water sheet off dishes isn't getting dispensed properly.
moderateintermediate
NOT-FILLINGThe control board sends 120V to the inlet valve's solenoid coil at the start of each fill cycle. That electrical signal opens a diaphragm inside the valve and lets pressurized water into the tub. If the solenoid coil burns out, or the float switch is stuck telling the board the tub is already full, that valve stays shut and nothing gets in.
moderateintermediate
NOT-HEATINGThe heating element isn't bringing water up to temperature during the wash or dry cycle. Could be the element itself burned out, the thermistor feeding bad temp data to the board, or the control board's heater relay died. Machine runs fine otherwise, it just can't heat.
moderateintermediate
NOT-SPINNINGThe upper or lower spray arms aren't rotating during the wash cycle. Water's in the tub and the pump's running, but there's not enough pressure or the arm's physically stuck, so nothing's getting hit with water and dishes come out dirty or covered in residue.
moderatebeginner
NOT-SPRAYINGWater enters the tub but the spray arms are not rotating and spraying - caused by blocked spray arm holes, a failed wash motor, or the spray arms being physically obstructed
moderatebeginner
NOT-STARTINGThe dishwasher's control board isn't getting the signal it needs to kick off a cycle. Could be a bad door switch signal, missing power, a locked control panel, or a blown thermal fuse upstream of the board. Board itself is usually fine.
lowbeginner
PUMP-FILTERThe filtration system is a multi-stage barrier designed to trap food particles and prevent them from clogging the spray arms or damaging the drain pump.
moderateeasy
QUIET-PARTNERThe Whirlpool Quiet Partner series is a noise-rating system for their dishwasher lineup, running from Quiet Partner I through Quiet Partner V. It's not an error code, it's a product line identifier that tells you how quiet the machine is supposed to run at its design spec.
lowbeginner
RED-LIGHTA red light on a Whirlpool dishwasher means one of four things: the CycleSignal floor projection is active (totally normal), the sanitize temp threshold wasn't hit, there's a stored fault code, or a door-ajar warning fired. Where the light is located tells you which problem you're actually dealing with.
lowbeginner
RESETSoft reset, hard reset, and service mode reset procedures for all Whirlpool dishwasher models
lowbeginner
RESET-SEQUENCEWhen this sequence fires, you're basically telling the processor to dump whatever fault it's holding in memory and run a fresh self-test. The board checks the fill valve, drain pump, and heating circuit, then recalibrates sensor baselines. If nothing's actually broken, it clears the code and you're good.
lowbeginner
SANITIZE-BLINKThe Sanitize indicator is flashing after the cycle finished, meaning the water didn't reach or hold the required 150°F for the NSF-required duration during the final rinse. The control board monitors temperature throughout and flags the failure so you know the bacteria-killing threshold wasn't confirmed.
lowbeginner
SELF-STARTThe dishwasher starts a cycle without being intentionally activated, caused by either a Delay Start timer counting down, a relay on the control board that's fused in the closed position, or a touchpad registering phantom button presses from moisture or wear.
lowbeginner
SMELLUnpleasant odors from the dishwasher tub caused by food debris in the filter, biofilm in the sump, mold in the door gasket, or a drain that's not clearing fully after each cycle.
lowbeginner
SPRAY-ARM-ERRThe spray arms are plastic rotary nozzles that spin using water pressure from the pump. When nozzle holes clog, the arm can't rotate freely, or a mounting hub gets loose, water distribution drops off fast and dishes don't get clean. The arm literally has to spin to do its job.
moderatebeginner
START-BLINKThe Start or Start/Pause button flashing means the cycle is paused and waiting on your input. Either the door's not fully latched, you haven't confirmed the cycle with a Start press, or a power event interrupted the wash and the unit needs a manual reset to continue.
lowbeginner
STOPS-MID-CYCLEThe dishwasher halts partway through wash, rinse, or dry. Sometimes you get a blinking light, sometimes it just goes quiet. The control board detected something it didn't like, whether that's an open door contact, a high water sensor, or a temperature issue, and put the whole cycle on hold.
moderatebeginner
TROUBLESHOOTComprehensive troubleshooting guide covering the most common Whirlpool dishwasher problems: error codes, no start, no water, no drain, no heat, and poor cleaning
lowbeginner
W10130653The W10130653 is basically the electronic handshake between your door and your control board. Two tiny microswitches inside the plastic housing close when the latch catches the strike. Once both switches signal 'closed,' the board gives the green light to run. No signal, no cycle.
moderatebeginner
WONT-DRAINStanding water stays in the tub at cycle end. Either the drain pump ran but couldn't move water because something's blocking the path, or the pump didn't run at all due to motor failure or a control issue.
moderatebeginner
WONT-DRYThe dishwasher finishes its cycle but dishes come out wet because the heating element failed, the rinse aid dispenser is empty, or the Heated Dry option wasn't selected. Without heat and rinse aid working together, water beads on surfaces instead of sheeting off into the drain.
lowbeginner
WONT-STARTThe control board isn't getting the signal it needs to start a cycle. Could be the door latch switch isn't closing the circuit, the thermal fuse interrupted power to protect the machine, or the board itself just isn't getting juice. All three look the same from the outside: nothing happens when you press Start.
moderateintermediate
WONT-TURN-ONBasically the dishwasher gets zero power to the panel. No lights, no beeps, nothing at all. This happens when the internal safety loop is broken at the door latch microswitch, the thermal fuse is blown, or house power just isn't reaching the machine. The control board won't do a single thing until that loop is closed.
highbeginner