Dishwasher troubleshooting guides

Dishwasher problems without a code

• Dishwasher not draining Food debris, grease, or objects trapped in the dishwasher filter or sump area can block the drain path and cause standing water; Whirlpool, GE, Samsung, LG, and iFixit all document this as a leading cause.
• Dishwasher leaking A worn, cracked, flattened, or misaligned door gasket (seal) is a documented cause of dishwasher leaks, typically seen as water along the front edge or corners of the door; both Whirlpool and Samsung list it as a first check.
• Dishwasher door won't latch An obstruction, such as racks not fully pushed in, tall items sticking out, or silverware/food particles caught at the door seal, is a documented cause of a dishwasher door that will not close or latch; Whirlpool, GE, and Samsung all list it.
• Dishwasher has no power An unplugged or loose power cord is a documented cause of a dishwasher having no power at all; both Whirlpool and Samsung list checking the cord/outlet connection first.
• Dishwasher not cleaning dishes properly Water entering the dishwasher below the recommended temperature (manufacturers cite ranges roughly between 120°F and 150°F) does not clean or melt away grease effectively; documented by GE, Samsung, and iFixit, and implicit in Whirlpool's temperature guidance.
• Dishwasher not drying dishes Missing or insufficient rinse aid is the most consistently cited cause of poor drying: it reduces the surface tension of water so it sheets off and evaporates instead of beading; documented by GE, Samsung, and Frigidaire.
• Dishwasher not filling The household water supply valve for the dishwasher being closed is a documented cause of the dishwasher not filling; Whirlpool, KitchenAid, and Samsung all list it as the first check.
• Dishwasher won't start The dishwasher door not being fully closed and latched, or something obstructing it (trim, insulation, the cabinet or countertop, an incompletely pushed-in rack, or a pan handle), prevents the door switch from signalling the dishwasher is ready to run; documented by Whirlpool, GE, and Bosch.

Samsung dishwasher error codes

All 7 Samsung guides are collected on the Samsung dishwasher error codes page.

• Samsung dishwasher 1E error (also written IE) On a Samsung dishwasher, error code 1E (also displayed as IE) has two different documented meanings depending on the wash mechanism: on Waterwall models it means water is not passing through the filter, and on Rotary (non-Waterwall) models it means the same high-temperature heater condition as code HC (the dishwasher is too hot inside).
• Samsung dishwasher 3C error On a Samsung dishwasher, error code 3C means the circulation (wash) pump has failed to operate correctly; Samsung labels it a pump operation error.
• Samsung dishwasher 4C error (also written 4E) On a Samsung dishwasher, error code 4C (also shown as 4E) means the dishwasher is not getting water at the pressure or temperature it needs — a water supply error.
• Samsung dishwasher 5C error (also written 5E, SC, SE, SR) On a Samsung dishwasher, error code 5C (also shown as SC, 5E, or SE, and as SR on some Canadian-market displays) means the dishwasher can't drain properly.
• Samsung dishwasher HE error (also written HE1, HE2, HE3) On a Samsung dishwasher, error code HE (Heater error) means the appliance is detecting its internal temperature incorrectly during a heating step; Samsung's Gulf support guide groups HE1, HE2, and HE3 with HE as the same family of heating-system error.
• Samsung dishwasher LC error (also written LE) On a Samsung dishwasher with a digital display, error code LC, also shown as LE, means the leak sensor has detected moisture; the dishwasher turns itself on and will not turn off while it tries to drain the water away.
• Samsung dishwasher OC error (also written 0C, OE) On a Samsung dishwasher with a digital display, error code OC, also shown as 0C or oE, is an over-level water error meaning there is more water in the dishwasher than there should be; Samsung's own guidance routes this code to its drain-and-overflow troubleshooting content.

Bosch dishwasher error codes

All 6 Bosch guides are collected on the Bosch dishwasher error codes page.

• Bosch dishwasher E01 error On a Bosch dishwasher, error code E01 (also shown as E:01) means there is a heat pump motor circuit fault at the main control board, per Bosch's own support page; this is a control-board/circuit fault, not simply a failed heating element.
• Bosch dishwasher E09 error (also written F09) On a Bosch dishwasher, error code E09 (also shown as E-09) signals an internal heater fault: Bosch's own US support text calls it a 'heat pump internal heater fault/error', meaning the appliance is not heating wash water correctly.
• Bosch dishwasher E15 error On a Bosch (or Siemens) dishwasher, error code E15 means the leak-protection safety switch has detected water in the base of the appliance and the leakage protection system has activated.
• Bosch dishwasher E22 error On a Bosch (or Siemens) dishwasher, error code E22 (also shown as E-22 or E:22) means water is remaining in the sump because the dishwasher cannot drain properly.
• Bosch dishwasher E24 error On a Bosch (or Siemens) dishwasher, error code E24, also displayed as E-24, means the dishwasher cannot drain properly, most often because the drain pump is blocked or its cover is loose.
• Bosch dishwasher E25 error On a Bosch (or Siemens) dishwasher, error code E25, also displayed as E-25, means the drain pump is blocked or the drain pump cover is loose or missing, which iFixit frames more broadly as the drain path being restricted.

GE dishwasher error codes

All 3 GE guides are collected on the GE dishwasher error codes page.

• GE dishwasher H2O error (also written H20) On a GE dishwasher, the H2O (also shown as H20) code means the dishwasher is not getting enough water, or any water at all, during the timed water-fill phase of the cycle.
• GE dishwasher PrS error On a GE dishwasher, the PrS code means the pressure (water level) sensor is sending an invalid signal to the control, which prevents the cycle from starting or causes it to cancel.

GE-specific symptom guides

• GE dishwasher not draining GE Appliances documents that some water left in the bottom of a GE dishwasher is expected, and how much depends on the filter design: on models with an Ultra Fine filter, water in the sump (filter area) is normal but should not cover the tub floor, while on models without an Ultra Fine filter GE calls 1 to 2 cups of clean water covering the tub floor normal.

Whirlpool dishwasher error codes

All 3 Whirlpool guides are collected on the Whirlpool dishwasher error codes page.

• Whirlpool dishwasher F6E1 error On Whirlpool dishwashers, error code F6E1 has a documented potential cause of 'User Interface Error, Main Control': a fault in the communication between the user interface (touch control panel) and the main control board.
• Whirlpool dishwasher F8E4 error On Whirlpool dishwashers, error code F8E4 means the leak-detection float switch in the base pan/drip tray has detected water; the dishwasher runs an automatic drain sequence and locks out normal operation until the condition clears.
• Whirlpool dishwasher F9E1 error On Whirlpool dishwashers, error code F9E1 has a documented potential cause of 'Long Drain': the dishwasher is not draining within the expected time.

Frigidaire dishwasher error codes

• Frigidaire dishwasher i30 error On a Frigidaire dishwasher, i30 appears when water has collected in the drain pan under the dishwasher and lifted the styrofoam float that sits there.

Frigidaire-specific symptom guides

• Frigidaire dishwasher not draining Frigidaire puts its glass trap and filter first when a Frigidaire dishwasher will not drain: food and debris collect there and block the drain path, and on models that report it the control raises i40, which Frigidaire defines as a clogged filter or sump caused by food soils building up.

LG dishwasher error codes

• LG dishwasher AE error (also written E1) On an LG dishwasher, AE (shown as E1 on some models) means the dishwasher detected a leak inside itself, which has activated the float switch in the base of the unit.
• LG dishwasher OE error (also written 0E) On an LG dishwasher, OE means the appliance detected that water is not draining out of the tub. LG's first checks are the internal filter and the drain hose.