DishwasherRepair.center (844) 430-4286Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm Book a visit
A dishwasher door tilted open with a small illuminated display on its top edge showing a short blinking code, a phone held nearby to photograph it.

Dishwasher
Showing an Error Code

The display shows letters or numbers, or the lights flash in a pattern, and the cycle stops.

(844) 430-4286

Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm

  • 5 checks before you book
  • 5 questions that narrow it
  • 5 causes, cheapest first

Book a visit

Three short steps, about a minute.

or call (844) 430-4286

What it
usually means.

An error code is the dishwasher reporting which system did not do what the control expected: water did not arrive, water did not leave, heat did not rise, or a sensor stopped answering. The same characters mean different things on different makes, and on machines without a display the code is a blink pattern on the indicator lights. The exact code and the model number together are what make it useful.

A technician in a US home kitchen kneels at an open built-in dishwasher, lifting the filter out of the tub floor. The 5 causes, cheapest first

Answer these first

01

What are the exact characters, or how many times does each light blink?
02

What is the full model number, printed on the edge of the door or the tub?
03

Did the code appear at the start, the middle or the end of the cycle?
04

Is there water in the tub or on the floor when the code shows?
05

Does the code come back after a power reset?

Check these
before you book.

Dishwasher error code: 5 checks, and none of them costs anything.

01

Write down or photograph the code before resetting anything.

02

Find the model number on the edge of the door or the side of the tub opening.

03

Note when in the cycle the code appeared and whether water was in the tub.

Also worth checking

  • Look under the machine for water if the code might be a leak alert.
  • Try a one-minute breaker reset and note whether the same code returns.

How soon does it need a visit?

Depends on the code. A leak or overflow code with water on the floor calls for turning off the breaker and closing the supply valve under the sink. A drain or heating code can wait for a scheduled visit.

The causes,
cheapest first.

5 things dishwasher showing an error code turns out to be, from drain not completing in time to sensor or communication error.

The cost guide
  1. 01 low to moderate

    Drain not completing in time

    Among the most common codes. The control ran the drain, and the water level did not drop.

    Fixed by drain and pump repair See dishwasher not draining
  2. 02 low

    Fill not reaching level

    The control opened the inlet valve and did not see water arrive within its time limit.

    Fixed by fill and water valve repair See dishwasher not filling with water
  3. 03 low to moderate

    Heating not reaching temperature

    A code tied to heat means the water never got hot enough, or the sensor reported an impossible value.

    Fixed by heating and drying repair
  4. 04 low to moderate

    Leak detected in the base

    Many machines have a float in a base pan. Water there stops the cycle and may run the drain pump.

    Fixed by leak and seal repair See dishwasher leaking water
  5. 05 moderate

    Sensor or communication error

    A sensor circuit that went open, or boards that stopped talking to each other, generates a code even with the parts intact.

    Fixed by controls and sensors
  6. What it costs

    Every repair on the site's cost scale, side by side

    Open the cost guide

The makes
it happens on.

27 makes on this site; dishwasher showing an error code can show up on any of them. Each mark opens that make's own page.

All 27 brands

Dishwasher Showing an Error Code,
where we come out.

9 metros, each with its own page.

All service areas

Tampa BayFL · 31 areas

OrlandoFL · 30 areas

Miami / South FloridaFL · 47 areas

New York MetroNY · 75 areas

HoustonTX · 36 areas

ChicagoIL · 50 areas

Los AngelesCA · 95 areas

San DiegoCA · 31 areas

San Francisco Bay AreaCA · 74 areas

A family unloading clean plates from an open dishwasher together in a bright contemporary kitchen, a child handing a plate to a parent
For the heart of your home.

Questions about
dishwasher showing an error code.

Can I clear the code and keep using the dishwasher?
Often you can for a load or two if the reset clears it. Write the code down first, because clearing it repeatedly erases the pattern the technician needs. If it is a leak code, do not run it until you have looked under the machine.
My dishwasher has no display. How does it show a code?
Through the indicator lights. A light that blinks a set number of times, pauses and repeats is a code. Count the blinks, note which light is flashing, and look up the pattern for your model.
Does the code tell me which part to buy?
It tells you which system the control was watching. A drain code can be a clogged filter, a kinked hose or a failed pump. The code narrows the search; it does not name the part.
Why does the dishwasher drain nonstop with a code showing?
That usually means the leak sensor in the base found water and the control is pumping out to prevent overflow. Turn off the power and water, and look under the machine for the source.

Back to your everyday

Still seeing dishwasher showing an error code?

Book with what you checked above — 5 answers save the technician the first part of the visit.

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