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GE dishwashers

GE dishwasher repair

C1 on a GE dishwasher means pump-out took longer than 2 minutes. Before any part is blamed, GE points owners at the air gap, the drain hose and the disposer the hose feeds into.

Open-plan kitchen with a stainless microwave set into the wall, a range and a dishwasher

Reading a GE dishwasher code

GE spells out most of its dishwasher faults on the display. Drain codes run in a time ladder, and a few others point to one sensor. Write down the code before the power is switched off.

C2 or C3

C2 means the full pump-out went past 7 minutes. C3 means it would not drain at all.

FTD or F56

Both are GE's wording for failure to drain. Our dishwasher not draining page lists the usual blockages.

C4 or C5

A float may be stuck. Tap its cover, the small upside-down cup at the left front of the tub floor.

C6

Water arriving at the machine is under 120°F. The fault is usually the supply, not the dishwasher.

C8

Something blocked the detergent cup from opening. A tall pan or board in the lower rack is the usual cause.

PrS

GE ties this one to the pressure sensor. It is a technician job once the code repeats.

GE dishwasher figures

2 min
pump-out limit before C1
7 min
full pump-out limit before C2
1.3M
units in the 2012 recall
5 sec
hold to clear 999 without Floor Protect

Sources: GE dishwasher fault codes and 999 support articles; CPSC 2012 GE dishwasher recall notice

Check the tap first

How to test the hot water a GE dishwasher gets

Use a candy or meat thermometer. Open the hot tap closest to the dishwasher, hold a glass under it, and keep the thermometer in the stream for a minute or more until the number stops rising. A low reading explains a C6, poor cleaning and slow drying all at once. GE also wants the machine fed from the hot line through at least 3/8 inch O.D. copper or 1/2 inch O.D. plastic tubing. The valve and hose joint usually sit behind the toe-kick on the lower left.

Long cycles

Slow cycle or a fault? Check the options

Option or featureWhat it can addWhat to know
Dry BoostUp to 64 minutesTurn it off when speed matters more than dry plastics
Hidden-heater drying fanUp to 90 minutes after the cycleA fan humming with the display dark can be normal
Bottle JetsUp to 23 minutesOnly worth it with tall bottles loaded
SanitizeAbout 60 minutesNeeds hot supply water to work as written
UltraFresh (some Profile models)Runs between cyclesFan, water valve and drain pump may start while idle

More GE and dishwasher help

All GE appliance repairGE refrigerator repairGE washer repairDishwasher repair, any brandDishwasher not drainingDishwasher not dryingDishwasher leakingDishwasher not cleaning
01

GE codes and quirks

Low water. GE says it often shows on first use or right after plumbing work, when the valve under the sink was left partly closed. Open that valve all the way and run a short cycle before calling.
On models without Floor Protect, hold Cycle Select and Start together for 5 seconds. On Floor Protect models, 999 warns of a possible leak, so look under the machine before resetting.
Possibly, if it was sold between March 2006 and August 2009. CPSC's August 2012 notice covered about 1.3 million dishwashers under the GE, Adora, Eterna, Profile and Hotpoint names, because the heating element could fail electrically and start a fire. There were 15 failures and seven fires. A recall remedy comes before any paid repair.
Built-in models sold from 1997 to 2001. In May 2007, about 2.5 million GE-made units were recalled because rinse aid could leak onto internal wiring, with 191 reports of overheated wiring. Besides GE they carried the Eterna, Profile, Monogram, Hotpoint and Sears-Kenmore names.
On the side wall of the tub, visible once the door is open.
02

Recalls and coverage

Some GE Profile models have UltraFresh, which can run the door fan, water valve and drain pump between cycles to keep odor down. A little water in the sump and pump noise while idle can be part of that.
On hidden-heater models the fan may run up to 90 minutes after the end to finish drying.
The current manual gives one year on any defective part with labor included, and it lists freezing damage and air gap servicing among the exclusions. On Oahu freezing is not a worry, but the air gap is, since a clogged one is a plumbing job rather than a covered fault.
Often, yes. For C4 or C5, GE suggests tapping the float cover at the left front of the tub floor until it moves freely.
Yes. GE wants it fed from the hot line, and a cold hookup leaves it short of heat on every cycle.

GE dishwasher showing a C code?

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