Whirlpool dryer error codes

Find your code below, then run the free checks before buying anything. Each row says what the code means and how serious it is.

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Showing all 16 codes

The 16 Whirlpool dryer codes verified so far, whether or not each has its own page. Manufacturers document codes across several places, so a code missing here is one we have not confirmed yet — not one that does not exist. 12 of 16 have passed review: those are the boxed codes, and they open a full page with the free checks and the causes in order. The rest are rows — they state the meaning and stop there, because a second independent source has not confirmed enough to write more.
Code	Also shows as	What it means	Category	Severity	Effort
E1	—	E1 means the dryer's thermistor has failed, though Sears does not say which of the dryer's thermistors it is.	Sensor	Medium	Free check
E2	—	E2 means the dryer's thermistor has failed, though Sears does not say which of the dryer's thermistors it is.	Sensor	Medium	Free check
E3	—	E3 means a replacement user interface or main control board does not match the dryer, so the two cannot pair correctly.	Control board or panel	Medium	Free check
F1E1	F1 E1	F1E1 means the motor relay on the dryer's electronic control board is stuck closed.	Control board or panel	Medium	Free check
F1E3	F1 E3	F1E3 means the wrong control console or electronic control board was installed as a replacement part.	Control board or panel	Medium	Free check
F2E1	F2 E1	F2E1 means a key on the dryer's user interface is physically stuck.	Control board or panel	Medium	Free check
F2E4	F2 E4	F2E4 means the dryer's control console or user interface has failed.	Control board or panel	Medium	Free check
F2E5	F2 E5	F2E5 means the dryer's control console or user interface has failed.	Control board or panel	Medium	Free check
F3E1	F3 E1	F3E1 means the dryer's exhaust thermistor has failed.	Sensor	Medium	Free check
F3E2	F3 E2	F3E2 means the dryer completed five loads in a row without its moisture sensor registering any data.	Sensor	Medium	Free check
F3E3	F3 E3	F3E3 means the dryer's inlet thermistor has failed.	Sensor	Medium	Free check
F4E1	F4 E1	F4E1 means the dryer's heater relay has failed.	Heating	Medium	Free check
F4E3	F4 E3	F4E3 means airflow through the dryer's exhaust is restricted — the lint screen or the vent duct is clogged, crushed, kinked, or has too many turns.	Airflow or venting	Medium	Free check
F4E4	F4 E4	F4E4 means the dryer is not getting the L2 leg of its 240-volt power supply, so the heater cannot turn on.	Power	Medium	Free check
F6E2	F6 E2	F6E2 means the electronic control board and the user interface have lost communication with each other.	Control board or panel	Medium	Free check
F6E3	F6 E3	F6E3 means the electronic control board and the user interface have lost communication with each other.	Control board or panel	Medium	Free check

Before you check anything

Disconnect the power first. Unplug the machine at the socket, or switch off its circuit at the consumer unit if it is hard-wired. Do this before opening any panel, reaching into a pump filter, or moving the appliance.
Turn off the water before disconnecting a hose, and have a towel and a shallow tray ready — a drain hose holds water even when the drum looks empty.
Gas, mains wiring and sealed refrigeration are for a qualified professional — in many countries that is a legal requirement, not advice. If you smell gas, do not touch any switch: leave, and call your gas emergency number from outside.
Stop if you smell burning, see scorched wiring, or find water near an electrical connection. None of those is a code to look up.

The checks on this page are the manufacturer’s own, rewritten and sourced, and they are reference information rather than a repair instruction for your particular machine. Model, age and installation all change what is safe to do. You are the one standing in front of it — if a step looks wrong for the machine you have, trust that and call a technician.