On the covered Amana dishwasher, F4 E3, F4 E4, FA E2, FA E3 means the heating circuit is not warming the water as the control expects, or on older machines the circulation pump motor or the drying fan has a fault First, run a normal cycle and feel whether the tub and the inside of the door are hot when the wash ends.
Differential
Likely causes of “Amana dishwasher code F4 E3, F4 E4, FA E2, FA E3”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The heating circuit reported a fault
What separates it The cycle runs, but the water never gets hot and dishes dry poorly
How to confirm Feel the glass door after the wash; it should be warm, not cool
- 2
A water temperature sensor that reads wrongly
What separates it The control thinks the water is cold or hot when it is not
How to confirm A technician reads the sensor's resistance
- 3
A heating element that has failed open
What separates it The tub stays cool and the display shows the code partway through
How to confirm Test the element for continuity with the power off
- 4
Loose wiring to the element or the sensor
What separates it The code comes and goes after the machine was moved
How to confirm A technician looks at the connectors
- 5
A control board that cannot switch the heater
What separates it Element and sensor both test well
How to confirm The board is the last part replaced
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- That the display shows F4 E3 and not F4 E2
- Whether the dishes come out warm or cold
- Whether the dishwasher fills normally
- The model number and the date the fault began
Try in this order
0 of 9 completedWhat to do first
Reversiblerun a normal cycle and feel whether the tub and the inside of the door are hot when the wash ends.
Correct only the documented fault domain
ReversibleCheck the circulation pump and drying fan wiring on an older machine, then replace the element, the thermistor or the fan that fails the test.
Stop the cycle and wait
ReversibleLet the tub cool for ten minutes; a dishwasher heater can scald.
Reset the power
ReversibleSwitch the dishwasher's breaker off for one minute, then on, and start a normal cycle.
Watch for the code
ReversibleNote whether F4 E3 appears again and at what point in the cycle.
Check how warm the water gets
ReversibleOpen the door at the end of the wash; hot steam means heating works.
Look at the load
ReversibleA very full load or blocked spray arm can cool the water so much that heating seems to fail.
Book service
ReversibleThe element, the sensor and the board are tested in that order by a technician.
Run a cleaner and a hot cycle
ReversibleAdd a dishwasher cleaner, run the hottest cycle on an empty machine and see whether the code returns. Scale on the element and the thermistor can cause a heating fault, and a descale sometimes clears it.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- The code on this page
- F4 E3, listed by Amana as a heating error.
- Parts involved
- The heating element, the water temperature sensor, the wiring and the control board.
- Related Amana codes
- F4 E2 and F7 E1 are in the same heating group.
- How the Amana heating circuit is built
- On the Amana dishwashers built on this platform, the water is heated by an element in the sump, and a thermistor beside it reports the temperature to the control. The control watches how fast the temperature rises. If it rises too slowly, or not at all, it stops the cycle and shows F4 E3. That is why an empty or half-empty tub or a pump that is not circulating can also trigger the code.
- An older meaning on the same code
- On the older tables the same code points to the circulation pump motor or to the drying fan or vent. If your dishwasher is more than a decade old and the dishes come out hot but wet, the drying circuit is the better suspect than the heater, and a technician with the model number can tell you which table applies.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Book Amana service with the model number and F4 E3 if the code returns after a reset
- !Do not run the dishwasher with its panel off or tub empty of water to test a heater
- !Power must be off before anyone touches the element or its wiring
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
What does F4 E3, F4 E4, FA E2, FA E3 mean on a Amana dishwasher?+
the heating circuit is not warming the water as the control expects, or on older machines the circulation pump motor or the drying fan has a fault
What does F4 E3 mean on an Amana dishwasher?+
Amana's tables list it as a heating error, which means the control did not see the water heat when it should.
Is it the same as F4 E2?+
They sit in the same heating family, but each code points to its own check, so read the one on your display.
Will the dishwasher still clean?+
It may wash, but the dishes will be greasy and wet because the water and the drying are not hot.
Can a reset fix it?+
Sometimes a one-off fault clears, but a repeat means a part has failed.
Is it safe to keep running?+
A heater that cannot heat is not a safety risk, but a heater that will not stop is, so turn the machine off if it steams oddly.
Is it worth repairing an older Amana dishwasher with F4 E3?+
If the machine is under ten years old and the part is a heater or sensor, usually yes. On an older machine, compare the quote with the price of a new one.
Does hard water shorten the life of the element?+
Yes, scale on the element makes it run hotter and fail sooner, which is why rinse aid and an occasional cleaner help.