On the covered Kenmore hybrid gas water heater, E22 means Kenmore's service table lists this code as: open water outlet temperature sensor. Check the temperature sensor wire harness and connections for damaged or broken wires. Replace the sensor if the probe and wiring are otherwise okay, as the chart directs.
Differential
Likely causes of “Kenmore hybrid gas water heater code E22”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A damaged or broken wire in the outlet sensor harness
What separates it E22 shows and the outlet temperature circuit reads as open
How to confirm Check the temperature sensor wire harness and connections for damaged or broken wires
- 2
An outlet temperature sensor (thermistor) that has gone open
What separates it The harness is intact and the sensor still reads an open circuit
How to confirm Replace the sensor if the probe and wiring are otherwise okay, as the chart directs
- 3
A control board that misreads a working sensor
What separates it A new sensor is fitted and E22 still does not clear
How to confirm The chart replaces the control board after the sensor
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- That the display shows E22, the open water outlet temperature sensor code
- The condition of the outlet sensor wire harness and connections
- Whether a new sensor changed the code
Try in this order
0 of 20 completedCorrect only the documented fault domain
ReversibleThe control board detected an open water outlet temperature sensor (thermistor) or thermistor wire circuit. Check the temperature sensor wire harness and connections for any damaged or broken wires. If the temperature sensor probe and wiring is okay, replace the temperature sensor. Replace the control board. Parts named: temperature sensor, Control board.
Check the sensor wire harness and connections
ReversibleThe chart says the control board detected an open water outlet temperature sensor or thermistor wire circuit, so look for damaged or broken wires first.
Replace the temperature sensor
ReversibleThe chart replaces the sensor when the probe and wiring are otherwise okay, since an open thermistor is a failed part.
Replace the control board if E22 continues
ReversibleThe chart lists the control board as the second part for E22, after the outlet temperature sensor has been replaced.
Note the code and the symptom
ReversibleE22 is an open water outlet temperature sensor. Write down whether the water is cold, lukewarm or hot and whether the heater runs. An open sensor can make the control stop heating.
Switch off at the breaker and wait
ReversibleCut the power to the heater for a minute and restore it. If E22 does not return, record the date. If it does, the circuit is open and needs inspection.
Have the harness inspected
ReversibleThe control board detected an open sensor or an open wire. A technician checks the sensor's wire harness and connections for damaged or broken wires, which need power off and a meter.
Replace the sensor if the wiring is sound
ReversibleIf the wiring is fine, the sensor itself is replaced, and if that does not clear the code, the control board is replaced. Kenmore's table names the temperature sensor and the control board as the parts.
Keep a record for the warranty
ReversiblePhotograph the label with the model and serial and keep the invoice, since a sensor or board may be under warranty.
Find the sensor on the diagram
ReversibleThe outlet temperature sensor sits where the hot water leaves the heater. A manual or parts diagram shows it, and a technician can find it quickly.
Check for water leaks near the sensor
ReversibleMoisture can corrode a connector and cause an open circuit. Look for drips near the top of the tank and tell the technician if you see any.
Look at the wire harness
ReversibleA harness that is pinched or chewed shows as an open circuit. Do not touch it with the power on. A technician checks continuity with a meter.
Replace the sensor, then the board
ReversibleKenmore's table lists replacing the sensor if the wiring is sound, and the control board if the code remains.
Keep the water heater safe meanwhile
ReversibleDo not bypass the sensor. Use hot water from another source, and leave the heater off if it overheats.
Check the outlet pipe area
ReversibleThe sensor sits on the hot outlet near the top of the heater. Look at the pipe and the sensor lead for corrosion, a drip or a crushed wire without touching anything electrical.
Consider the heater's age
ReversibleA hybrid heater combines a heat pump with a gas burner. If it is several years old, a sensor failure may be one of several wear items, so ask the technician whether other parts should be checked at the same visit.
Note whether the heat pump or the burner runs
ReversibleTell the technician whether the unit makes hot water in one mode, such as the gas burner only, since that shows how much of the heater is working.
Reset power
ReversibleSwitch the unit off at the breaker for a minute and restart it.
Check the supply
ReversibleMake sure the unit has power and water while it restarts.
Call a technician
ReversibleE22 names the outlet sensor, which a technician tests and replaces.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Parts named by the chart
- Temperature sensor and control board.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Hot water pipes at the outlet can scald, so let the heater cool before you reach for the outlet sensor for E22
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Where the manufacturer's article stops. The open circuit meaning, the harness check and the two parts are chart text; the scald caution is general safety guidance.
Exact questions
Common questions
What does E22 mean on a Kenmore hybrid gas water heater?+
Kenmore's service table lists this code as: open water outlet temperature sensor.
Will the heater make hot water?+
It may stop heating until the fault is fixed.
Who tests the sensor?+
A technician with a meter.
What if the sensor is fine?+
The control board is then replaced.
What does E22 mean?+
An open water outlet temperature sensor or wire circuit.
Can the sensor be repaired?+
It is replaced if the wiring is sound.
Is the water heater dangerous?+
An unmonitored heater should stay off.
What is a hybrid gas water heater?+
One that combines a heat pump and a gas burner.
Can I fix E22 myself?+
No, the fault needs a technician.