On the covered Whirlpool dryer, F4 E1, F4 E2 means the heater relay circuit failed First, note whether the load comes out damp and cold. Then: check the heater relay wiring at the control board and the heating element, then replace the control board if the wiring is sound.
Differential
Likely causes of “Whirlpool dryer code F4 E1, F4 E2”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Loose wiring at the heater relay or the heating element
What separates it The dryer tumbles but the load comes out damp and cold
How to confirm With the dryer unplugged, check the wire harness at the control board heater relays and at the heating element
- 2
A damaged harness
What separates it A wire near the element is burnt or brittle
How to confirm Replace the harness whenever it shows any visible damage
- 3
A failed heater relay on the control board
What separates it The wiring is sound and the same code stays on the display
How to confirm The tables say to replace the control board if the wiring is okay
- 4
A restricted vent or a tripped supply breaker that stops the heat
What separates it The vent is clogged or one breaker is off
How to confirm Rule these out with the F4 E3 and F4 E4 pages before you replace a board
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- The exact display: F4 E1 or F4 E2
- Whether the load is damp and cold
- Whether both breakers for the dryer are switched on
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedWhat to do first
ReversibleNote whether the load comes out damp and cold.
Correct only the documented fault domain
ReversibleCheck the heater relay wiring at the control board and the heating element, then replace the control board if the wiring is sound.
Reset and retry once
ReversibleWhirlpool's F4 E1 page names the heater system and gives a one-minute breaker reset; restart a timed dry cycle afterwards.
Check the wiring
ReversibleThe Duet Hybrid and 2015 Cabrio tables say to unplug the dryer, check the wire harness connections on the control board heater relay (F4 E2 is the second relay) and the heating element, and reconnect any loose wire.
Replace the harness whenever it shows any visible damage
ReversibleReplace the wire harness between the boards if it is damaged in any way, then run a short timed dry cycle to test.
Replace the control board
ReversibleIf the wiring is okay and the heater relays are still not switching, replace the electronic control board.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Displayed as
- The control panel shows F4 E1 for the first heater relay or F4 E2 for the second; either one means the heater circuit at the control board did not switch on.
- Parts named by the service tables
- The Duet Hybrid and 2015 Cabrio tables name the electronic control board and the wire harness between the board and the heating element as the parts behind this code, in that order of likelihood.
- Tools
- A screwdriver or nut driver to reach the back panel and control board, and a multimeter to check the harness for continuity before a technician replaces the board.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !Unplug the dryer and let the element cool before you touch the heater wiring; the dryer has 240-volt terminals
- !Stop if you see scorched wiring at the element
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Where the manufacturer's article stops. The F4 E2 second-relay reading is from the 2015 Cabrio table's grouping of F4 E1 or F4 E2.
Exact questions
Common questions
What does F4 E1, F4 E2 mean on a Whirlpool dryer?+
the heater relay circuit failed
Could the vent or the breakers cause no heat instead of a relay?+
Yes, and both are cheaper to rule out first. A restricted exhaust vent trips the airflow codes (F4 E3, F4 E4) rather than F4 E1 or F4 E2, but a dryer that runs cool can have more than one cause active at once, so check that the vent run is clear and that both breakers feeding the dryer are on before opening a panel for the relay.
Do Maytag and Amana dryers built on the same platform share this code?+
Yes. Maytag and Amana sell the same Duet, Duet Hybrid, Cabrio and 2015 Cabrio electric dryer platforms under their own badges, and Whirlpool's own F4 E1 documentation and the Sears PartsDirect service tables used here cover all three brands with the same relay wiring and the same fix.