When your GE dishwasher shows a code, it is pointing at the part of the cycle that failed. This page lists the 18 codes we could confirm in GE's own owner's manuals and support articles: what each one means, the checks that are safe to do yourself, and the point where a technician should take over.
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Covers US GE and GE Profile built-in dishwashers (the 999 reset also covers Monogram ZDT165 models). Models with a numeric display can show the C-codes and messages below; many current models without one signal faults only with a flashing Start light or, on newer Profile models, a red Smart Assist light, so not every code appears on every model.
Codes appear in the display window, sometimes with beeping. GE says switching off the dishwasher's breaker for 1-2 minutes can clear a code; if it returns after that reset, the dishwasher needs service.
| Code | Meaning | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 1H | Delay Start countdown: hours until the cycle begins | Usually a quick fix |
| C1 | Drain took longer than 2 minutes | Check, then call if it returns |
| C2 | Total drain time ran over 7 minutes | Check, then call if it returns |
| C3 | Dishwasher is not draining the tub | Check, then call if it returns |
| C4 | Filled twice after power loss, or float stuck/drain clogged | Check, then call if it returns |
| C5 | Drain finished faster than expected | Check, then call if it returns |
| C6 | Incoming water is colder than 120°F | Usually a quick fix |
| C7 | Water temperature sensor circuit is not working | Needs a technician |
| C8 | Detergent dispenser door is blocked from opening | Usually a quick fix |
| PF | Power was interrupted | Usually a quick fix |
| Cup Open | Detergent cup is not latched | Usually a quick fix |
| FTD | Water was not pumped out at the end of the cycle | Check, then call if it returns |
| LEAK DETECTED | Leak sensor found water; the cycle is cancelled | Stop using it |
| 999 | Control needs a reset; on Floor Protect models, a leak | Check, then call if it returns |
| H2O | Not enough water entering the dishwasher | Check, then call if it returns |
| PrS | Water pressure sensor is sending a bad signal | Needs a technician |
| Start light flashing | Door opened or cycle interrupted; a repeating pattern means a fault | Check, then call if it returns |
| Smart Assist light | Red: possible problem found. Yellow: app notification waiting | Check, then call if it returns |
Safety first. Switch the appliance off at its power button and unplug it or turn off the breaker before you clean a filter or check a hose. If you smell gas, leave the home and call your gas utility from outside. If there is a burning smell, smoke, sparking or water near wiring, stop using it and keep it off until it has been checked.
Call a technician if: It reaches zero but the cycle never starts
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: Code returns after the drain checks
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: C2 comes back on the next cycle
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: Water still sits in the tub after the reset
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: Code returns after freeing the float and clearing debris
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: C5 repeats with the water supply on
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: Code continues with hot water confirmed at the kitchen tap
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: Code returns after a power reset
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: Nothing is blocking the cup but the code returns
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: PF keeps appearing without any known outage
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: Cup is latched but the message stays
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: Code returns after the drain checks
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: Always: book service
Call a technician if: 999 returns after the reset, or on any Floor Protect model
Call a technician if: Code returns with the valve fully open and the dishwasher level
Call a technician if: Code returns after a power reset
Source: [1]
Call a technician if: Light flashes in a sequence and the dishwasher will not restart
Call a technician if: Light stays red after following the app's steps
Source: [2]
If a code comes back after the safe checks, or the table says it needs a technician, the fault is usually a sensor, valve, pump, motor or control board, and diagnosing it means opening the dishwasher. Our technicians repair GE appliances across Washington, DC, Northern Virginia and Maryland, seven days a week until 10 PM. Tell us the code when you book and we bring the parts that code usually points to.
Book GE dishwasher repair $75 diagnostic, credited toward the repair.
Every code on this page was checked against GE's own documentation: owner's manuals, use and care guides, support articles or GE technical sheets. Codes we could only find on third-party sites are left out. Meanings are paraphrased; your model's manual is the final word.
GE is a trademark of its owner. Appliance Surgeon is an independent repair company and is not affiliated with GE.