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Whirlpool US tumble dryer error codes

8 codes that Whirlpool, Maytag and Amana publish for their tumble dryers, each with what it means, the likely cause, what you can safely check and when to call a technician. Tap your code:

Switch off and unplug before checking. Anything electrical, anything to do with gas, and any water leak at the mains: call a technician. Codes that need one are marked Technician.

Read this first

This page covers US (North American) models: the vented electric and gas dryers Whirlpool, Maytag and Amana sell in the United States and Canada. Whirlpool’s US help site has a short dryer code table — Maytag’s and Amana’s help sites carry the same table under their own names — and one page per code for the F-and-E codes. Most F# E# codes on those pages give no meaning at all, only a power reset and then a service call; this page lists only the codes where Whirlpool says what they mean. The first step Whirlpool gives for every F code is the same: a power reset at the circuit breaker. Models differ, so check your owner’s manual. A dryer is not a washer: the dryer’s PF and Loc mean the same kind of thing as on the washer, but read the dryer’s own card.

AF F4 E3 Airflow is restricted

Some models show the words “Check Vent”.

What it means
Air cannot get out of the dryer freely. The dryer keeps running, but drying takes longer.
Likely cause
A lint screen full of lint, or an exhaust vent that is clogged, crushed, kinked or has too many bends.
What you can safely check

Switch off and unplug before checking.

  • Clean the lint screen.
  • Check the vent duct behind the dryer and outside for lint, crushing and kinks, and straighten it.
  • Touch any key to clear the code and get back to the time remaining.
When to call a technician
If the screen and vent are clear and the code keeps coming back, book a technician.

Source: Whirlpool, Whirlpool Product Help — Error Codes in my Whirlpool Dryers Checked 2026-09-29.

L2 Low or no line voltage

What it means
The dryer is getting too little power to run its heater; it keeps tumbling, but without heat. Whirlpool says this shows only during the first installation.
Likely cause
A blown fuse or tripped breaker — an electric dryer uses two — or a power cord not installed correctly.
What you can safely check

Switch off and unplug before checking.

  • Replace the blown fuse or reset the tripped breaker; check both of the dryer’s two.
  • Check against the installation instructions that the power cord is fitted properly.
  • Select a timed-dry heated cycle and restart.
When to call a technician
If L2 stays, Whirlpool says to consult a qualified electrician: the supply to the dryer is the problem.

Source: Whirlpool, Whirlpool Product Help — Error Codes in my Whirlpool Dryers Checked 2026-09-29.

PF Power failure

What it means
The drying cycle was interrupted by a power cut.
Likely cause
The power went off during the cycle.
What you can safely check

Switch off and unplug before checking.

  • Touch and hold Start to carry on with the cycle, or press Power to clear the display.
When to call a technician
No technician is needed for a power cut; if PF shows without one, book a technician.

Source: Whirlpool, Whirlpool Product Help — Error Codes in my Whirlpool Dryers Checked 2026-09-29.

F3 E1 Exhaust thermistor

What it means
Whirlpool names the exhaust thermistor — the sensor that reads the temperature of the air leaving the drum.
Likely cause
A faulty exhaust thermistor or its wiring.
What you can safely check

Switch off and unplug before checking.

  • Switch the dryer off at the circuit breaker(s) for one minute, switch it back on, start a timed-dry cycle and watch for one minute: Whirlpool says if the code does not come back, carry on.
When to call a technician
Technician If the code comes back, book a service technician: the sensor is not an owner repair.

Source: Whirlpool, Whirlpool Product Help — F3 E1 - Error Code - Dryer Checked 2026-09-29.

F3 E2 Moisture sensor not reading

What it means
Five loads in a row have dried without the moisture sensor registering anything.
Likely cause
A dryer that is not level, so clothes do not touch the sensor strips inside the drum, or very small loads and single items that never reach them.
What you can safely check

Switch off and unplug before checking.

  • Press Power to clear the code and restart.
  • Check the dryer is level, measuring on the cabinet edge (Whirlpool notes the top may be curved), and adjust the feet.
  • Dry bigger loads, or use a timed-dry cycle for a single item.
  • Switch the dryer off at the circuit breaker(s) for one minute, switch it back on, start a timed-dry cycle and watch for one minute: Whirlpool says if the code does not come back, carry on.
When to call a technician
If the dryer is level, loads are normal and the code keeps coming back, book a technician.

Source: Whirlpool, Whirlpool Product Help — F3 E2 - Error Code - Dryer Checked 2026-09-29.

F6 E1 Communication error

What it means
The main control board and the touchpad are not talking to each other.
Likely cause
Whirlpool names the main control board, the user interface (touchpad) or the wiring between them.
What you can safely check

Switch off and unplug before checking.

  • Switch the dryer off at the circuit breaker(s) for one minute, switch it back on, start a timed-dry cycle and watch for one minute: Whirlpool says if the code does not come back, carry on.
When to call a technician
Technician If the code comes back, book a service technician.

Source: Whirlpool, Whirlpool Product Help — F6 E1 - Error Code - Dryer Checked 2026-09-29.

Loc Control lock is on

What it means
The controls are locked: the dryer will not start or run.
Likely cause
The control lock was switched on.
What you can safely check

Switch off and unplug before checking.

  • Press and hold the Control Lock key for 3 seconds; the display counts down 3-2-1. On some models the lock shares a key with another option (such as Steam): hold the key itself, not the text below it.
When to call a technician
No technician is needed: this is a setting, not a fault.

Source: Whirlpool, Whirlpool Product Help — Loc - Error Code - Dryer Checked 2026-09-29.

A code that is not listed here

Whirlpool says any code starting with F, alternating between F# and E#, means the dryer’s control has found a problem that needs service. Try the power reset first — breaker off for a minute (five minutes on some of Whirlpool’s pages), then on, and a timed-dry cycle — and if the code comes back, book a service technician. For codes not listed here, see your owner’s manual.

We list only codes the source below states. If your code is not here, it may belong to a model the source does not cover: your model’s manual is the authority.

Related pages

Source

Every code on this page comes from these pages, published by Whirlpool, Maytag and Amana and read on the date shown. Meanings are written in our own words; nothing is taken from other makes, other models or third-party code sites.