GE Profile Dishwasher F18 Error Code Guide (Real-World Fix)

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What This Error Means

F18 on a GE Profile dishwasher means: Drain fault / long drain.

The control board tried to empty the tub, didn’t see the water level drop fast enough, and bailed out with F18. In plain terms: the dishwasher thinks it can’t get rid of the water.

Official Fix

Here’s the “by-the-book” stuff GE wants you to check before you call for service.

  • 1. Kill power first.
    Flip the breaker off or unplug the dishwasher. Don’t trust just opening the door; you’re about to mess near water and wiring.
  • 2. Check if there’s standing water.
    Open the door, pull out the bottom rack. If you see a puddle in the sump (bottom well), F18 fits. If it’s bone dry and still throws F18, you’re likely looking at a sensor/control issue.
  • 3. Clean the filter and sump.
    • Twist and lift the bottom filter out (fine mesh piece).
    • Rinse it under hot water. Scrub off grease and sludge.
    • Look in the sump hole with a flashlight. Fish out glass, bones, labels, pasta gunk, etc.
  • 4. Clear the sink drain and garbage disposal.
    • Run water in the sink. If the sink backs up, the dishwasher can’t drain either. Fix that first.
    • If a garbage disposal was installed recently, make sure the dishwasher knockout plug was punched out on the disposal inlet.
    • If you have a countertop air gap, pop the cap, clean out any slime or food chunks.
  • 5. Inspect the drain hose.
    • Look under the sink. Find the gray/black hose from dishwasher to disposal/air gap.
    • Make sure it isn’t kinked, crushed, or sitting in a big low sag full of water.
    • Confirm there’s a proper high loop or air gap so water can’t backflow from the sink.
  • 6. Flush the drain hose.
    • With power still OFF, put a towel and a small bucket under the hose connection at the disposal/air gap.
    • Loosen the clamp, pull the hose off, and lower it into the bucket.
    • Turn power back on and run a Cancel/Drain or Start/Reset so the pump runs.
    • You should see a strong stream. Weak dribble or nothing means blockage or a bad pump.
  • 7. Power-cycle the control.
    After everything is reconnected, flip the breaker off for 5 minutes, then back on. Run a quick rinse/light cycle and see if F18 comes back.

If the hose and sink are clear, the filter is clean, and the pump runs but F18 keeps returning, GE’s official line is: call for service to check the drain pump and main control board.

The Technician’s Trick

This is the stuff we actually do in the field when the “official” steps don’t cut it.

  • 1. Shop-vac the drain line.
    • Kill power at the breaker.
    • Pop the drain hose off the disposal/air gap under the sink.
    • Stick a wet/dry vac nozzle right on the hose end. Tape or hand-wrap it so it seals.
    • Run the vac for 20–30 seconds. You’ll often suck out glass, seeds, or grease plugs sitting right at the pump outlet.
  • 2. Force a drain to shake loose crud.
    • Reconnect hose. Turn power back on.
    • Close the door and hold Start/Reset (or your model’s cancel key) for ~3 seconds.
    • Let it run the cancel/drain routine. Listen: strong whooshing = good; weak humming = pump is jammed or dying.
    • Sometimes cycling cancel/drain 2–3 times after a shop-vac pull flushes the last of the junk.
  • 3. Free a stuck drain pump impeller. (Only if you’re handy.)
    • Breaker OFF. Pull the toe-kick panel at the bottom front.
    • Find the drain pump on the side of the sump (small motor with two hoses).
    • On many GE Profiles, it twist-locks. Turn it to release and pull it out carefully.
    • Check the impeller for glass, plastic, or a rubber band. Spin it by hand; it should move freely.
    • Clear debris, re-seat the pump, lock it back in, restore power, and test drain.

If the pump gets proper power, spins freely by hand, but barely moves water, we just replace the pump. If the pump never gets power during drain, that’s when we start talking control board.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Machine under ~8–10 years old, cabinet and racks in good shape, and it just needs a drain pump, hose, or a good cleaning. Parts and labor are usually far cheaper than a new dishwasher.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Repeated F18 errors, heavy hard-water buildup, or you’re staring at both a drain pump and a control board. If the repair quote is over ~50% of a mid-range replacement, think hard.
  • ❌ Replace: Tub is rusted, door is warped/leaking, or the unit is 10–12+ years old and needs multiple parts (pump, board, maybe harness). At that point, put the money toward a new, more efficient dishwasher.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

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