Instant Pot Pressure Cooker F15 Fix (Real-World Guide)

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What This Error Means

F15 on an Instant Pot pressure cooker means a high-temperature / sensor fault in the heating plate area. The cooker thinks the base is dangerously hot or can’t read the temperature sensor, so it locks out heating and won’t build pressure.

Official Fix

What the manual and Instant Pot support basically want you to do:
  • Unplug the cooker from the wall. Let it sit and cool for at least 20–30 minutes.
  • Empty the pot. Remove food and the stainless inner pot so you’re looking at the bare heating plate.
  • Check for moisture. Make sure the heating plate and the sensor in the center are dry. No spills, no pooled liquid, no condensation.
  • Inspect the inner pot. Flip it over. If the bottom is badly domed, dented, or warped, the sensor won’t read right. Official answer: replace the inner pot.
  • Wipe the base. Using a soft damp cloth, wipe burned-on food or starch off the hot plate and center sensor. Then dry it completely.
  • Rebuild it correctly:
    • Seat the inner pot flat in the base.
    • Fit the silicone sealing ring evenly in the lid groove.
    • Make sure the float valve and anti-block shield are clean and moving freely.
  • Do a water test. Add about 2 cups of water, close the lid, set the steam release to Sealing, and run a short Steam or Pressure Cook cycle.
  • Watch for the code. If F15 does not reappear, the unit just overheated from past use (thick foods, not enough liquid).
  • If F15 comes back quickly (before it even heats properly), the official line is: stop using it and contact Instant Pot / Instant Brands support or your retailer for service or replacement. They treat persistent F15 as an internal sensor or board failure.

The Technician’s Trick

Here’s what we actually do on the bench once it’s out of warranty.
  • 1. Check the inner pot “fit” for real.
    • Grab a straight edge (ruler, level) and lay it across the bottom of the inner pot.
    • If you see a big gap in the middle (domed bottom), the pot is riding on the edges and barely touching the center sensor.
    • Swap in another compatible Instant Pot liner if you have one. If F15 disappears with the other pot, your original liner is the problem, not the electronics.
  • 2. Reseat the spring-loaded sensor disc.
    • Unplug the cooker and let it cool. No power. No excuses.
    • Pull the inner pot out. In the center of the heating plate there’s a small round metal “button” on a little spring plate.
    • Press it straight down a few times with your finger. It should move slightly and spring back.
    • If it feels stuck low or tilted, gently lift or press around the surrounding plate with your fingertips to get it level again. Don’t stab it with tools.
    • A stuck or crooked sensor plate is a very common cause of phantom overheat / F codes.
  • 3. Strip off baked-on starch properly.
    • Burned rice, pasta water, or sauce on the hot plate acts like an insulator and makes the sensor read crazy.
    • Use a plastic scraper or old credit card to chip off hard brown/black buildup on the heating plate.
    • Wipe with a damp cloth, then a dry one. No drips left behind.
    • Don’t use steel wool on the sensor disc itself; you don’t want to gouge it.
  • 4. Change how you cook the heavy stuff.
    • If F15 only shows when you do chili, oatmeal, pasta, or thick sauces, it’s usually user technique, not a dead cooker.
    • Always have enough thin liquid (water, broth) so the bottom doesn’t run dry.
    • Layer thick foods on top, don’t stir them all the way down to the bottom before pressurizing.
    • For really thick dishes, use a smaller inner pot or metal bowl on a trivet (pot‑in‑pot) so the main base only sees water.
  • 5. Decide if the guts are done.
    • After all that, run a plain water test again.
    • If it still throws F15 immediately, even with a clean base, good inner pot, and only water, odds are the temp/pressure sensor or control board is shot.
    • That’s parts-and-labor territory. Most shops won’t crack it open unless you’re okay getting close to the cost of a new unit.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Error only happens on thick meals, clears after a good clean and water test, or you just need a new inner pot or sealing ring; unit is under ~5–6 years old.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Out of warranty, needs both a new liner and likely a sensor/board, or you have to pay a shop just to diagnose it; total cost creeping over half the price of a new Instant Pot.
  • ❌ Replace: F15 appears even on a clean, empty water test; you see scorch marks or melted spots inside the base; control board or sensor quotes are close to the price of a new cooker.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

Working through error codes on more than just your pressure cooker? These breakdowns can help: