Maytag Dishwasher F16 Fix: No-BS Error Code Guide

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What This Error Means

F16 on a Maytag dishwasher is a fill / water level fault.

The control board is not seeing the right water level at the right time, so it kills the cycle to protect the heater and pump.

On most Maytag-built units this usually comes down to:

  • Not enough water coming in (closed valve, kinked hose, clogged inlet screen), or
  • The float / overfill switch stuck so the board thinks the tub is already full.

End result: the machine either never fills, or it stops early and flashes F16.

Official Fix

Do it in this order. This is basically what the service sheet wants you to do, just without the fluff.

  • Kill power: unplug the dishwasher or flip the breaker off. Do not work live.
  • Shut off the water valve under the sink that feeds the dishwasher.
  • Open the dishwasher door and pull the bottom rack out.
  • Find the float inside the tub (usually a small dome or tower near a front corner).
  • Lift it up and down. It should move freely and you should hear a light click. If it is jammed with food, plastic, or scale, clean it and make sure it drops back down on its own.
  • Check the area under the float. Make sure nothing is wedged under it stopping it from dropping.
  • Now look under the sink at the dishwasher supply valve. Make sure it is fully open and the copper or braided line to the dishwasher is not kinked or crushed.
  • Turn that valve on briefly and crack the line loose into a bucket if you can. You want to see good water flow from the house side. Weak flow means a plumbing issue, not a dishwasher issue.
  • Remove the lower kick plate at the front of the dishwasher (usually two to four screws).
  • Find where the water line connects to the inlet valve. If there is a small screen in that inlet, inspect it for grit, sand, or scale. Clean it gently with a brush and water. Do not drill it out.
  • If you have a multimeter and know how to use it, pull the wires off the inlet valve coil and measure resistance across the two terminals. A healthy coil is usually in the hundreds to low thousands of ohms. Open circuit (infinite) or dead short (near zero) means bad valve.
  • While you are down there, spot-check wiring to the float switch. Loose or corroded connectors can make the board think the float is stuck.
  • Reinstall the kick plate, tighten everything up, then turn the water back on at the valve.
  • Restore power at the breaker or plug it back in.
  • Run a short or rinse cycle and listen. You should hear the valve buzz and water rush in within the first minute. Watch the tub: it should reach normal fill level and then start washing.

If it still throws F16 and you never hear it try to fill, the float circuit or control board is suspect. If it tries to fill but no water comes in, the inlet valve or house supply is your problem.

The Technician’s Trick

This is the inside move when F16 is really the overflow safety float tripped by a little water in the base tray, not a true “no fill” problem.

  • Kill power at the breaker and close the water valve. No exceptions.
  • Pull the dishwasher out of the cabinet enough that you can tilt it without tearing hoses or wires.
  • Lay down towels or a shallow pan under the front or side of the unit.
  • Gently tip the machine about 30–45 degrees forward or to one side and watch for water draining out of the bottom.
  • Let all the water drain from the base pan. That drops the safety float back down.
  • Set the dishwasher upright and wipe up any spill. While it is out, look under it with a flashlight for fresh drips from hoses, the pump, or seams.
  • If you see a clear leak source, plan on parts, not just this reset. If it looks dry and the water you dumped was old, it may have been a one-time splash or foam overflow.
  • Slide the unit back in, open the water valve, restore power, and run a short cycle to see if F16 is gone.

This trick clears a stuck overflow float in minutes. Just remember: if the leak comes back, so will the code.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Under about 10 years old, cabinet and tub are solid, and the issue tracks to the inlet valve, float, switch, or a simple clog or kink.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Around 10–13 years old, already has other problems (rust, noisy wash motor, weak cleaning), or it needs both a valve and a control board.
  • ❌ Replace: 13–15+ years old, tub is rusted or cracked, or parts and labor to sort F16 and other issues add up to more than half the cost of a solid new machine.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

More fast error-code guides if the rest of your gear is acting up too: