KitchenAid Stand Mixer F26 Error Code Fix

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What This Error Means

F26 on a KitchenAid stand mixer = motor speed feedback or motor drive fault.

The control board is trying to drive the motor but not seeing the right speed signal back, usually because the motor is jammed, badly overloaded, or the motor electronics are failing.

You normally see F26 when you start a mix and the display flashes and the bowl never moves, or when it trips mid batch under a heavy dough and shuts the mixer down.

If your mixer does not have a digital display, it will not show F26; check the model number and manual, because this code only applies to certain electronic control units.

Official Fix

What KitchenAid expects you to do, step by step:

  • Unplug the mixer. Do not just turn the knob off. Pull the plug and leave it out for at least 1 full minute to hard reset the control.
  • Strip it down. Remove bowl, beater, dough hook, and any attachment on the front hub. You want the motor turning with zero load while you test.
  • Check for jams by hand. With it unplugged, grab the beater shaft or planetary and try to rotate it. It should move with some resistance but not feel locked solid or crunchy. If it is seized, you have a mechanical or gearbox problem that will keep tripping F26.
  • Clean out gunk. Scrape off hardened dough, sugar, or food chunks from around the beater shaft, planetary, and where the bowl locks in. Anything that binds the drive can fool the control into thinking the motor has failed.
  • Let it cool. If you were running thick dough, close to max capacity, or long batches, let the mixer sit unplugged for 20 to 30 minutes so the internal overload and electronics can cool down.
  • Check the power source. Plug directly into a known good wall outlet, no extension cords or power strips. Low voltage or a bad strip can make the control throw motor faults like F26.
  • Do an empty test run. Plug it back in, turn speed to Stir or 1 with no bowl and no beater installed. Let it run a minute. If it runs smooth and F26 stays gone, load it lighter next time and avoid mixing stiff dough on high speeds.
  • Still shows F26 or the motor will not move at all. Officially, that is where KitchenAid wants you to stop and call an authorized service center. They will test the motor windings, the speed sensor, and the control board, and swap whatever has failed.
  • If the mixer is still under warranty, do not open the housing. Let warranty service handle it so you are not paying full price for a motor or control board later.

Bottom line: if F26 keeps coming back after a cooldown and empty test run, you are looking at a parts repair, not a magic reset.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Mixer under about 10 years old, no burning smell, no visible cracks or leaks, and F26 only shows up under heavy loads. Control board or sensor work is usually cheaper than buying a new high end mixer.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Mixer is older, out of warranty, you see scorch marks on the control board or hear grinding from the gearbox. Get a written estimate and compare it to the cost of a new mid range KitchenAid before sinking money into it.
  • ❌ Replace: Housing is damaged, motor has a strong burnt electrical smell, or repair estimates are more than half the cost of a comparable new mixer. Put the cash toward a new unit instead of chasing multiple major parts.

Parts You Might Need

  • Motor control board (electronic speed controller) – common cause when F26 appears even with no load and the motor never even twitches. Find Motor control board on Amazon
  • Main motor assembly – needed if the motor hums, smells burnt, or tests open on a meter. Find Motor assembly on Amazon
  • Hall effect speed sensor or tach sensor (on models that use a separate sensor) – if the motor spins briefly then faults out, the board may not be seeing its speed. Find Speed sensor on Amazon
  • Wiring harness or motor lead set – for mixers that have seen heat damage or have brittle, cracked wires between the board and motor. Find Wiring harness on Amazon
  • Gearbox or worm gear repair kit – if the motor spins but the planetary does not move or binds hard, the gears are stripped or jammed. Find Gearbox kit on Amazon
  • Carbon motor brushes (for older brushed motor models) – worn brushes can cause no start, arcing, and intermittent F codes. Find Motor brushes on Amazon
  • Thermal fuse or overload protector (if separate from the motor) – sometimes opens after serious overheating and has to be replaced, not reset. Find Thermal fuse on Amazon

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See also

Need help with other appliances throwing strange F codes?