KitchenAid Stand Mixer F28 Fix (Error Code Guide)

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What This Error Means

F28 means: serial communication error between the main control board and the motor control board on a KitchenAid/Whirlpool-built front-load washer.

Plain English: the board that runs the cycle and the board that runs the motor stopped talking, so the machine locks up to protect itself.

Note: classic KitchenAid stand mixers don’t throw F28 at all. If you see F28 on a digital display, you’re almost certainly looking at a washer-style control panel, not the old-school countertop mixer.

  • Typical symptoms: won’t start or randomly stops mid-cycle.
  • Drum may not turn, or it tries then gives up and flashes F28.
  • Door often stays locked until you power-cycle the unit.

Official Fix

What the service manuals tell you for F28:

  • Kill power first. Unplug the machine. No “I’ll be careful” nonsense. Pull the plug.
  • Pull it out and pop the top.
    Remove the three screws at the back of the top panel, slide the top back, lift it off.
  • Find the brains:
    • Main control (CCU) = usually at the top rear under the lid.
    • Motor control (MCU) = down low near the motor, often accessed from the front lower panel or rear panel.
  • Check the wiring harness between CCU and MCU.
    • Unplug both ends of the harness.
    • Look for corrosion, burnt pins, loose or half-seated plugs.
    • Reseat the connectors firmly until they click in.
  • Inspect the boards.
    • Look for scorch marks, cracked solder joints, or melted plastic around connectors.
    • If you see obvious burn damage on the MCU near the big power components, that board is usually done.
    • Same deal on the CCU: burnt or bubbled areas = bad board.
  • continuity test the harness (by the book).
    • With power still disconnected, unplug the harness from both boards.
    • Use a multimeter to ohm each wire end-to-end.
    • Any open or very high resistance wire? Replace the whole harness.
  • Replace suspect boards in order.
    • If wiring checks good and no leaks, manual usually says: replace the motor control board (MCU) first.
    • If F28 comes back with a new MCU and good wiring, replace the main control board (CCU).
  • Run a test cycle.
    Power it back up, run a rinse/spin or diagnostic cycle, and confirm F28 is gone.

That’s the official tree: check harness, then swap the expensive brains.

The Technician’s Trick

Here’s how a field tech squeezes the cheap fixes out of F28 before throwing money at boards.

  • Do a real power reset.
    • Unplug the machine.
    • Leave it dead for at least 5–10 minutes so the boards fully discharge.
    • While it’s unplugged, press and hold the main Start or Cancel button for 10 seconds to bleed off any leftover charge.
    • Plug back in and try a short cycle. If F28 was a one-time glitch, it may clear.
  • Reseat and “tighten” the connectors like you mean it.
    • Pull each CCU–MCU connector off one at a time.
    • Look close: greenish or white crud on pins = corrosion. Hit it with electronics contact cleaner and let it dry.
    • Use a small pick to very slightly pinch the female terminals so they grip the pins tighter (don’t crush them).
    • Push each plug back on firmly until fully seated. Loose plugs cause a ton of F28 calls.
  • Check for water drip damage.
    • Shine a light around the MCU and wiring at the bottom.
    • If you see rust, lime tracks, or dried soap on the board or plugs, you’ve got a leak hitting the electronics.
    • Dry everything, fix the leak (loose hose, clamp, boot), and then deal with the board if it’s actually fried.
  • Wiggle test under a test cycle.
    • Get the washer into its built-in diagnostic cycle (the instructions are on the tech sheet taped inside the cabinet).
    • While it’s running the auto test, gently wiggle the CCU–MCU harness and tap the boards with the plastic handle of a screwdriver.
    • If F28 pops up when you move a specific section of harness, you’ve got a broken wire inside or a loose terminal there. Replace or re-pin that section, and secure it with zip ties.
  • Board surgery (only if you know what you’re doing).
    • Pull the CCU, flip it over, and look for hairline cracks around big relay or connector solder joints.
    • Many F28 boards can be brought back by reflowing cracked solder with a fine iron instead of buying a new board.
    • If that sounds scary, skip it and stick to board replacement.

Most of the time, a dirty or loose connector or a bad MCU is the real culprit, not both boards at once.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Washer is under ~8–10 years old, cabinet is solid, no major leaks, and F28 is the only real issue. One board or a harness is way cheaper than a new machine.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Unit is 10–12+ years old, you’re already fighting other problems (occasional leaks, small bearing noise, door lock issues), and the quote for boards is creeping past half the price of a new washer.
  • ❌ Replace: Drum is roaring in spin, tub is loose, there’s heavy rust or chronic leaks, and you now need a control board (or two). Don’t stack big money on a dying chassis—put it toward a new machine.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

Chasing error codes on other gear too? These guides keep you out of the guesswork zone: