KitchenAid Stand Mixer F42 Error Code Fix

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What This Error Means

On KitchenAid stand mixers with a digital display, F42 is a motor / speed control fault code.

Plain English: the mixer tries to spin, the control board doesn't like what it sees from the motor, so it shuts the mixer down to protect itself.

  • Usually tied to: overloaded dough, a jammed beater, overheating, or a failing motor/control board.
  • If F42 shows up the instant you hit Start, even with a light load, you're likely looking at an electrical or control issue, not just "too much dough".

Official Fix

Here's the clean, manual-style way to attack F42.

  • Kill the power. Switch the mixer off and unplug it from the wall for at least 60 seconds.
  • Strip the load. Take off the bowl, beater, dough hook, whisk – everything. No food, no tools.
  • Check for jams.
    • Look for dough wrapped around the beater shaft.
    • Make sure the beater isn't hitting the bowl.
    • Confirm the bowl is locked in properly, not cocked or rubbing.
  • Let it cool down. If the mixer head feels warm or hot, leave it unplugged for 30–45 minutes. Overheat trips can throw motor fault codes.
  • Use a proper outlet.
    • Plug the mixer directly into a wall outlet.
    • No extension cord, no power strip, no cheap adapter.
    • A weak or bad outlet can make the control board misread the motor.
  • Test it with no load.
    • Leave the bowl and attachments off.
    • Plug the mixer back in.
    • Turn it to Speed 1 only.
    • Let it run for 1–2 minutes.
  • Watch what happens.
    • No F42, runs smooth: the mixer was probably hot or overloaded. Run smaller batches, don't choke it with brick-level dough, and give it cool-down time between long runs.
    • F42 comes back with no bowl or beater: the official answer is motor/control system fault – contact an authorized KitchenAid service center.
  • Stop if it smells or sounds wrong.
    • Burning smell, loud grinding, or metal clanking = mechanical damage.
    • Unplug immediately. That's shop work, not a reset.

The Technician's Trick

Here's the kind of stuff a real tech checks before telling you to buy a new mixer. Do this unplugged, and only if you're comfortable with basic tools.

  • Quick shaft test: is it actually jammed?
    • Unplug the mixer.
    • Remove bowl and attachment.
    • Grab the metal beater shaft and twist it by hand.
    • It should move a little with smooth springy resistance.
    • If it's locked solid or feels crunchy: gears are jammed or stripped. F42 is just the messenger. You're into gearcase repair, not a simple reset.
  • Connector squeeze on the control board (out-of-warranty move).
    • Unplug the mixer.
    • On most digital models, remove the screws on the back cover and pull the rear cap off.
    • You'll see a small control board with several wire plugs going into it.
    • One by one, push each connector straight in until it feels fully seated.
    • Look for burnt spots or melted plastic on the board or connectors. If you see that, the board is likely toast.
    • Reassemble the back cover, plug in, and test again on Speed 1 with no load.
    • If F42 disappears after reseating plugs, you just fixed an intermittent connection the manual never mentions.
  • Brush check (for models with external brush caps).
    • Look at both sides of the mixer head. If you see a big slotted screw cap on each side, those are motor brush holders.
    • Unplug the mixer.
    • Unscrew one cap carefully and slide the carbon brush out.
    • If the brush is very short, chipped, or the spring looks cooked, replace both brushes as a set.
    • Worn brushes can cause weak starts and motor fault codes like F42.

If the shaft spins freely, plugs are tight, brushes look good, and F42 still hits with no load, you're usually down to a weak motor or a dying control board.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Mixer under ~8–10 years old, no burning smell, F42 only shows up under heavy dough, or you just need brushes or a single control board.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Older mixer that needs both a control board and gear work, or you're paying a shop for all labor on a mid-range model.
  • ❌ Replace: Housing is cracked, it reeks of burnt windings, there's metal dust or shavings near the head, or the repair quote is over ~50% of a new comparable KitchenAid.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

More gear throwing codes? These breakdowns keep you from guessing in the dark: