GE Oven F43 Fix (Cooling Fan Error Code Guide)

Do it the safe way first.

• Kill power at the breaker or unplug the oven. This is 240V — don’t poke around live.

Now walk through this, roughly what the GE manual and service sheet want you to do:

• 1. Try a hard reset. Turn the breaker off for 5–10 minutes, then back on and start a bake cycle. If F43 comes right back, it’s not a glitch — move on.
• 2. Check vents and basic airflow.
  • Look along the top front trim and rear of the oven for vents. Make sure cabinets, foil, or sheet pans aren’t blocking them.
  • Start a bake cycle and listen: you should hear a fan ramp up and feel a light stream of warm air from the top/front once it’s been on a bit.
  • No fan sound or airflow while F43 appears = cooling fan system problem.
• 3. Pull the unit and open the back.
  • Shut power back off.
  • Slide the range out or pull the wall oven far enough to remove the rear metal cover.
  • The control-cooling fan is usually a small blower near the main control board, in a sheet-metal housing.
• 4. Inspect the fan mechanically.
  • Spin the fan by hand. It should spin freely, not stiff or crunchy.
  • Look for heavy dust, grease, or melted plastic blocking the blades or intake.
  • Check for broken blades or a fan rubbing the housing.
• 5. Inspect wiring and connectors.
  • Follow the wires from the control board to the fan.
  • Look for burnt connectors, loose plugs, or damaged insulation.
  • Reseat the plugs firmly. If anything is melted or crispy, that harness/connector needs replacing.
• 6. Electrical test of the fan (if you have a meter and know how to use it).
  • Restore power with the fan still accessible. Start a bake cycle so the oven calls for cooling.
  • Carefully measure voltage at the fan connector (expect 120V on most models). Stay clear of bare metal; live power will bite.
  • Voltage present but fan dead or just twitching = bad fan motor. Replace the cooling fan assembly.
  • No voltage leaving the board to the fan while F43 is set and wiring is good = failed control board.
• 7. Replace the bad part.
  • Bad fan → swap in a new OEM or quality-compatible cooling fan / blower.
  • Fan and wiring check out but F43 persists every time → replace the main oven control board (ERC).
• 8. Button up and test.
  • Reinstall the rear cover, push the unit back in, restore power.
  • Run a 350°F bake for 20–30 minutes. Confirm the fan runs and the F43 code doesn’t return.

If any of this sounds over your head, this is a pretty standard service call for an appliance tech — 1–2 hours plus parts.