GE Oven F45 Fix (Error Code Guide)

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What This Error Means

On a GE oven, F45 means Cooling Fan Fault.

The control board thinks the fan that cools the electronics isn’t spinning correctly (too slow, stalled, or not detected), so it shuts the oven down to keep from cooking the control board.

Official Fix

Here’s the straight, manual-style path GE expects you to follow.

1. Power reset first (rule out a glitch)

  • Turn the oven off.
  • Flip the range/oven breaker OFF for at least 5 minutes.
  • Turn the breaker back ON.
  • Start a normal Bake at 350°F and watch/listen for the cooling fan.
  • If F45 comes back, treat it as a hardware problem.

2. Check for basic airflow/blockage

  • Make sure the front and top vents of the oven aren’t blocked by foil, trim, or cabinets.
  • Clear anything stuffed into gaps around the control panel or top grill.
  • If the fan runs but airflow is weak and the code trips, that blockage can be the cause.

3. Inspect the cooling fan assembly (power off before you touch anything)

  • Kill power at the breaker again.
  • For a slide-in/freestanding range: pull the range out and remove the back panel.
  • For a wall oven: pull the oven partially out of the cabinet, then remove the top/rear cover (this is where many people call a tech).
  • Find the cooling fan/blower near the control board or top area.
  • Spin the fan by hand: it should move freely, no grinding, no tight spots.
  • Look for melted plastic, warped blades, or anything rubbing the fan.

4. Check wiring to the fan

  • With power still OFF, unplug and re-seat the fan connector(s).
  • Look for burnt pins, darkened plastic, or brittle/cracked wires.
  • Repair or replace any obviously damaged connectors or sections of wire.

5. Test power to the fan (only if you have a meter and know how to use it safely)

  • Restore power with panels still off but wires secured and clear of moving parts.
  • Start a Bake cycle; when the oven heats, the cooling fan should be commanded ON.
  • Measure at the fan connector:
    • If you see proper voltage (usually ~120 VAC) but the fan doesn’t spin → the fan motor is bad; replace the cooling fan assembly.
    • If there’s no voltage when the oven is hot and should be cooling → suspect a failed relay or control board.

6. Replace the failed part

  • Bad fan: Replace the cooling fan/blower assembly. Match by model number.
  • Good fan, no power from board: Replace the main oven control board (ERC) or relay board, depending on your model.
  • Reassemble panels, slide the unit back in, restore power, and test a bake cycle again.

The Technician’s Trick

Here’s how a field tech squeezes a little more info (or life) out of an F45 without immediately throwing parts at it.

1. Listen test before teardown

  • Start Bake at 350°F with the oven empty.
  • Stand at the front top edge; you should hear a steady fan whir after a minute or two.
  • No fan sound and the code pops fast → fan not starting at all or no power.
  • Rattly or pulsing fan before F45 → fan is dragging or seizing; plan on a new motor.

2. Free a sticky fan (temporary)

  • Pull power, pull the unit enough to access the fan, remove the panel.
  • Spin the fan and hit it with a blast of air (vacuum or compressed air) to clear dust and grease.
  • A tiny drop of high-temp-safe lubricant on the shaft outside the motor (not soaking it) can sometimes buy time.
  • Restore power and try Bake again. If it now runs but sounds rough, that motor is on borrowed time—order a replacement, but you might finish tonight’s meal.

3. Cabinet heat trap check

  • On tight wall ovens, the top and rear vents can dump hot air straight into wood or insulation.
  • If F45 only shows up on long/high-temp bakes or self-clean, the oven may be recirculating its own hot air.
  • Pull it out, make sure there’s a real escape path for hot air and no insulation stuffed over vent cutouts.
  • Fixing the airflow can stop repeat F45 trips even with a good fan.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Oven under ~10–12 years old, everything else works, and it just needs a cooling fan or minor wiring cleanup – typical parts $60–$250 plus 1–2 hours labor.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Older built-in unit where both the fan and control board look cooked, or access requires pulling cabinets and you’re paying a pro by the hour.
  • ❌ Replace: Oven is 15+ years old, multiple other issues (dead display, bad elements), control board is discontinued, or repair quote hits more than ~50% of a comparable new oven.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

Working through other appliance error codes too? These guides might save you another service call: