GE Profile Dishwasher F26 Error Code Fix

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What This Error Means

On most GE Profile dishwashers, F26 means a circulation pump fault – the control board isn’t happy with the wash motor / diverter circuit.

In plain English: the tub fills, the board tries to start the wash motor, it doesn’t see the right electrical feedback, so it shuts the cycle down and throws F26.

Typical signs:

  • Unit fills with water, then just hums, clicks, or goes quiet.
  • Cycle stops early and beeps, sometimes with standing water left in the tub.
  • Dishes stay dirty because the spray arms never really spin up.

Official Fix

Here’s basically what the service manual wants you to do.

  • Kill power first. Flip the dishwasher breaker off or unplug it. Don’t trust the control panel buttons.
  • Confirm the code. Check the model tag on the tub edge, pull the tech sheet (usually in the kick panel), and verify F26 = wash motor / circulation error for your exact model.
  • Pull the toe-kick panel.
    • Remove the two or four screws at the very bottom front.
    • Take off the metal or plastic kick plate so you can see the pump and wiring.
  • Inspect the circulation pump wiring.
    • Follow the harness from the main control board down to the big motor on the sump.
    • Look for burned connectors, loose plugs, chewed or pinched wires.
    • Reseat every connector to the motor and to the control board.
  • Ohm-test the wash motor (multimeter time).
    • With power still OFF, unplug the motor connector.
    • Measure across the motor windings. Most GE dishwasher wash motors land roughly in the tens of ohms; open (OL) or dead-short (near 0 Ω) = bad motor.
  • Check for a seized pump.
    • From underneath, try to turn the motor fan or shaft by hand (or with a small screwdriver on the fan blades).
    • If it will not budge, the motor is locked or jammed; the control sees that as a fault and flags F26.
  • Rule out the control board.
    • Restore power briefly with the motor still connected.
    • Start a cycle and meter the motor leads: you should see line voltage hit the pump when it should run.
    • No voltage out, but a good free-spinning motor with correct resistance = bad main control board.
  • Replace the failed part.
    • Bad or seized wash motor → replace the circulation pump / motor assembly.
    • Good motor, bad output from board → replace the main control board.
  • Clear the code. After the repair, kill power for 5 minutes, restore it, and run a full cycle. If the pump runs normally, F26 is gone.

The Technician’s Trick

This is the move techs try when the motor is jammed but not totally dead yet.

  • Hard reset first. Kill the breaker for 10–15 minutes, turn it back on, and try a quick cycle. If F26 was just a glitch, you’re done.
  • Open the sump from inside the tub.
    • Pull the bottom rack out.
    • Pop off the lower spray arm (usually one center nut or pull-off hub).
    • Lift out the filter screen and any plastic covers over the sump.
  • Dig out the junk.
    • Feel down around the impeller area for glass, bones, seeds, twist-ties – anything that could lock the pump.
    • Pull all debris out; don’t let it fall deeper into the sump.
  • Free-spin the motor.
    • From underneath, spin the motor fan by hand until it moves smoothly.
    • If it was stuck and then suddenly loosens, that was your jam.
  • Reassemble and test. Put the filters and spray arm back, run a short or rinse cycle, and listen. If it now runs strong without F26, you bought yourself some time. If the code comes right back, the motor or board really does need replacing.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Dishwasher under ~8–10 years old, only the circulation pump or control board is bad, cabinet and racks are in good shape.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Unit around 10–12 years old, needs a pump and a board, or has other issues like weak heating or rusting racks.
  • ❌ Replace: Tub is rusted or leaking, multiple major parts are failing, or the repair quote is over roughly half the price of a decent new dishwasher.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

Chasing other error codes around the house? These guides might help: