What This Error Means
F32 on a GE Profile dishwasher means circulation pump fault, the main wash motor is not doing its job. In plain terms, the control board told the big pump to move water, but it did not start properly, stalled, or pulled bad power, so the machine throws F32 and often stops the cycle. Most of the time it is a failing circulation pump, something jammed in the impeller, or a loose connection to the motor.
Official Fix
This is the official style fix, what the manual expects you to try before calling in a pro.
- Kill power. Turn off the breaker or unplug the dishwasher for at least 5 minutes.
- Power it back up. Restore power, close the door, and start a Normal cycle with the machine empty.
- Listen for real spray. Within a few minutes you should hear a strong whooshing sound from the spray arms. If it stays quiet, only hums, or pops F32 again, move on.
- Clean the easy stuff inside the tub:
- Pull out the bottom rack.
- Lift off the lower spray arm if it is removable.
- Twist out the filter and coarse screen in the bottom and rinse them in the sink.
- With a flashlight, look down into the sump opening and scoop out food chunks, glass, and plastic bits.
- Reassemble the filter and spray arm, then run another short cycle and watch for F32.
- If the code still comes back after a clean and power reset, the official line is simple, the circulation pump or control board has failed and the unit needs service from GE or a local tech.
The Technician’s Trick
This is the field tech playbook, the stuff that actually gets F32 to clear or proves the pump is done.
- Safety first. Cut power at the breaker. Do not trust the door switch.
- Get the water out. Open the door and bail or sponge out as much standing water as you can.
- Clean and spin the impeller from inside:
- Remove the bottom rack and lower spray arm.
- Pull the filters again so you can see the sump opening clearly.
- With gloves on, reach down to the small plastic impeller you can feel in the sump and try to spin it gently.
- If it is jammed or feels gritty, pull out glass, seeds, bone bits, or twist ties until it turns freely.
- Slide the dishwasher out a bit so you can reach underneath. You may have to remove two screws from the countertop lip first.
- Pop off the lower kick panel and insulation so you can see the guts underneath.
- Find the big round motor in the center bottom, that is the circulation pump. Follow its wiring harness and make sure the plug is fully seated on both the pump and the control board.
- Unplug and replug the pump connector a few times to scrub corrosion off the pins. If you see melted plastic or smell burned varnish, that pump is on its way out.
- With the machine reassembled enough that it will not leak, restore power and start a quick cycle while you watch from below. If the pump only hums, buzzes, or starts then trips out and throws F32 again, you are looking at a bad circulation pump.
- Street fix that sometimes buys time, if the impeller was stuck from sitting, freeing it by hand and giving the side of the pump housing a firm smack with a rubber mallet right as the cycle starts can get it spinning once or twice more. Do not count that as a real repair, it only proves the motor is weak.
Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)
- ✅ Fix: Dishwasher under about 8 years old, cabinets are solid, no other error codes, and you are just seeing F32. A new circulation pump and maybe labor is usually cheaper than a mid range replacement.
- ⚠️ Debatable: Machine in the 8 to 12 year range, racks are rusting, or you have already replaced boards or pumps once. If the repair quote lands at more than half the cost of a new mid range dishwasher, think hard.
- ❌ Replace: Over 12 years old, tub or door problems, or multiple electrical faults on top of F32. Throwing a few hundred into a dying machine does not pencil out, put the money toward a new unit.
Parts You Might Need
- Circulation pump and wash motor assembly, this is the usual cause when F32 keeps coming back even after cleaning. Find circulation pump and wash motor assembly on Amazon
- Sump filter and fine mesh filter, if yours is cracked, missing, or permanently clogged, it lets junk reach the impeller and kill the pump. Find sump filter and fine mesh filter on Amazon
- Motor wiring harness or connector repair kit, handy if the original plug is heat damaged or the pins are green with corrosion. Find motor wiring harness or connector kit on Amazon
- Main control board, only if the pump ohms good and spins freely but never gets power and F32 still shows up. Find main control board on Amazon
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See also
Need help with other appliance error codes while you are at it:
- Whirlpool washing machine error codes
- See our guide on Whirlpool washing machine errors
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