GE Profile Dishwasher F4 Error Code Fix

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What This Error Means

F4 on a GE Profile dishwasher means DRAIN FAILURE. The control board doesn’t see the water level drop during drain, so it stops the cycle with dirty water still sitting in the bottom.

Official Fix

The manual’s answer: clear the drain path, then test. Do it in this order:

  • Kill power to the dishwasher (unplug it or flip the breaker). Don’t work on it live.
  • Open the door, pull out the lower rack, and lift out the bottom filter/grate. Scoop out food sludge, glass, labels, pasta – anything blocking the sump or drain screen.
  • Look for a plastic cover over the drain inlet in the tub floor. Make sure it’s seated and not jammed with bones, toothpicks, or citrus peels.
  • Go under the sink and find the dishwasher drain hose. Make sure it isn’t kinked, crushed, or sitting flat on the floor – it should loop up high before it drops to the drain or garbage disposal.
  • Disconnect the hose from the garbage disposal or sink tailpiece (have a towel/bucket ready). Check the fitting and the hose end for hard clogs and grease buildup. Rinse it through with hot water.
  • If this dishwasher was hooked up to a new garbage disposal, confirm the knockout plug was removed from the disposal’s dishwasher port. If the plug is still in, punch it out and clean the plastic plug out of the port.
  • If you have a countertop air gap, pop the cap and clear out gunk, seeds, and food chunks from inside.
  • Reconnect the hose firmly, restore power, and run a Cancel/Drain or Rinse cycle. Watch the drain hose at the sink: it should blast water strongly during drain.
  • If the hose is clear but the dishwasher barely dribbles or just hums and throws F4 again, the official answer is: “Replace the drain pump / call for service.” The pump is the usual suspect once the hose and filter are clean.

The Technician’s Trick

Here’s the stuff you don’t see in the manual that actually clears most F4 calls:

  • Vacuum-pull the clog. Pull the drain hose off the disposal or drain. Put a wet/dry shop vac hose over the dishwasher hose and wrap a rag around it to seal. Have someone start a Cancel/Drain on the dishwasher while you run the vac. The pump pushes, the vac pulls – most clogs launch right out.
  • Check the pump for junk without fully pulling the dishwasher. Kill power. Pop the toe-kick panel off at the bottom front. You’ll see the drain pump (small plastic pump with a hose leaving the machine). Clamp or pinch the hose, loosen the clamp at the pump, and pull the hose off. Catch water in a pan. Feel inside the pump inlet for broken glass, pits, popcorn kernels, or twist-ties. Spin the impeller with your finger; it should move freely.
  • Flush the sump from inside. With the filters out, pour a kettle of hot (not boiling) water mixed with a little dish soap straight into the sump area. Let it sit 5–10 minutes, then run Cancel/Drain. This can melt grease plugs that you can’t see.
  • Hard reset the control. After clearing everything, kill power at the breaker for 5 minutes, then turn it back on. Run a quick cycle. Some boards will latch the F4 fault until they see a full successful drain.
  • If the pump just buzzes, or you have to “help” it start by tapping the case and then it works briefly, the windings are cooked. At that point, a new drain pump is the right move, not more cleaning.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Dishwasher under ~8–10 years old, racks and tub in good shape, and you only need a drain pump, hose, or a simple clean-out (usually under $150 in parts).
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Unit 10–12 years old, already had leaks or control issues, and it now needs a pump plus other parts. Get a quote and compare to a mid-range new machine.
  • ❌ Replace: Tub is rusted/cracked, racks are falling apart, or the machine is 12–15+ years old and the repair estimate is over 50% of a decent new dishwasher.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

Got other appliances flashing weird codes at you? These might save you another service call: