GE Profile Dishwasher F41 Fix (Straight Shooter Guide)

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What This Error Means

F41 on a GE Profile dishwasher = circulation pump (wash motor) fault.

In plain English: the control board tells the wash motor to run, doesn’t see the right electrical load or movement, decides the motor is dead or jammed, and stops the cycle with F41.

Typical signs: it fills with water, then just sits there humming or doing nothing, then throws F41 and shuts down.

Official Fix

Here’s what the GE playbook expects you to do:

  • Kill the power first. Flip the dishwasher breaker OFF. Don’t trust just the door switch.
  • Hard reset. Leave the breaker OFF for 5–10 minutes. Turn it back ON, try a normal cycle or a Cancel/Drain. If F41 is gone and it runs fine, it was a glitch. If F41 comes right back, keep going.
  • Clean the easy stuff.
    • Pull the lower rack.
    • Remove the bottom spray arm and filter screen.
    • Clear out food chunks, labels, glass, and gunk from the sump area.
    • Reassemble, power back up, test again. Still getting F41? Then GE wants the motor checked.
  • Pull the dishwasher out.
    • Turn power OFF at the breaker again.
    • Shut off the water supply valve under the sink.
    • Remove the lower toe-kick panel.
    • Back out the mounting screws at the top sides, slide the unit out 6–12 inches.
  • Inspect the circulation pump and wiring.
    • Find the big motor under the tub (usually mid-front or center-bottom). That’s the wash motor / circulation pump.
    • Check the wiring harness and connector at the pump. Look for melted plastic, burn marks, loose or corroded pins.
    • Follow the harness up toward the control board. Make sure it’s not pinched or chewed.
  • Meter test (what the manual calls for).
    • With power still OFF, unplug the connector from the circulation pump.
    • Use a multimeter on Ohms across the motor terminals.
    • Compare the reading to the spec on the tech sheet (usually taped behind the toe-kick or behind the front panel).
    • If the motor is open (infinite resistance), shorted (near 0 Ω), or way off spec: the official fix is replace the circulation pump assembly.
  • If the motor tests good:
    • Check for continuity on the harness from the control board to the motor.
    • If wiring checks out and F41 still returns, the manual points to a bad main control board.
    • Official route: replace the control board, then re-test.
  • Final step per GE: If you don’t have a meter or any of that sounds sketchy, they want you to stop and call an authorized tech.

Short version of the official fix: reset, clean filter/sump, inspect harness, then replace the circulation pump; if that doesn’t do it, replace the control board.

The Technician’s Trick

Here’s what a field tech tries before dropping money on big parts.

  • Free a stuck impeller instead of buying a motor.
    • Power OFF at the breaker. Water off.
    • Pull the lower rack, bottom spray arm, and fine filter again.
    • On many GE Profile units, there’s a small cover over the sump held with Torx screws. Pop that off.
    • Now you can see or feel the wash motor impeller down in the sump.
    • Gloves on. Reach in and try to spin the impeller by hand or with the blunt end of a screwdriver.
    • If it’s locked and you find glass, bones, seeds, twist ties, etc., pull all that junk out and work the impeller until it spins smoothly.
    • Flush the area with very hot water to rinse fine grit out.
  • Unstick a motor that’s been sitting.
    • If the dishwasher sat unused for months, mineral scale can lock the pump.
    • With the sump exposed, pour in very hot water mixed with some white vinegar.
    • Let it soak 15–20 minutes, then spin the impeller again. It often frees up.
  • Quick health check without fancy tools.
    • Reassemble the sump, filters, and spray arm.
    • Turn water back ON, restore power, and start a cycle.
    • Listen: it should fill, then you should hear a strong spray noise. If it fills and just hums or clicks, the motor is still in trouble.
    • If it runs strong after you freed the impeller and F41 is gone, you just saved the cost of a pump.
  • Spot a dying pump fast.
    • While it’s pulled out, look under the motor for rust trails, white mineral streaks, or dried water lines.
    • See water marks or rust at the motor? Bearings are probably cooked. Don’t waste hours nursing it; plan on a new circulation pump.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: Dishwasher under ~8–10 years old, tub and racks are solid, no leak history, and it only needs a circulation pump (or just a jam cleared). DIY pump swap runs far less than a new GE Profile dishwasher.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Unit 10–12+ years old, already had control or pump issues before, or you’re looking at both a pump and a control board. Parts plus labor can creep near half the price of a new mid-range machine.
  • ❌ Replace: Rusted racks, cracked tub, chronic leaks, or estimate shows pump + control + harness over ~$350–$400. At that point, your money is better in a new, more efficient dishwasher with a fresh warranty.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

More error code cheat sheets if your other gear is acting up: