Instant Pot Pressure Cooker F17 Error Code Fix

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What This Error Means

F17 on an Instant Pot pressure cooker means a lid / pressure sensor fault.

Translation: the cooker thinks the lid lock or pressure sensor isn’t reading safely, so it refuses to heat up and build pressure.

You usually see this right after starting a program, with the pot staying cold or barely warming and never reaching full pressure.

Official Fix

This is the straight-from-the-manual approach. Do these in order:

  • Kill the power. Unplug the Instant Pot and let it sit at least 5–10 minutes so any internal heat and pressure drop.
  • Check the sealing ring. Make sure the silicone ring is fully seated in the lid groove, not twisted, stretched, cracked, or greasy. Replace if it looks swollen or loose.
  • Inspect the float valve and anti-block shield. Pop off the metal shield under the lid (if your model has one) and make sure the float pin moves freely up and down. Clean off dried starch or food.
  • Check the steam release parts. Make sure the steam release handle / valve is installed correctly, turns freely, and isn’t packed with food debris.
  • Look at the lid lock area. On most models there’s a small slot or tab where the lid engages a lock or sensor. Make sure nothing is bent, jammed, or crusted with food.
  • Confirm the inner pot fit and liquid level. Inner stainless pot must be seated flat with at least 1–1.5 cups of thin liquid (water, broth). No inner pot = F-type errors on many models.
  • Power-cycle and test. Plug back in, firmly close the lid, set the steam release to Sealing, and run a simple Water Test (Pressure Cook, 5 minutes, with water only).
  • Still getting F17? At that point the official line is: stop using it and contact Instant Brands support. They will usually call it a failed lid sensor or control board and recommend service or replacement.

If it’s under warranty, do not open the base or lid beyond the normal removable parts; you will void coverage.

The Technician’s Trick

When F17 keeps coming back but the pot is otherwise healthy, most of the time the lid sensor is just sticky or gunked up, not dead. Here’s the street-fix.

  • Unplug it. Fully cool it. Don’t mess with a hot or pressurized cooker. Make sure the float has dropped.
  • Strip the lid. Remove the sealing ring, anti-block shield, float valve pin, and its little silicone cap. Note the order so you can rebuild it.
  • Deep-clean the float bore and shield area. Use hot soapy water, a toothbrush, and a wooden toothpick to clear starch from the float hole and around the shield posts. Rinse and dry well.
  • Clean the lid lock slot/sensor area. On the top edge of the lid or just inside the rim there’s usually a slot where the locking tang moves. Flush that area with a damp cloth or cotton swab, then blow it out with canned air. You’re freeing a sticky mechanical piece that the sensor reads.
  • Flip or replace the float cap. If the little silicone cap on the float is chewed up or hardened, flip it over or swap in a new one from a kit. A dragging float will confuse the pressure sensor and trigger F17-style faults.
  • Dry everything completely. No moisture around the sensor or connectors. Leave the lid open on a towel for 30–60 minutes if needed.
  • Hard reset. With the cooker empty and dry, leave it unplugged for 10–15 minutes, then plug back in and run a 5-minute Water Test. Many “dead” F17 units clear right here.
  • If F17 appears instantly again: now you’re into real hardware-failure territory: bad pressure sensor wiring in the lid, or a failing control board in the base. At this point a tech will meter the sensor and board; a typical homeowner should not be digging into the live wiring.

Bottom line: if a deep lid clean plus a hard reset doesn’t fix F17, assume you need parts, not more button combos.

Is It Worth Fixing? (The Financial Verdict)

  • ✅ Fix: F17 only shows up sometimes, pot is under ~5–6 years old, and a new lid/float/sealing ring set or sensor is under about a third of the price of a new Instant Pot.
  • ⚠️ Debatable: Out of warranty, heavy daily use, plus other issues (sticking buttons, scorched base, warped inner pot); don’t dump big money into it unless you love this exact model.
  • ❌ Replace: Control board or full lid assembly quote is over 50% of a new cooker, there are burn marks/smells from the base, or F17 comes back even after replacing lid parts.

Parts You Might Need

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See also

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