On most GE dishwashers, pressing and holding the Start or Start/Reset pad for 3 seconds cancels the cycle, and the machine pumps out its water before it shuts off. If the panel is frozen or a code won't clear, GE's next step is a power reset: switch off the dishwasher's breaker for 30 seconds to 2 minutes, then turn it back on and start a new cycle.
Before you reset, check the door, Lock Controls and Delay Hours
A GE dishwasher that looks frozen is often just waiting on a setting. GE's own checklist for a dishwasher that has lights but won't run starts with three settings: the child lock, the door latch and a delayed start. Look for a lit Lock Controls light, a number with an H on the display (1H, 4H and so on means Delay Hours is counting down), and anything stopping the door from closing all the way, such as a pan handle, loose trim or the countertop edge.
Photograph any code on the display before you reset. A restart wipes it, and it's the best clue a technician will have later.
No tools are needed for anything in this guide. Allow about 5 minutes for a button reset and 10 minutes if you go to the breaker panel.
Cancel or reset the cycle with the Start pad
This is GE's standard reset, and it's the one to try first. Newer and older control panels handle it a little differently.
Newer models with a plain Start pad (GE's 2019 owner's manual covers its GDF, GDT, GDP, DDT, PDT and PDP series): press and hold Start for 3 seconds, then close the door. The dishwasher drains, beeps and turns off the wash cycle light. To run a fresh cycle, pick it, press Start and close the door within 4 seconds. Miss that 4-second window and the cycle won't begin, which is easy to mistake for a failed reset.
Older models with a Start/Reset pad: touch Start/Reset to cancel. The Start/Reset light flashes while the pump empties the tub, and you wait for the flashing to stop before choosing a new cycle. GE's manuals put the drain at roughly 90 seconds to 2 minutes, and its support page says the light can blink for 75 to 90 seconds depending on the model.
Open the door slowly if a cycle is running, so hot water doesn't splash out.
Hold Start (or Start/Reset) for 3 seconds. On models with a plain Start pad, close the door right after.
Leave the door shut and let it drain. Don't press anything while the light flashes.
When the light goes out, select the cycle you want, press Start once and close the door.
Turn off Delay Hours without canceling the wash
A countdown on the panel means the dishwasher is sitting on a delayed start. On models with a Delay Hours pad, tap it repeatedly to step the delay down until no number shows. GE notes there's no Off position on that pad, so you keep pressing until the display clears. Older models with a Delay Start pad work the same way: press it until the delay indicator goes dark.
Holding Start for 3 seconds also wipes out a delay, but it cancels the whole cycle along with it, so you'll have to choose the cycle again.
Unlock the controls
With Lock Controls on, the pads ignore every press except Delay Start, which GE says still works. GE uses several button combinations across its lineup, and the same press turns the lock both on and off:
- Older models with a LOCK pad: press LOCK twice within 3 seconds.
- Some newer models: hold the Dry Boost pad, or the Steam-Sani, Presoak-Sani or Sanitize pads together, for 3 seconds.
- Other newer models: hold the Cycle pad, or the Dry/Dry Boost and Steam pads together, for 3 seconds.
- Some older Start/Reset models, such as the GSD6000 and PDW8000/PDW9000 series: hold HEATED DRY for 3 seconds.
Read the blinking lights and beeps
GE ties a few light and sound patterns to specific causes. Meanings change from model to model, so treat this list as a starting point and check the troubleshooting table in your owner's manual.
- Start or Start/Reset light blinking for up to 90 seconds: the cycle was reset or interrupted and the dishwasher is draining before it shuts off. Wait it out.
- Start light flashing on newer models with a plain Start pad: the door was opened or the cycle was interrupted. Press Start once and close the door within 4 seconds.
- A beep every 30 to 60 seconds: the door was opened mid-cycle. Close it (on newer models, press Start first) and the beeping stops.
- A double beep when the cycle ends: normal on some models.
- PF on the display: there was a power failure mid-cycle. Re-pick the cycle and any options, then press Start.
- Other lights blinking or random beeps, often after a power surge: press Start/Reset and give it 2 minutes. If the panel is still acting up, go to the breaker reset below.
Reset the power at the breaker
Cutting the power gives the control board a clean restart. GE's figures for how long to leave the power off vary by page: 30 seconds on its blinking-lights and code pages, about 2 minutes on its breaker article, and a minute or two in its general code advice. Two minutes satisfies all of them.
Depending on the install, a GE dishwasher is either hardwired to the house supply or plugged into an outlet, and on some kitchens a wall switch or switched outlet controls it. GE asks you to check that switch is on before blaming the dishwasher. The breaker works for every setup, so use it for the reset.
If the panel still responds, cancel with the Start pad first and wait for the pump to stop.
At the electrical panel, switch off the dishwasher's breaker, or remove its fuse.
Wait 2 minutes.
Turn the breaker back on (or put the fuse back) and make sure any wall switch for the dishwasher is on.
Latch the door, choose a cycle and press Start.
Clear a 999 code with Cycle Select and Start
On most GE dishwashers, 999 means the control itself needs resetting. GE publishes a button reset for the GDT225, PDT145 and ZDT165 models it lists (for example GDT225SSLSS and PDT145SGLBB): hold the Cycle Select and Start pads together for 5 seconds, or until 999 disappears. A blank display or a different number at that point is fine. Press any button to finish, and the display should show a cycle time such as 130.
There's one big exception. On models with Floor Protect with Alert, GE says 999 can signal a possible leak, and the dishwasher won't start. Don't try to reset it. Shut the water supply valve under the sink, look under the unit for water and book service.
Check the flood float if it won't fill or start
A float in the sump tells the control when to stop filling. If it's stuck up, the dishwasher may refuse to run, and no reset will clear that. On older C-code models, C4 can mean a stuck float, and GE's fix there is to tap the plastic float cover in the front left corner of the tub floor to free it. GE's owner float check covers models whose numbers begin with GDF, GDT, PDT, CDT, DDT, ADT or ZDT. Its float page doesn't cover other models, so on those, leave the float to a technician.
Switch the breaker off first, and leave it off until the float and filters are back in. Pull the lower rack, take out the Ultra Fine and Fine filters, then lift the float straight up out of the sump. Clear any food scraps from the sump (wear gloves if there could be broken glass), make sure the float isn't bent or cracked, and drop it back in the way it came out. Never tape, wedge or hold the float down to make the dishwasher run. Reinstall the filters, restore power and run a cycle.
When the code comes back after a reset
One reset is enough. GE's advice is consistent across its pages: if the code or blinking returns after the power reset, the dishwasher needs service. Resetting again just hides the evidence.
Some codes have a cause you can deal with first. C1, C2 and C3 point to a slow or blocked drain, usually a clogged air gap, a kinked drain hose or a garbage disposer that needs running. C4 is the float or a clogged sump. LEAK DETECTED is different from all of these: GE says the dishwasher has already canceled the cycle and pumped out, and if it's beeping, you should cut the power and leave it off until it's repaired.
When to call a professional
Book a repair when a code or the blinking returns after a 2-minute breaker reset, or when the dishwasher shows LEAK DETECTED or has water underneath it. If the breaker trips again as soon as you turn it on, GE suggests having an electrician check the circuit rating (15 or 20 amps) before blaming the dishwasher. Have the model and serial numbers ready; on many GE dishwashers they're on a label on the tub wall just inside the door.
Parts involved
- Main control board
- User interface board
- Float switch and leak sensor
- Door latch and door switch
- Drain pump
Error codes for this problem
- 999Control needs a reset (or leak on some models)GE
- PFPower failureGE
- Start/Reset light blinkingCycle reset or interruptedGE
- C1 / C2Draining is taking too longGE
- C3 / FTD / F56Dishwasher won't drainGE
- C4Overfill float stuck or sump cloggedGE
- LEAK DETECTEDLeak sensor found waterGE
- Cup OpenDetergent cup not closedGE
Dishwasher error codes by brand
Seeing a code on the display? Pick your brand to look it up.
- GE14 codes
- Bosch17 codes
- Frigidaire11 codes
- KitchenAid19 codes
- LG16 codes
- Miele13 codes
- Samsung17 codes
- Whirlpool20 codes
All dishwasher codes Dishwasher parts guide
Manufacturer resources
The official pages we checked for this guide. Your owner's manual is still the final word for your exact model.
- GGE AppliancesOfficial support
Related repair guides
- Dishwasher Won't Start? Latch, Lock, Delay and Power Checks
When a dishwasher won't start, the door usually isn't latched, the control lock is on, or a delay start timer is counting down.
- Dishwasher Leaking? 7 Causes, From the Door Gasket to the Hoses
Leaks out the front of the door usually come from the wrong detergent (dish soap makes suds that push past the seal), a torn or dirty door gasket, or a dish blocking the door.
- Dishwasher Not Draining? 7 Fixes to Try Before Calling a Pro
A clogged filter, a garbage disposer that needs clearing (or a new one with its knockout plug still in), a blocked air gap or a kinked drain hose cause most drain problems.
- Dishwasher Smells Bad? How to Find the Source and Get Rid of It
A dirty filter is behind most dishwasher smells: food and grease rot in the mesh at the bottom of the tub.