KitchenAid dishwasher code F8 E4: water in the drip tray

What it means

Water has been detected in the drip tray underneath the dishwasher.

On models without a display, KitchenAid signals this with: 8 flashes, a pause, then 4 flashes, repeating.

What to try

Unplug the dishwasher before any step beyond a quick look, and turn the water off before touching hoses.

1. Turn off the water supply to the dishwasher.
2. Press Cancel once to silence the alarm. For a professionally installed dishwasher, KitchenAid says to leave the power on and keep the door closed while it drains.
3. KitchenAid’s further checks for dishwashers people installed themselves (the water connections, the float switch and the drip tray) are behind the kick panel, next to the electrical connections. Leave them to a technician or whoever installed it.
4. Clear the code: press Cancel once to silence the alarm, then again to clear the code.

Call a technician if

Resetting a KitchenAid dishwasher

KitchenAid’s power cycle: disconnect the dishwasher for 30 seconds. Unplug it if it plugs in; if it’s hardwired, switch off its breaker at the electrical panel. Then restore power.

Still stuck?

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