Dishwasher displays F3E2; may not heat water properly; dishes come out cold and wet.

Safety First: Disconnect power at the breaker before testing the heater.

• Visual inspection: Remove the toe-kick panel and inspect the heating element terminals under the tub for signs of burning or broken wires.
• Continuity test: With power off, disconnect the heater wires and use a multimeter to check resistance across the element. A typical Whirlpool dishwasher heater reads between 10–40 ohms. Infinite resistance indicates a failed element.
• Check wiring: Ensure the heater wires are firmly attached and not burnt or corroded.
• Control board check: If the heater tests good but the code persists, the heater relay on the main control board may be defective and the board will need replacement.

Do not run the dishwasher with exposed wiring or disconnected heater terminals.