KitchenAid Garbage Disposals Error Codes

F1

Garbage disposal will not turn on; wall switch has power; unit is silent with no humming.

Internal Overload Protector Tripped

F10

Garbage disposal runs but water leaks from the very bottom of the unit into the cabinet.

Internal Seal or Housing Leak

F11

Garbage disposal leaks from around the sink flange at the top of the unit.

Sink Flange Seal Failure

F12

Garbage disposal leaks from the side where the dishwasher drain hose connects.

Dishwasher Inlet Connection Leak

F13

Newly installed garbage disposal will not drain dishwasher water; dishwasher backs up into sink.

Knockout Plug Not Removed from Dishwasher Inlet

F14

Garbage disposal emits a persistent burning or electrical smell during or after use.

Overheating Motor or Electrical Insulation Breakdown

F15

Garbage disposal is extremely loud compared to previous operation, with rattling and banging noises.

Loose or Broken Impeller Lugs

F16

Garbage disposal turns on but shuts off by itself after a short time, then can be restarted after cooling.

Overheating and Thermal Overload Cycling

F17

Garbage disposal will not turn off unless the breaker is switched off; continues running even when wall switch is OFF.

Stuck or Shorted Wall Switch

F18

Garbage disposal will not start from the air switch (countertop button), but runs if directly powered.

Air Switch or Air Tube Failure

F19

Garbage disposal makes a clicking sound but does not start; sometimes starts after multiple tries.

Sticking Start Switch or Weak Motor Start Torque

F2

Garbage disposal hums loudly when switched on but the grinding plate does not spin.

Impeller Plate / Rotor Jam

F20

Garbage disposal runs but food is not grinding effectively; large pieces remain and are recirculated.

Dull Shredder Ring and Impellers

F3

Garbage disposal does not respond; no sound; GFCI outlet trips immediately when disposal is switched on.

Ground Fault or Short in Motor Circuit

F4

Garbage disposal runs but water backs up into sink; poor or no draining through the disposal.

Discharge Port or Drain Line Obstruction

F5

Garbage disposal turns on and off intermittently when the wall switch is left in the ON position.

Intermittent Power or Switch Contact Failure

F6

Garbage disposal runs but makes a loud grinding or scraping metal-on-metal noise.

Foreign Object in Grind Chamber

F7

Garbage disposal vibrates excessively and the entire sink shakes during operation.

Unbalanced or Loose Mounting Assembly

F8

Garbage disposal runs but produces a high-pitched squeal or screeching sound.

Worn Motor Bearings

F9

Garbage disposal trips the circuit breaker each time it is turned on, even after reset.

Overcurrent or Locked Rotor Condition

Symptom

Garbage disposal causes the lights in the kitchen to dim significantly when starting.

High Inrush Current or Undersized Circuit

Symptom

Garbage disposal causes water to back up into the opposite sink bowl when running.

Shared Drain Line Restriction

Symptom

Garbage disposal emits a strong rotten or sewer-like odor even after running with water.

Organic Buildup in Grind Chamber and Drain

Symptom

Garbage disposal hums continuously even with the wall switch in the OFF position.

Miswired Switch or Constant Hot Feed

Symptom

Garbage disposal intermittently shocks or tingles when touching the metal sink while it is running.

Grounding or Bonding Fault

Symptom

Garbage disposal is unusually noisy and transmits a lot of sound through the sink and countertop.

Insufficient Sound Insulation or Missing Sound Baffle

Symptom

Garbage disposal makes a rattling noise only at startup and shutdown, but runs smoothly in between.

Normal Start/Stop Torque Reaction or Slight Mount Play

Symptom

Garbage disposal motor runs but the grinding plate does not move; water and food do not circulate.

Decoupled Rotor from Impeller Plate

Symptom

Garbage disposal plug gets warm or hot to the touch after running.

High Resistance Connection at Plug or Outlet

Symptom

Garbage disposal runs but occasionally locks up when certain foods are processed, requiring manual freeing.

Chronic Jamming Due to Food Type

Symptom

Garbage disposal runs but occasionally spits water and debris out when the dishwasher drains.

Cross-Flow Between Dishwasher and Disposal

Symptom

Garbage disposal runs but there is a constant water leak at the discharge elbow connection to the drain pipe.

Discharge Elbow Gasket Failure

Symptom

Garbage disposal runs but water slowly drains from the sink even when disposal is off; standing water persists.

Partial Obstruction in Grind Chamber or Discharge

Symptom

Garbage disposal splashes water and food particles back up into the sink during operation.

Worn or Improper Splash Guard

Symptom

Garbage disposal turns on but water leaks from the top side of the unit where the body meets the mounting assembly.

Mounting Gasket or Support Ring Leak

Symptom

Garbage disposal vibrates and makes noise only when the dishwasher is draining.

Backflow or Turbulence from Dishwasher Drain

Symptom

Garbage disposal will not run after a power outage, while other appliances work normally.

Tripped Internal Overload or Power Surge Damage

Symptom

Garbage disposal will not start; a low humming is heard for a second, then it shuts off and the reset button pops.

Severe Jam with Overload Trip

Symptom

Garbage disposal will not turn on at all; no sound; outlet has no power but other kitchen outlets work.

Tripped or Faulty GFCI Outlet