I’m writing this blog post in the hope that You find yourself reading this in desperate need of help to fix this issue.
Now I’m not saying this solution solves the problem 100% of the time, but I’m fairly confident that 90% of you out there with this error code experienced the same problem I did.
If you have the most common cause for this error, then I have some good news for you, you can fix this yourself in a matter of minutes.
So take a sigh of relief, It’s likely you won’t have to call in an expensive repair man.
Firstly what’s actually happened? What is the problem?
The bottom of the dishwasher contains a spill off reservoir, this reservoir will fill up over time from just regular use. Inside this reservoir is a sensor, if it’s too fill it triggers the sensor, and generates a F6E4 error.
F6, typically means that there is no water source connected. E4 means the reservoir is full.
So the full message in human readable form is “I your dishwasher, cannot take in more water because the reservoir is already full”. Hence F6 because E4.
The fix
1. Clean out any water from the inside of your dishwasher. This includes the filter area and the salt area. Don’t worry about getting it baby bottom dry, just make sure it’s somewhat dry. Also use this opportunity to give the inside a nice clean.
2. This is the tricky part but ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. Get your dishwasher out of it’s built in cabinet. Give yourself a prep talk and get it out of there. More than likely you can just disconnect the power, inflow and outflow, but if it was installed correctly there should be enough play on the inflow and outflow to just disconnect the electricity and slide it out. Just make sure you do disconnect the power first.
3. Now once it’s out another easy part – just tilt the machine to get the water out the reservoir. Water will go all over your floor, this means you’re doing it right. Make sure you get it as dry as possible. Get as much water out as possible.
4. Put it all back, reconnect the power and inflow / outflow if needed.
5. Run P2 – without any dishes as a test, it’s the shortest cycle.
6. Jump up and down because you saved yourself a repair man.
Michael's Techbox 
Perfect! works as described. Not sure where the issue is originating from, but it is solved now ๐
This worked perfectly for me too – great job. It does make a mess though; be warned!
Gets it working again but the problem comes back after a few cycles! Seems as though I will have to take the machine apart and see what’s going on!
Hi! You really made my day!!! Thanks a lot. I saw the message on my dishwasher display and I automatically thought it’d cost big money. I approached the internet and found your advice. The magic of the internet! ๐ . The dishwasher is working now. Thanks a lot!!!!!
Worked really well for me, thanks for the advice.
Thank you๐
thank you very much, it worked for me as well, very well explained.
Thanks ! It works ! I’m hero for my mother in law ๐
Thank You Michael. I has worked exactly as You said. It happened to us today on Christmass Day ๐ Many thanks…
Thanks, perfect! Saved my day! ๐
Thanks, man! Worked for me today, exactly as you described. Tilted it many times to remove as much water as I could and the machine came back to life!
Hi we tried this and loads of water came out, put it on again and could hear it drawing water and then it stopped again and is erroring again, any suggestions?
I would say – we need to look at logic F6e4.
You didn’t get enough water out. and it hit f6 again.
Yeah we tried it again and it started up again fine, but stopped again. Its just flooding the resevoir again – all this water really not good for my wooden floor . Will call whirlpool on Monday. Thanks anyway
Or it might be the censor sitting in the right side of the reservoir. Try to clean it with a dish washing cloth. Alternatively if there’s a water tank on top of the dishwasher, make sure it’s empty as well.
I have had the same problem. Tilted the machine, got a lot of water out, started P2, worked for about 8 minutes and F6E4 showed again.
How do I find the sensor in the reservoir? The water was really gooey so before I call Whirlpool I want to try as much as possible.
Also I ran a 45 minutes cycle yesterday, before doing the above procedure, and it went all the way to the end, only for the fault to reappear when washing a full load.
I officially love you!
Weekend, birthday partys and F6e4 error. Nice. I’m glad i find this page. The dam diswasher works after 20 min work.
I have to say this was best advice than i can get. Thanks a lot. This realy saved my weekend. ๐
Fantastic,
Your the man, it solved our problem, or I mean my wifes problem.๐
Thanks for your help./ Micael from Sweden.๐๐ผ
Wohooo!!!Michael you are my hero:) 15min for me job done. Thanks
Tilt forwards or backwards? I tried tilting forward and it still shows the same error codes.
Same for me… any suggestions? might be that something is stuck in the reservoir ?
Hi, same here. Did the whole thing. Tilted a couple of times, water came out.
Ran the P2, works for a couple of minutes and then again F6E4…
any suggestions?? Pssibilities to empty the reservoir manual ? thanks!
Same here. Tilted it a couple of times. Works for a couple of minutes and then error again. Any suggestions?
Can we empty the reservoir by ourselves? might be something in the pipe… thanks
You need to find where the water is coming from. There is a leak under your washer abd it triggers the sensor switch. The sensor is inside the white circle plastic that has styrofoam inside. If the water reach that, it will float and it will trigger the switch.
Thank you! The error was gone immedietly after removing the water and I could clean the dishwasher and drain after. You rock!
Twice I’ve followed your advice, and on both occasion like clockwork problem solved.
Many thanks.
Thank you very much! I don’t know what all I would have been trying if I had not found your advice. Please post my on inekonto[at]gmail your bank account number. I would appreciate you taking the time to write this down.
Thank you very much! Only 10 minutes and the dishwasher is good!
The problem will re occur 100%. You need to find where the leakage is coming from otherwise the error will re appear eventually. There is a sensor on top of the reservoir that triggers the error. Once you found the leak fix it and make sure that the sensor is not triggered. It is a small circle white plastic that has styrofoam. If the water reach that it will float and it will trigger the error. I hope this will help.
Thank you!! It worked! Could not find this error-code in the manual, so this saved our day ๐
Have had the same problem severall years ago. Finelley discovered the sensor problem. About 49 Euros at a parts shop online.
Replaced it and the problem was over.
Now the problem returrns after a few years.
I will try this method because i can’t imagion that same problem is back.
Wow! This worked out perfect! Could not find this error-code in the manual, so this saved our day๐
Dried out the resevoir, dried with towel and hair dryer and voila! You just saved me ZAR 600 in south african rands dude in call out fees for something thats so simple! Thanks a mil!!!
Oh man… You are a genius!!
LOL I am jumping up and down.
What’s more my wife is happy. and happy wife happy.. etc.
Thank You!
Many thanks for your advice, it’s worked a treat, and I’ve rendered the man of the house surplus to requirements since I’m now a dishwasher mending goddess! ๐๐ผ๐
Read this after fixing mine and removing the bottom pan to find there is a sensor dead centre with a float switch. However I had emptied the bottom pan by taking the bottom left panel off and used a flat sponge and mopped it up a few times; about 0.5L before taking the pan off. Hope this helps someone!
You are an absolute star! Thank you!
Thanks from Italy!
It saved us many problems before a long weekend.
We owe you at least a dinner.
If you’ll come to Apulia, be our guest.
You just saved my weekend and my 31 guests of helping to do the dishes! Thanks.
I am hoping to add to the useful advice based upon my experience. You might have a look a this as a permanent fix since it isn’t a fault with the machine. In my case, I noticed that the water creeps in because it discharges into a shared trap with the sink.. The level difference in the plumbing is small so – what happens is that water trickles back into the machine when you run the tap (in the sink) and the outlet pipe doesn’t run upwards before it drops down to the bottom of the dishwasher.
Change the route of the outlet pipe to create an inverted ‘U’ bend – and it is sorted. No need to drag the machine out just the ton of garbage kept under the sink…….
HI, followed the instructions, my mother-in-laws dishwasher working again, saved ยฃ174 for a call out!. Thanks.
Sunday, party time yesterday, lot’s of dishes to wash (morning after too) and F6E4 occurs ๐ฆ
You are my hero! Thank you a thousand!
Hi! Thanks man. You got me laid. Love you man. No homo ๐
Excellent advise! Worked exactly as you said and you saved my day! Many thanks!!
Thank you for the advice! The dishwasher is working perfectly here in Finland! ๐
I have been dealing with this error code for 5 years! Thank you so much for this advice. What a terrible design buy whirlpool. We are a large 8 member family and run our dishwasher 2-3 times a day. This problem started 2 months after purchase and has driven us crazy! Words can not thank you enough!!
Totally worked, thank you.
Worked for me, too!
Thanks a lot (Jacek from Poland)
Thanks. This is a life saver. much appreciated
You’re a genius!!!
It worked perfectly!
Thanks a million!
Michael. Great tip and site but…. I tried to highlight why the whirlpool will keep going wrong. It is a plumbing issue not a machine fault.
Could you highlight the fix in your blog ( better than folks dragging the machine about IMHO.
All tge best.
Hi thanks for the help. With my 6th sense washer I followed your method and then ran program 2 which took a few minutes for the 1 minute at the end to complete. Yes I thought! But now it won’t run any cycle. When I unplug and plug it in it powers up and the circle spins but then all lights go out. If I press the program button i can select a program and it shows the run time for a few seconds and then all lights go out. Press start button doesn’t do anything. Any ideas please?
Great advice, it works perfectly. Thank you
Holy F!!!!! This did the trick!!!! Saved me โฌ550 for a new dishwasher. Was about to trow this one away. You are the MAN!
ะกะฟะฐัะธะฑะพ ะธะท ะ ะพััะธะธ…
Brilliant Michael, it works!
Still good advice in 2018! Thanks ๐
Well it works but now a F6E5 coms on
๐ญ๐ญ๐ญ
Thank you for putting this on Internet. I did as you discribed and everything is working fine now
halleluja, I love you , thank you for your advice, i am a 46-old single mum and I did it !!! Thanks ! It works, It’s alive ๐
Excelent tips. It works! Thank you!
You are a genius! Thank you!!!!!
Now I only wish you had advice to fix the tumble dryer๐
The solution provided solved my problem, I have a Whirlpool ADPU 8773.
Thank You Michael!
Did exactly what you wrote, works perfectly again, thanks a lot..
My Whirlpool dishwasher is an older model – ADP 7868 (IX); the error message is simply F6. Will this help? This is happening right before and ENORMOUS event.
Thanks. Hope to hear from you soon.
We have a whirlpool dishwasher displayed F6 E4 tried the cure but after 10 minutes on P2 showed F6 and E4 again striped down reservoir black washer around spinner seems to have stretched could this be the problem or is it the sensor thatโs the problem
We have a whirlpool dishwasher displayed F6 E4 tried the cure but after 10 minutes on P2 showed F6 and E4 again striped down reservoir black washer around spinner seems to have stretched could this be the probleom or is it the sensor thatโs the problem
Thank you very much! This fixed the problem.
I think the reservoar was filled up because the mashine could not empty it, due to a lot of shit in the drain system. We cleaned up the draining system, then followed your instructions. Splendid!
Thank you…. I did not have water in the machine but got the same error. Turned it off. Tipped it sideways and pressed play…. voila!…. much appreciated
It works! Thank you so much!
Absolutely blooming AMAZING!!!!!
Ran the P2 and it went all the way through, now running a P6 with cleaner in…. crossing fingers this is a longterm fix…. it took 4 years for the reservoir to fill and trigger the sensor so hoping its another 4 before I need to do it again!!
Don’t know if you still read replies to what you wrote but I send you hearty thanks for your blog post
Hi Jan, Iโd be interested to know how you have progressed with this? Weโve had our machine about 7 years and this is the first time weโve had this issue and have just completed the instruction with success – question is โฆ will it last ๐คช
Carole
Why would they design a dishwasher that canโt pump out the water in the reservoir?
To call for maintenance ๐
Is there a way to use a shopvac and suck out the water instead of tipping?
i have tried it but did not work. Any thoughts please?
Oh dude, if I had you in front of me I would kiss you.
Thank you!!!!!!!!
DIDNT TELL ME TO TURN THE FUCKING WATER OFF THOU DID YOU! YOU CUNT! ๐
After flooding my kitchen and nearly drowning, it did work so thanks ๐๐ผ