Written by
Elena Marsh Appliance Care EditorPublished October 29, 2026
VERIFIED
Error codeF3E1 (3-1)
ApplianceDishwasher
A Kenmore dishwasher that displays F3E1, also written 3-1, has lost a good reading from one of two sensors that sit in its wash water.
The two sensors behind the code
Thermistor: reads the temperature of the water.
OWI sensor: the Optical Water Indicator, which judges how much debris the water carries.
Where it is listed
The entry appears for the Kenmore HE, the Kenmore Global HE and the Kenmore MicroClean HE dishwashers.
Order of checks
Pull the plug so the machine has no power.
Follow the wires from the electronic control board out to the thermistor/OWI sensor and look for a break.
A broken harness is mended or swapped for a new one.
Wiring in good shape shifts the blame to the sensor, and the thermistor/OWI sensor is replaced.
Getting to those parts means working inside the dishwasher, so a technician normally handles it.
Codes in the same group
F3E2 is the shorted version of the same sensor fault.
F3E3 adds an OWI that failed to calibrate, or a drain hose check valve that let dirty water back in.
F2E2 is a panel-to-board communication fault rather than a sensor one.
Kenmore dishwasher service in San Francisco
If F3E1 comes back on your Kenmore in San Francisco or elsewhere around the Bay Area, book through Kenmore dishwasher repair and call (415) 825-6393. Have the model number ready, the code you saw, and a short note of anything you already tried.
Model compatibility: Kenmore reuses codes across series and model years, so F3E1 (3-1) may mean something different on another appliance or generation. Confirm this against your model’s documentation and record your full model number before acting.
Plain language
What this code means
Failure of the thermistor (water temperature sensor) or the OWI (optical water indicator) sensor.
Important safety warning. Do not attempt repairs involving electrical components, gas, water lines, refrigerant or sealed systems. Unplug the appliance if it is safe to reach the outlet, and leave internal diagnostics to a qualified technician.
Seeing this code on your Kenmore appliance?
Book a specialist visit for a clear estimate and approval before any repair.
You submit a request with your appliance model and symptom, we confirm an appointment window, and a technician performs an on-site diagnosis. You then receive a clear estimate and decide whether to proceed before any repair begins.
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Replacement parts are selected for the exact model and confirmed with you before ordering or installation.
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Ready to get your Kenmore appliance working again?
Book a repair online or call us — clear estimates and approval before any repair work begins.
