VERIFIED
Error code
F3E2 (3-2)
Appliance
Dishwasher
What F3E2 reports
The control board has found the thermistor/OWI sensor shorted. The thermistor is the water temperature sensor, and the OWI is the Optical Water Indicator.
How it shows up
- Kenmore HE and Kenmore Elite HE dishwashers with a digital display show F3E2.
- Other models of those series flash the Clean light in the function-problem pattern, here 3-2.
- The Kenmore MicroClean HE carries the same code.
Repair sequence
- Disconnect power at the plug.
- Inspect the wiring between the control board and the sensor.
- Repair or replace any harness that is broken.
- When the wiring is undamaged, replace the thermistor/OWI sensor.
This work happens inside the cabinet, which makes it a technician visit.
Compare with nearby codes
- F3E1 is the general sensor failure from the same chart.
- F3E3 involves OWI calibration and the drain hose check valve.
- F4E1 is a circulation pump motor communication fault.
Dishwasher repair for San Francisco homes
Our Kenmore dishwasher work in San Francisco and across the Bay Area starts on the Kenmore dishwasher repair page. Phone (415) 825-6393 when F3E2 will not clear, and keep the model number plus a list of your own checks beside you.
Model compatibility: Kenmore reuses codes across series and model years, so F3E2 (3-2) may mean something different on another appliance or generation. Confirm this against your model’s documentation and record your full model number before acting.
