Like other air conditioner brands, your GE air conditioner is programmed to display different GE air conditioner error codes when it develops problems.
That way, you can quickly narrow down on what is exactly causing a malfunction in your unit ( and fix it before extreme summer heat makes your life miserable)
Below is a list of the most common GE air conditioner error codes, their typical meaning and troubleshooting ideas (for each of these GE air conditioner fault codes).
I hope that this GE air conditioner troubleshooting guide will help you repair your GE air conditioner error code asap.
GE air conditioner error codes (meaning and recommended fixes)
What you need to know even before we look at how to fix specific GE air conditioner error codes is that rebooting the AC normally resets quite a number of these codes.
So when you see an error code on your GE air con, the first thing you should always try to do is reboot the AC- That ‘resets’ the entire system and can clear a ton of errors.
To be clear, you turn it off, wait about five minutes and then turn it back on –
It is only when that doesn’t solve the problem that you need to attempt the other repairs I recommend for each fault code.
With that out of our way, below are many varied error codes you might see on your AC and what to do about each (if rebooting it does not work).
GE air conditioner error code 88 (GE window air conditioner error code 88)
If it’s throwing error code 88 (double 88 symbol keeps lighting up- and it sometimes starts to beep nonstop while flashing error code 88 ), then there’s a huge chance you have a bad board.
Suggested solution:
Unplug it from power.
Remove the unit’s front cover
Now disconnect the AC’s front control board – it is easy because it is traditionally connected by two ribbons only (one connects to the Wi-Fi adapter and the other ribbon to the board that’s controlling the capacitor and other things).
This is important: leave the other board untouched (there’s a metal cover for it you’ll see and you will also observe that the capacitor is directly attached).
Since we want to kind of bypass the front board settings, you must not forget to dis-connect the ribbon (the ribbon with 10 wires) …then, set your AC to max cool setting (and always on).
Next, be sure to cut out the black, white, pink/red, and even the yellow wires – please strip these wires( you can safely and easily accomplish this using wire nut +electrical tape) and connect them together.
Reminder: You are not to connect all stripped wires- you are just connecting 4 wires together (BLACK+WHITE+PINK/RED+YELLOW).
You have to also cut and end the 6(six) wires (the other six of the ribbon as you will no longer be needing the AC’s front control board (Just know that the fix is unlikely to work if any other wires remain connected to the front control board apart from the wifi which will anyway not work anymore)
Place the cover back into its place and plug in your unit.
Pro Tip: If you’re a bit tech savvy, it’s a good idea to wire up an aftermarket thermostat – you won’t have to keep worrying about your AC running until it freezes.
Do you need to swap the board?
Well, on occasion it is just something simple (particularly corrosion on the board- just clean any you see and re-install it).
Otherwise, if you cannot see anything wrong with the components, then you could just be fine bypassing it this summer- and I hope you will consider the thermostat solution.
Watch the YouTube tutorial below for step-by-step instructions on bypassing the motherboard
GE air conditioner error code E1
E1 usually means there is an internal electrical problem.
Suggested fix
Try to turn off the air con (to reset it) especially if the E1 error comes up after the 720 hour run time notice for replacing the air filter and you did not reset that timer right.
What if you replaced the filter as necessary and not when the timer tells you?
Well, you still need to reset the timer or else it will tell you that you still need to replace the air filter while a new one is sitting in it or give you an E1 error instead.
Now, if turning it off, waiting five minutes and turning it back on doesn’t solve the problem, you might be looking at a wiring inside the main board or control panel issue.
E4 code on GE air conditioner (General electric air conditioner error code E4)
For the most part, E4 is an error that only appears on portable GE air conditioners with a drain pan- and it simply says the water bucket is full (the sensor that checked the water level noted it had filled).
In other words, GE portable air conditioner error code E4 means you need to empty the water reservoir (the drain pan is likely full).
Recommended repair
So check if the water bucket is actually full or just mis-aligned- empty it or try to re-align it correctly (proper alignment of your drain pan and the drain tube is super important).
I need to add that it can pop up if the float switch (in the bucket) is defective too (which could need to be replaced).
Now, as regards the float, you want to check if the float has cracked..
That said, the problem could be just a tripped float switch…. Keep in mind that the float switch tends to shut down your AC if the drain pipe clogs then backs up to prevent your air con from overflowing (and causing serious water damage in your home).
Here you need to get the drain tube unclogged first- once you do that, pour some bleach (down the pipe) monthly to stop it from backing up again (in the future).
More GE air conditioner error codes explained and how to fix each
GE air conditioner EP Error code
If you see GE air conditioner error code EP, that’s mainly due to an issue with either the main compressor or your unit’s main compressor sensor.
Of course, a compressor problem usually prevents your AC from running…
But do not be quick to condemn the compressor- you may want to check if there’s loose wiring to it.
You see, you could be getting the EP error because someone dis-lodged the wiring (for the compressor sensor) while installing a part like a starting capacitor.
So you may have to hardwire the entire thing again – I once had to hard wire it as follows:
I cut out both the control boards- All that’s there is the start run capacitor, the compressor, and the fan.
You will see a couple of wires (a blue wire coming from the capacitor to the white wire on plug and another blue wire from fan and a black one from the compressor.
When there, check if the whole wiring there was done correctly) – the service tech sheet will come in handy here.
You may also cause shorts by actions like cleaning the compressor (and coils) with an unrecommended type of cleaner as well.
So check all these before you think of changing out the compressor or your main compressor sensor(as mentioned earlier, it is sometimes the culprit)
GE window air conditioner error code E8
If you’re seeing NumberE8 on display, it is probably caused by clogging issues in/around the venting system, resulting in compressor overload (dirt buildup hampers airflow and can make the heat remain inside).
How to fix E8 error code GE window air conditioner
Do this:
Take the back cover off your unit (Make sure to unplug the unit if you decide to work on it) and clean out any dirt/debris you see below the fan (By the way I’m hoping you have a clean filter).
Just reach in and feel around the fan- you might end up pulling out a lot of dirt and debris – this is a possible cause of GE air conditioner error code E8.
Next, pull on the styrofoam (the one covering the squirrel cage) and see if the squirrel cage needs cleaning too.
You then take the unit’s fan cover off (there are only a few 4 screws to remove and the cover slides right up).
Now, when you pull out the fan cover, it will expose the inside/interior part of the metal-made radiator stuff that you usually spray off on the backside of your AC.
This is essentially the venting system/network for the coils.
Check it- you might find the venting system fully covered with crud (plenty of it), which means you need to clean it too.
To do that, gently use water and then gently use a putty knife to scrape off the animal hair, dirt, bugs, and whatever else that got sucked in there through the outside system.
Of course, you might need to pull your GE AC out of its window so it can be a little work…but its all worth it and it often resolves GE window air conditioner error code 8.
Watch the video below for a better idea of how to fix the notorious error code E8.
More GE air conditioner error codes and how to fix them
GE Air conditioner error code E5
E5 typically says there’s a coil sensor fault- the problem can be due to dirty filters or perhaps you may have killed the coil sensor when cleaning it.
The best solution is replacing the defective coil sensor- and here you may want to have a pro do it for you, if you’re not particularly mechanically inclined.
GE air conditioner error code F1 / GE window air conditioner error code F1 /GE air conditioner error code F1
This says there’s ambient room temp error- try to restart your AC
Otherwise, Error code F1 is frequently triggered by a failed sensor(on cold side coils).
And you can just find the culprit is a thermocouple- some AC’s have 2 thermocouples (one for the temp reading -on the display- and one to alert the electronics in case cold side coils freeze up.
We are referring to the one attached to the copper segment of the tube portion of cooling coils.
Now, you know the actual specs of that thermocouple(cold side coils thermocouple), you can successfully replace it for just a few bucks.
Note: So many times, F1 fault code points to a problem with either the room or the coil thermistor (temp sensor)…replacing the bad part is the best solution.
GE F2 error air conditioner
F2 error code probably indicates that the discharge air temperature sensor is fried- get a replacement.
GE portable air conditioner error code FL
Try the following if you see “FL” error code (and rebooting it does not work):
Drain the ACs indoor and outdoor side (Read GE Air Conditioner – Draining your Appliance).
Clean drain pump filter-remove it first (to drain water from indoor side)- Read GE air conditioner, Care and Cleaning)
GE air conditioner F4 error code
This likely points to an outdoor temp sensor error- This can be brought about by blocked vents so get rid of obstructions/blockages you might see in/around the vents.
GE air conditioner error codes E3
You might be having an indoor fan speed issue- you therefore want to check the fan motor and even the fan blades for signs of damage and then swap any damaged parts as necessary.
GE window air conditioner error codes – wrapping it up
Unfortunately GE air conditioners are not very friendly for DIY repairs so your warranty can be your best bet if it has started acting up and the error codes won’t go even when you try all the above.
I also urge you to get the unit’s manual -you are likely to find it on the web- It has a troubleshooting section that includes a list of known error codes, what they point to, and suggested repairs.
PS: Go here to schedule a service appointment with GE.
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GE air conditioner filter reset steps