Maytag Dishwasher F8 E2 — What It Means & How to Fix It
Also shown as F8E2, 8-2 on some models.
Unlike the slow-drain code, F8 E2 means the control sees something electrically wrong with the drain pump itself — an open motor winding or broken wiring — so once the easy blockage checks are done, this usually points to a new pump.
What this code means
F8 E2 (8-2 flashed) is the drain pump's electrical fault. Where 8-1 reports water leaving too slowly, 8-2 says the pump's electrical side is misbehaving — most often an open winding in the pump motor or a break in the wiring feeding it. The standing water looks identical, but the cause is the pump, which runs on mains voltage and so is a technician's replacement.
It's still worth a quick blockage check: a pump jammed solid by glass or grit can sometimes read as an electrical fault, and clearing it is free. Beyond that, the wiring and motor are live-circuit territory.
Most likely causes
| Cause | How likely | DIY-fixable? |
|---|---|---|
| Open winding in the drain pump motor | Common | No — technician job |
| Broken or chafed wiring to the pump | Occasional | No — technician job |
| Pump jammed by debris, stalling the motor | Occasional | Partly — clear only |
| One-off control misread | Occasional | Yes — power reset |
What you can try yourself
- Unplug the dishwasher, remove the tub filter, and check the sump and pump intake for glass shards or grit that could be stalling the pump.
- Clear anything you find by hand — never with power connected — and refit the filter.
- Restore power and run a short cycle to see whether clearing a jam was enough.
- If F8 E2 returns with the pump intake clear, the motor winding or its wiring has failed — both are mains-connected, so hand it to a technician for testing and replacement.
When to call a technician
- F8 E2 persists after the pump intake is confirmed clear.
- The drain pump is completely silent when it should run.
- You can see damaged or melted wiring near the pump.
Typical professional repair cost: Drain pump replacement typically runs $160–$320 with labour.
Frequently asked questions
How is F8 E2 different from F8 E1 on a Maytag dishwasher?
F8 E1 is a slow drain, usually a clog you can clear in the filter, hose, or disposal connection. F8 E2 is an electrical fault in the drain pump itself, so after a quick check for jams it generally means the pump needs replacing.
Can I replace the drain pump myself?
We don't advise it. The pump is wired into the mains supply and sits in the water path, so a mistake risks both shock and leaks. Clearing a visible jam is fine; replacing the motor is a technician's job.
Is it safe to keep running the dishwasher with F8 E2?
Better not to. If the pump can't clear water, cycles leave the tub full and can overflow, and running a faulty electrical component isn't worth the risk. Leave it until it's repaired.
Related Maytag codes
- Maytag Dishwasher F1 E1 Your Maytag's control board has flagged one of its own relays as stuck on — an output that should have switched off still reads live — and a full power-down often clears a false alarm, while a genuinely welded relay means board-level service.
- Maytag Dishwasher F2 E1 Your Maytag's control thinks one of the touchpad buttons is being held down — a stuck-button reading that's far more often caused by moisture or a sticky film on the panel than by a dead control.
- Maytag Dishwasher F3 E1 The combined temperature-and-soil sensor in your Maytag's sump has stopped giving the control a usable reading, so the machine can no longer tell how hot or how dirty the water is — sometimes just a fouled sensor face, sometimes a true sensor or wiring fault.
- Maytag Dishwasher F5 E1 Your Maytag tried to begin a cycle and didn't sense the door securely latched — most often because the door wasn't pushed shut quickly enough after pressing Start, and less often because the latch or its switches are wearing out.
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