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What is this code on the display panel? GE Dishwasher 888 code isn’t technically an error code at all, but it is likely an indication that something in your control panel isn’t working properly. Here are a few steps to troubleshoot…
GE dishwashers, like most appliances, show error codes when there’s a problem. Most of them are easy to understand, as they correspond with a specific problem referenced in the user manual. Still, GE dishwashers can display the code ‘888’, which doesn’t appear anywhere. What does it mean?
The 888 code on your GE dishwasher isn’t an error code at all. Instead, it’s a side effect of a blown control board fuse. That fuse blows due to a failed circulation or drain pump or because the heating element has short-circuited inside the appliance.
The 888 code isn’t as straightforward to reset as other standard error codes. Still, this guide will help you understand what causes it and what you’ll have to do to fix the problem.
What Does The GE Dishwasher 888 Code Mean?
The first thing you must understand is that the 888 you see on your GE dishwasher display is not an error code at all. That means you won’t find it mentioned in the user manual or any technical sheet that came with your appliance.
Instead, the display shows those numbers because the control board is affected by a blown fuse. That fuse blows due to a malfunction in the circulation pump, drain pump, or both.
Below, we’ll take a closer look at how to deal with the issues causing 888 to appear on your dishwasher display.
Read: Why GE Dishwasher Won’t Start Just Beeps?
Blown Control Board Fuse
About this: A fuse is a sacrificial device. That means it’s designed to protect a circuit or component by destroying itself when there’s an electrical fault.
Doing so protects the rest of your dishwasher’s critical components from severe damage and costly repairs.
There are several fuses in any GE dishwasher. Still, the one related to this problem is the one protecting the main control board.
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What happened: The 888 you see on your dishwasher display results from a blown control board fuse. As you read above, that fuse ‘sacrifices’ itself to protect the main control board from severe damage.
The electrical fault that causes that to happen is related to the circulation pump, drain pump, or both. The control board fuse was likely overloaded, causing it to fail as a protection mechanism.
How to fix it: The control board fuse can’t be reset once it blows. Instead, you’ll have to remove and replace it with another one. The rating of that new fuse must match the previous one perfectly to ensure that everything works as it should.
Again, the 888 you see on your GE dishwasher display is caused by the blown control board fuse.
However, that’s not the root cause of the problem. Instead, as you’ll see below, that problem is caused by a faulty circulation pump, defective drain pump, or a shorted-out heating element.
Read: 5 Reasons Why GE Dishwasher Not Draining
Faulty Circulation Pump
About this: Your GE dishwasher has two types of pumps in it, with the circulation pump being one of them. As the name suggests, this pump is responsible for circulating the water used to clean your dishes.
The pump drives water through the spray arms, causing them to spin and wash your kitchenware simultaneously.
What happened: The circulation pump causes the control board fuse to blow and 888 to appear on the display when faulty. A faulty circulation pump will work intermittently, turning on and off many times in a short period.
That on-and-off-again behavior will cause the control board fuse to blow, leading to the 888 appearing on the dishwasher display.
How to fix it: Faulty circulation pumps aren’t usually repairable unless there’s a large foreign object stuck inside it that can be removed.
Besides that, you’ll have to replace the circulation pump with a new one to ensure your new control board fuse doesn’t blow as well.
Read: Should You Use Dishwasher Detergent Substitute’s?
Defective Drain Pump (Dishwasher code 888)
About this: The second kind of pump in your GE dishwasher is the drain pump. This one turns on to drive used dishwasher water out of the appliance through the drain hose.
That way, the dishwasher can empty itself before refilling with clean water.
What happened: Your GE dishwasher’s drain pump can also fail in similar ways to the circulation pump. Firstly, foreign objects not caught by the filter can find their way inside the pump and cause it to malfunction.
Besides that, a defective motor can also cause the pump to behave erratically, repeating that on-and-off behavior.
And as you saw above, a pump that turns on and off repeatedly can cause the control board fuse to blow and 888 to appear on display.
How to fix it: Faulty or defective drain pumps must be replaced. However, before you do that, double-check to ensure that the problem isn’t caused by something stuck inside the component.
Sometimes, removing a stuck foreign object is all that’s needed to get that pump working correctly again.
Read: Why Is Dishwasher’s Detergent Door Not Opening?
Shorted-Out Heating Element
About this: Lastly, consider the heating element in your GE dishwasher. That component is responsible for heating the water and making it more effective at cleaning your dishes.
Besides that, the heating element also raises the air temperature inside, so your kitchenware can dry faster.
What happened: Heating elements work by letting electrical current move through high-resistance materials. That resistance makes it possible for electricity to convert into heat.
Unfortunately, damaged heating elements can short-circuit, causing too much electrical current to flow through. That can also cause the dishwasher to malfunction and show the 888 you see on display.
How to fix it: Heating elements are yet another part that must be replaced. Thankfully, that’s pretty straightforward to do in a GE dishwasher.
Firstly, shut the dishwasher off at the source to prevent injury and electrocution. The heating element plugs into the bottom of your dishwasher compartment at two points. So, pull the element out at both those points.
Then, attach the new heating element the same way as before.
Once you have a functional heating element and you’ve replaced any affected fuses, the 888 won’t appear on your dishwasher display anymore.
Read: Why Dishwasher Hums And Not Getting Water?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Below you’ll find a few more questions and answers to help with your troubleshooting process:
How Do You Clear A GE Dishwasher Error Code?
You can clear a GE dishwasher error code by resetting the appliance. However, if the error code persists, you can only remove it by fixing the root cause.
How Do You Test A Circulation Pump On A GE Dishwasher?
The most effective way of testing your circulation pump is by removing it and testing it with a
Are Drain Pumps And Circulation Pumps The Same In A Dishwasher?
No, these two pumps in your GE dishwasher are not the same. The circulation pump pumps water through the spray arms that clean your dishes. However, the drain pump helps remove dirty water from the dishwasher into your household plumbing.
How Do I Know If My Dishwasher Fuse Is Blown?
You’ll know your GE dishwasher fuse is blown if the display shows 888, or the appliance won’t start a new wash cycle.
What Causes A Dishwasher Pump To Break?
The pumps in your GE dishwasher can break if there’s been damage to the impeller inside or if foreign objects have gotten stuck inside. These things can happen as a side effect of a damaged or dirty dishwasher filter.
