Modern dryers are more advanced now than ever and have a lot more functionality than they used to. Some dryers can even display error codes when things go wrong, kind of like the OBD-II system in your car. These error codes can make it a lot easier to diagnose and fix certain issues.
If your Frigidaire dryer encounters the error code “E68”, usually this error code indicates that there is a problem with the dryer’s control panel, either its stuck button or faulty control panel.
In this article, we’ll go over how to troubleshoot a Frigidaire dryer with an E68 error code, and we’ll also share with you some other info about dealing with a buggy dryer that you might find useful.
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Troubleshooting Your Frigidaire Dryer
As we’ve mentioned, an E68 error means something is up with your dryer’s control panel. The source of the problem is usually one of two things; either the control board is malfunctioning or one of the buttons in the interface has become stuck.
Error Code | Label | Description | Solution |
---|---|---|---|
E68 | Key (button) Struck Fault | One of the keys (buttons) is stuck closed (active). | Enter function test mode and perform key (button) test to determine which button is at fault. Carefully free the and perform the test again. If button is free but the key struck code still exists, replace electronic control. |
Let’s take a look at each of these issues and explain what they are, why they happen and how to fix them.
Stuck Button
The buttons on your dryer are, of course, how you access your dryer’s various functions. Your dryer’s buttons are the medium between you and the dryer’s control board, so it’s important for your buttons to work correctly.
Why It Fails:
Occasionally, you might find that one of your dryer’s buttons has become sticky and refuses to pop back out after you push it in. If one of your buttons becomes stuck, the dryer will display an E68 error code and refuse to run.
As for why your buttons might become sticky, the reason is likely due to a buildup of dust, dirt, and skin oils. Over time, these substances can make their way through the small space in between the button and its housing and gunk up the inner workings of the control panel.
Related: Common Dryer Air Flow Problems
How to Fix It:
Before doing anything else, you should try resetting the system and seeing if that clears the error code. It’s entirely possible that the control board has just glitched out, and if this is the case, then resetting the control board may solve your problem.
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Your dryer may have a “Reset” button already, but if it doesn’t, you can reset your dryer manually. To do this, press the “Pause/Cancel” button twice, then select a new dryer cycle and hold down the “Start” button.
If you still get an E68 code, press the “Pause/Cancel” button two times again, then disconnect the dryer from its power supply, wait 10 minutes or so, and then try plugging it back in again.
If this fails, then you should put the dryer into its function test mode. This will allow you to manually test all of your dryer’s buttons to determine if one of them isn’t working.
The first step of activating your dryer’s function test mode varies slightly depending on whether you have a dryer with a digital display or not. For digital display models, start by turning the cycle selector knob to the “Normal” position, and for non-digital display models, turn the cycle selector knob to the 12 o’clock position.
Once you’ve turned the knob to the right position, hold down the “Select” and “Pause/Cancel” buttons simultaneously for 6 seconds. You’ll hear the buzzer sound, and on dryers with a digital display, you’ll see the message “rES”.
Now, hold down the “Start” and “Pause/Cancel” buttons simultaneously for 4 seconds. You’ll know that you’ve successfully entered function test mode when the buzzer sounds three times and the LEDs for each button start flashing.
Finally, to perform button testing, turn the cycle selector knob four times clockwise from its starting position. If your buttons are working correctly, you should see the following:
- When pressing the “Temp” button, all of the “Temp” LEDs should come on.
- When pressing the “Dryness” button, all of the “Dryness” LEDs should come on.
- When pressing the “Option” or “Select” button, all of the “Option” LEDs should come on.
- When pressing the “Start” button, all of the cycle status LEDs should come on.
- When pressing the “Pause/Cancel” button, all of the cycle status LEDs should come on.
If one of these lights doesn’t come on, this indicates which button is stuck. Once you’re ready to exit function test mode, you can do so either by holding down the “Select” and “Pause/Cancel” buttons for 6 seconds again, or simply unplug your dryer from the wall.
To actually fix a sticky button, there are a few things you can attempt. You can try rocking the button from side to side a little bit and see if that helps, or you can try using a sewing needle to pry the button up from the interface.
If neither of these things work, you can try heating up the button with a hairdryer as this might help loosen up whatever is making the button stick. You can also try using rubbing alcohol to unstick your buttons.
Related: How Do You Clean A Samsung Dryer?
For the rubbing alcohol method, soak the head of a Q-tip in some rubbing alcohol. Then, rub the Q-tip around the edge of the stuck button a few times. This will force a small amount of rubbing alcohol in between the button and the housing, which should hopefully unstick the button.
If, however, you’ve determined that none of your buttons are actually stuck but you keep getting the E68 error code, it’s a sign that there’s probably something wrong with your control board.
Faulty Control Board
All modern dryers use a control board to control the dryer’s various electrical components. Essentially, the control board tells the dryer what to do at any given time.
Why It Fails:
Control boards can fail for a number of reasons. The most common reasons are exposure to dust, heat, or moisture, which are obviously all things you find in great abundance in a laundry room. For this reason, control boards need to be thoroughly protected and insulated.
It’s also possible that the control board was damaged at some point during the manufacturing process. Accidental electrostatic discharge is a common cause of malfunctioning circuit boards.
How to Fix It:
Unfortunately, if the cause of your E68 error code is indeed a faulty control board, there’s no way to fix the control board itself, and your only option is to replace the entire control board. The good news is that replacing the control board isn’t too hard, and you can do it yourself with just a screwdriver.
- First, you need to unplug your dryer from its power source. You’re going to be handling some of your dryer’s electronic components in just a few minutes, and you don’t want to touch anything if there’s a current flowing through it.
- Once you’ve done this, you can remove the old control board from the dryer. To do so, you’ll have to remove the top panel of the dryer before you can remove the panel in front of the control board.
- Once you’ve done so, disconnect the old control board from its various electrical connectors.
- There may be a few additional components attached to the old control board; remove those as well.
- Now, transfer these components over to the new control board and connect the board to the electrical connectors again.
- You can now install the new control board in place and reattach the two panels you removed.
- Wait a few minutes before powering the dryer back on. If you did everything right, you should no longer be seeing the E68 error code.
- Otherwise, this would probably be the time to contact a repair technician.
Other Important Error Codes
There are several other error codes your dryer might give you for certain errors. Here’s a quick roundup of the other error codes for a Frigidaire dryer and what they mean:
E10/E11/E12
Error codes E10, E11, and E12 all refer to a communication error in the control board. This may be fixed by unplugging the dryer for 5 minutes or so and letting the control board reset.
E24/E25
Error codes E24 and E25 refer to a defective thermistor (a type of resistor that is affected by changes in temperature).
E4A
An E4A error code means that the dryer is taking an abnormally long time to complete its dry cycle. This could indicate a problem with the dryer’s heating system.
E5B
An E5B error code means that the dryer is receiving no heat at all. If you have an electric dryer, this could mean that a circuit breaker has tripped somewhere; if you have a gas dryer, check to make sure the gas supply valve is fully open.
E8C
Your dryer has a high-limit thermostat intended to let you know if your dryer is overheating. If this thermostat gets tripped several times in a short time frame, your dryer will display an E8C error code.
EAF
Finally, an EAF error code indicates a general failure of the control board. Try resetting the control board, and if that doesn’t work, it means your control board needs to be replaced.