What causes Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher F1?

A leak from the lid seal, often because the lid isn't sealing on the tub or a lid actuator is jammed, slow or not assembled correctly. A split or leaking inlet hose or drain hose, or a leak at the inlet hose to fill valve connection. A leaking water inlet (fill) valve. Leaks around the heater plate or motor housing seals and O-rings, or chipped enamel on the heater plate. A split spray arm, or a spray arm that isn't running freely, throwing water where it shouldn't go. A blocked drain hose that keeps the water level in the tub too high. Excess foam, for example from spilled rinse aid or the wrong detergent, spilling out the drying vents onto the flood switch. Condensation or debris on the flood switch board, or a cabinet that leans to the left rear so a small puddle reaches the switch. No water at all (a dry F1): corrosion on the RFI board, a faulty harness connection, or, on double models, a failed power supply to the bottom drawer.

How do I fix Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher F1?

Press the power button to stop the beeping and note which drawer shows F1 (one or both). Turn off the water supply to the dishwasher and switch off the power at the outlet or circuit breaker. Look for water on the floor and under the dishwasher. If there's standing water in the drawer, drain the dishwasher as the current Fisher & Paykel care guide says, or let it run a drain once power is back. If foam is the culprit, wipe away the excess foam and run a rinse cycle. Use only automatic dishwasher detergent, never dish soap, and wipe up any spilled rinse aid. Check that the spray arm is fitted, turns freely and isn't cracked, and that no tall dish or utensil sits near the tub rim where it could stop the lid sealing. Check the drain hose and inlet hose behind the dishwasher for kinks, splits or a blockage, and make sure the cabinet is level. Give the base time to dry out completely, then restore water and power. If F1 comes straight back with no water in sight, it's an electrical or flood-switch fault, not something to keep resetting.

When should I call a pro for Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher F1?

F1 returns after the base has dried out. Fisher & Paykel's older guides say to turn off the water and power and call an authorized service center. You find the leak at the lid seal, lid actuators, fill valve, heater plate seals or O-rings. These are inside the cabinet and Fisher & Paykel's service manual has a technician remove the drawer to check and replace them. It's a dry F1 with no water in the base. The service bulletin points to the RFI board, its harness, or condensation on the flood switch board, which needs a technician. Both drawers show F1 on a double DishDrawer. The service manual says a power failure to the bottom drawer can cause this, which means testing the heater plate. The dishwasher is under warranty. Contact Fisher & Paykel Customer Care with the fault code rather than opening the cabinet yourself.

Code: F1🧺 Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher

Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher Error Code F1: Flood Switch Activated (Meaning, Causes, Fixes)

Q: What does Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher F1 mean?

F1 on a Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer is a flood fault: the flood switch in the base of the dishwasher has detected water where it shouldn't be. Turn off the power and the water supply to the dishwasher first. Newer DishDrawer care guides say to drain the dishwasher; older user guides say to turn off water and power and call an authorized service center. A leak from the lid seal, a hose, the inlet valve or the heater plate seals is the usual cause, but too much foam or condensation on the flood switch can trigger it too. Fisher & Paykel's DishDrawer guides list F1 as "Flood switch has been activated" (older models) and "Flood fault (F1)" (current DD60 models). The DishDrawer service manual (599082) defines it more precisely: the flood switch has been activated for more than 6 seconds. The flood switch sits in the base of the cabinet under the drawers, so F1 means water or foam has escaped the wash tub, or the switch is reading water that isn't there. Fisher & Paykel's service bulletin DW028 sorts F1 into three types: a full flood (2 to 3 mm of water across the base), a small puddle (a small amount of water, sometimes from condensation or an unlevel cabinet), and a dry F1 with no water at all, which points to an electrical fault. On double DishDrawers, the manual notes that if power fails to the bottom drawer, the top drawer can show F1. Older Classic models use E1 (flood detected) for the same problem; see the E codes in your user guide.

Reviewed 2026-10-24 · Based on 5 manufacturer & service sources

What the code means

Fisher & Paykel's DishDrawer guides list F1 as "Flood switch has been activated" (older models) and "Flood fault (F1)" (current DD60 models). The DishDrawer service manual (599082) defines it more precisely: the flood switch has been activated for more than 6 seconds. The flood switch sits in the base of the cabinet under the drawers, so F1 means water or foam has escaped the wash tub, or the switch is reading water that isn't there. Fisher & Paykel's service bulletin DW028 sorts F1 into three types: a full flood (2 to 3 mm of water across the base), a small puddle (a small amount of water, sometimes from condensation or an unlevel cabinet), and a dry F1 with no water at all, which points to an electrical fault. On double DishDrawers, the manual notes that if power fails to the bottom drawer, the top drawer can show F1. Older Classic models use E1 (flood detected) for the same problem; see the E codes in your user guide.

Likely causes

A leak from the lid seal, often because the lid isn't sealing on the tub or a lid actuator is jammed, slow or not assembled correctly
A split or leaking inlet hose or drain hose, or a leak at the inlet hose to fill valve connection
A leaking water inlet (fill) valve
Leaks around the heater plate or motor housing seals and O-rings, or chipped enamel on the heater plate
A split spray arm, or a spray arm that isn't running freely, throwing water where it shouldn't go
A blocked drain hose that keeps the water level in the tub too high
Excess foam, for example from spilled rinse aid or the wrong detergent, spilling out the drying vents onto the flood switch
Condensation or debris on the flood switch board, or a cabinet that leans to the left rear so a small puddle reaches the switch
No water at all (a dry F1): corrosion on the RFI board, a faulty harness connection, or, on double models, a failed power supply to the bottom drawer

Safe DIY checks

⚠ Before you start

Turn off the power before touching any water under or around the dishwasher; the flood switch, RFI board and wiring sit in the base of the cabinet. Leave opening the cabinet and removing the drawers to a technician. Wipe up water on the floor right away so nobody slips.

Press the power button to stop the beeping and note which drawer shows F1 (one or both).
Turn off the water supply to the dishwasher and switch off the power at the outlet or circuit breaker.
Look for water on the floor and under the dishwasher. If there's standing water in the drawer, drain the dishwasher as the current Fisher & Paykel care guide says, or let it run a drain once power is back.
If foam is the culprit, wipe away the excess foam and run a rinse cycle. Use only automatic dishwasher detergent, never dish soap, and wipe up any spilled rinse aid.
Check that the spray arm is fitted, turns freely and isn't cracked, and that no tall dish or utensil sits near the tub rim where it could stop the lid sealing.
Check the drain hose and inlet hose behind the dishwasher for kinks, splits or a blockage, and make sure the cabinet is level.
Give the base time to dry out completely, then restore water and power. If F1 comes straight back with no water in sight, it's an electrical or flood-switch fault, not something to keep resetting.

🛠 When to call a pro

F1 returns after the base has dried out. Fisher & Paykel's older guides say to turn off the water and power and call an authorized service center.
You find the leak at the lid seal, lid actuators, fill valve, heater plate seals or O-rings. These are inside the cabinet and Fisher & Paykel's service manual has a technician remove the drawer to check and replace them.
It's a dry F1 with no water in the base. The service bulletin points to the RFI board, its harness, or condensation on the flood switch board, which needs a technician.
Both drawers show F1 on a double DishDrawer. The service manual says a power failure to the bottom drawer can cause this, which means testing the heater plate.
The dishwasher is under warranty. Contact Fisher & Paykel Customer Care with the fault code rather than opening the cabinet yourself.

Parts that commonly fix it

Always match the part number to your exact model.

⚙

Water leak detector

A cheap alarm under or beside the dishwasher warns you of the next leak before it soaks the floor or cabinet.

Search eBay →

⚙

Dishwasher supply line

Only if the inlet hose or its connection is split or leaking.

Search eBay →

⚙

Dishwasher detergent

Proper automatic-dishwasher detergent avoids the excess foam that can spill out and trip the flood switch.

Search eBay →

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-24. Always confirm against the manual for your exact model number.

Fisher & Paykel Dishwasher Error Code F1: Flood Switch Activated (Meaning, Causes, Fixes)

What the code means

Likely causes

Safe DIY checks

🛠 When to call a pro

Parts that commonly fix it

Water leak detector

Dishwasher supply line

Dishwasher detergent

Related codes

Sources