The short answer
F10E5 is documented as a diverter leak. The valve that routes wash water between the racks is not sealing in the position it was put into, so pressure that should go to one arm is escaping to the other. The dishwasher usually finishes its cycle, and the result is a load that is washed weakly everywhere rather than properly somewhere.
Error codes
Reference| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| F10E5 | Potential Cause: Diverter Leak |
What you observe, and what to record
- Both racks come out mediocre rather than one being clean — The distinction that separates a leak from a jam, and it is a useful one.
- How long the ${A} runs before the code appears — Immediately from cold, or well into a session — that interval is the most useful single number you can hand a technician.
- Whether anything else about the appliance changed first — A noise, a smell, a slower cycle or a poorer result in the weeks before the code usually dates the fault better than the code does.
Causes, most likely first on this dishwasher
- Debris trapped on the diverter seat — First: a seal only needs one chip of glass or a piece of label to hold it open a fraction, and a fraction is enough. It is also the only cause reachable without pulling the machine out.
- A worn diverter seal — Second, and the genuine wear item: it works hot, in detergent, thousands of times, and it hardens with age.
- The valve not fully reaching its position — Third: a diverter stopping a little short seals against nothing, which reads as a leak rather than a jam.
Check in this order, and why
- Compare how both racks wash — Uniformly poor is a leak; one rack clean and one filthy is a jam. That distinction directs everything after it.
- Clear the filter and the sump — Cheap, reachable, and the commonest cause.
- Check the spray arms for blocked holes — Low pressure everywhere has more than one possible author.
What an owner can safely check
- Switch the dishwasher off at its breaker before reaching into the sump — The motor and the diverter can start on their own if a cycle resumes.
About 5 min
- Stop using the ${A} if anything smells hot or looks scorched — Discolouring at a connection or a plug is heat, and heat at a connection does not improve on its own.
About 5 min
- Remove and clean the filter assembly thoroughly — Under a running tap, mesh included. Film on the mesh matters as much as debris in it.
Tools: brushAbout 20 min
- Photograph the display with the code showing — Codes are easy to transcribe wrongly and a photograph is not. It also timestamps the fault, which matters if it becomes intermittent.
About 5 min
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. The inlet is under house pressure, so shut the supply valve under the sink before any hose or valve comes apart, and put a towel down: the sump gives up its water as soon as it is disturbed.
When to call a technician
Call once the filter, the sump and both spray arms are clean and washing is still weak with the code present. A worn diverter seal needs the machine pulled out and the sump opened, which is not an owner job. Call immediately instead if you find water under the machine — that is a different fault and a more urgent one.
Nearest Jenn-Air dishwasher codes
What this page does not cover
This page reads F10E5 for Jenn-Air dishwashers in general, from the manufacturer's shared code index. A code can be documented differently for one family, so where a model-line page exists for your unit it is the more specific answer and is linked below. Not here: wiring colours, connector positions and part numbers, which differ by family.
Links: - [Jenn Air Dishwasher Error Codes](/blog/jenn-air-dishwasher-error-codes)
Where to go next
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
