The short answer
F4 E5 is a feature-level fault: the table names the Microwave Weight Sensor and its wiring. That sensor is how the appliance weighs what you put in it, which is what the automatic defrost and weight-based programmes depend on. Timed cooking is unaffected; the automatic programme is what stops working.
Code table
Reference| code | meaning | owner-checkable |
|---|---|---|
| F4 E5 | There may be a problem with the Microwave Weight Sensor, or the associated wiring. | partly |
| F4 E3 | There may be a problem with the Microwave Exhaust Air Temperature Sensor, or the associated wiring. | see page |
| F4 E6 | There may be a problem with the Microwave Wave Guide Temperature Sensor, or the associated wiring. | see page |
What you observe
- One automatic programme refuses or aborts — The feature that depends on this circuit is the one that fails.
- The code appears as the programme is selected — The control checks the circuit when it needs it, not before.
- NEAR MISS — the microwave heats nothing at all — That is a high-voltage fault with its own code, and it is far more serious.
Likeliest causes first
- The connector or harness on the circuit — First: a low-cost feature circuit runs through the same hot, greasy interior as everything else, and its connector is the usual failure.
- The Microwave Weight Sensor itself — Second: the part is small, lightly built, and the automatic feature is the only thing that exercises it.
- The appliance manager input reading it — Last and least likely, and much the dearest to change — so it is proved rather than assumed.
Check in this order
- Confirm that timed cooking is unaffected — If manual cooking works, the fault is confined to this feature and nothing urgent is happening.
- Cut the breaker for a minute and retry the programme — Clears a latched fault; a code that returns is hardware.
- Decide whether the feature is worth the repair — This is a genuine choice here in a way it is not with a heating or safety fault.
Owner-safe steps
- Use timed cooking instead of the automatic programme — A full workaround that costs nothing and loses only the convenience.
About 5 min
- Cut the breaker for a minute, then retry once — Distinguishes a stored code from a real one.
About 10 min
- STOP HERE — the circuit is inside the appliance body — The high-voltage section shares that space, so it is not an owner job.
Safety first
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. An oven carries a heavy element circuit behind the rear panel, and the cavity stays dangerous long after the heat is off. Leave the door lock and its switch wired exactly as they are.
When to call
Call if you want the feature back and the code survives a reset. Be clear with yourself about the value first: the appliance cooks normally, the repair means opening a microwave, and the labour is the same as it would be for a serious fault. There is nothing unsafe about continuing to use timed cooking while you decide.
Neighbouring codes — F4 E3 and F4 E6 sit beside F4 E5 and name overlapping hardware, so most checks here carry across. Read the two meanings side by side: where they differ in the part named, the order of the checks changes with them.
What this page does not cover
Read this as the class-level answer. The meaning of F4 E5 here is the one the shared Maytag oven table publishes, which applies to the model lines that use that table and to no others; a family- or model-specific page, where one exists, is linked below and outranks this one for your unit. Part numbers, wiring detail and torque figures belong on that page, not here.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
