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Goodman gas furnace 1 red flash: Ignition failure or gas valve fault

Gas furnace, Canada and United States

This code means one of two things, depending on your model. Find your model family below, then read the section for it. The model number is on the rating label on the side of the unit.

Find your model family

If you haveIt means
GDH8, GDS8, GKS9, GMH8 / AMH8, GMH95 / GCH95 / AMH95, GMS8 / AMS8, GMSS92 / GCSS92 / AMSS92, GMSS96 / GCSS96 / AMSS96 / ACSS96, GMES80 / GCES80 / AMES80 / ACES80, GMES92, GMES96 / GCES96 / AMES96 / ACES96 Lockout after three failed ignition attempts
GMEC96 / GCEC96 / AMEC96 / ACEC96 Flame sensed when there should be none

Lockout after three failed ignition attempts

On GDH8, GDS8, GKS9, GMH8 / AMH8, GMH95 / GCH95 / AMH95, GMS8 / AMS8, GMSS92 / GCSS92 / AMSS92, GMSS96 / GCSS96 / AMSS96 / ACSS96, GMES80 / GCES80 / AMES80 / ACES80, GMES92, GMES96 / GCES96 / AMES96 / ACES96.

The furnace could not light, or kept losing its flame, and has locked out after three tries. The control tries again by itself after one hour. On GMS8, GMH8, GDS8 and GDH8 furnaces this code also shows when the auxiliary limit has opened.

This needs a licensed gas technician. There are a few safe checks you can do first, marked below. Anything inside the unit is a job for a professional.

This involves the gas supply or burner. Only a licensed technician should open the unit or work on gas parts.

What causes it

GMS8, GMH8, GMSS9, GMH95 and GKS9 boards

  1. No gas is reaching the burners, for example the manual gas valve outside the furnace is off or the gas supply was interrupted.

    Check the gas valve to the furnace and turn the gas back on safelyYou can do this

    1. Check whether the manual gas shut-off valve on the pipe outside the furnace is open. On most quarter-turn valves the handle sits in line with the pipe when open.
    2. If it was closed, do not just open it. Turn the gas back on using the start-up steps in your manual or on the label inside the furnace door: they set the thermostat low, turn off the power and the gas valve switch, then wait five minutes before checking for a gas smell.
      If you smell gas at any point, stop. Do not touch any electrical switch; leave and call your gas supplier from a neighbour's phone.
    3. If you are not comfortable doing the start-up steps, book a qualified servicer instead.

    Reset a Goodman furnace lockout onceYou can do this

    1. Look through the sight glass on the blower compartment, note the colour of the status light and count the flashes. Write them down first, because cutting the power clears the code.
    2. Turn off the electrical power to the furnace, leave it off for more than 20 seconds, then turn it back on. Or turn the thermostat down until it stops calling for heat, wait a few seconds (no more than 20), then set it back.
    3. Left alone, the control also tries again by itself after one hour.
    4. Reset it once only. If the furnace locks out again, or locks out often, leave it off and book a qualified technician.
      A repeat lockout means the fault is still there. Do not keep resetting it.

    Book a licensed gas technician

  2. The igniter has failed or is out of position.

    Book a licensed gas technician

  3. The flame sensor is coated, oxidised or badly connected, so the control cannot prove the flame. Cleaning the sensor is a job for a qualified servicer.

    Book a licensed gas technician

  4. The flame lights and then goes out because of lazy burner flames from a restricted flue or combustion air pipe, or an inducer that is not performing properly.

    Book a licensed gas technician

  5. Gas pressure or burner orifices are wrong for the furnace.

    Book a licensed gas technician

  6. On GMSS9, GMH95 and GKS9 furnaces, the front cover pressure switch is stuck open or opens during the cycle. A technician checks its hose, wiring and contacts.

    Book a licensed gas technician

  7. On GMS8, GMH8, GDS8 and GDH8 furnaces, the auxiliary limit has opened, from too little air across the heat exchanger (blocked filters, restrictive ducts, wrong blower speed or a failed blower) or a power cut during a heating cycle.

    Check and replace the furnace air filterYou can do this

    1. Turn off the electrical power to the furnace before you take the filter out.
      Never run the furnace without a filter in place.
    2. Find the filter. It sits outside the furnace cabinet, in a return air grille, a filter rack on the side of the furnace, or the duct next to it. If you cannot find or reach it, ask your installer.
    3. Replace a dirty disposable filter with one of the same size that meets UL900 or CAN/ULC-S111. Wash and dry a permanent filter the way its maker describes.
    4. Fit the filter so the air flows through it in the same direction as before, then turn the power back on.
    5. Check the filter at least once a month and clean or replace it when it is dirty. A dirty filter is the most common cause of a furnace not working properly.

    Clear blocked supply and return grillesYou can do this

    1. Go round the house and look at every supply register and return air grille.
    2. Move furniture, curtains, clothes, rugs or anything else that covers or blocks them.

    Book a licensed gas technician

GMES80, GMES92 and GMES96 boards

  1. No gas is reaching the burners, for example the manual gas valve outside the furnace is off or the gas supply was interrupted.

    Same check as above: Check the gas valve to the furnace and turn the gas back on safely

    Same check as above: Reset a Goodman furnace lockout once

    Book a licensed gas technician

  2. The igniter has failed or is out of position.

    Book a licensed gas technician

  3. Burner orifices or gas pressure are wrong for the furnace.

    Book a licensed gas technician

  4. The flame sensor is coated, oxidised or badly connected, so the control cannot prove the flame. Cleaning the sensor is a job for a qualified servicer.

    Book a licensed gas technician

  5. The flame lights and then goes out because of lazy burner flames from a restricted flue, or an inducer that is not performing properly.

    Book a licensed gas technician

How to read this code on your unit

Booking a licensed gas technician

Book a licensed gas technicianlicensed gas technician

  1. Turn the unit off and leave the covers on. Gas components must only be serviced by a licensed technician.
  2. Note the code, how often it appears, and the model and serial numbers from the rating label.
  3. Book a licensed gas technician and give them those details.

Models that show this code

220 models in 11 ranges
RangeModels
GDH8GDH80403AN, GDH80403AX, GDH80603AN, GDH80603AX, GDH80804BN, GDH80804BX, GDH81005CN, GDH81005CX
GDS8GDS80403AN, GDS80403AX, GDS80603AN, GDS80603AX, GDS80804BN, GDS80804BX, GDS81005CN, GDS81005CX
GKS9GKS90453BX, GKS90703BX, GKS90704CX, GKS90904CX, GKS90905DX, GKS91155DX
GMH8 / AMH8GMH80403AN, GMH80403AX, GMH80603AN, GMH80603AX, GMH80604BN, GMH80604BX, GMH80803BN, GMH80803BX, GMH80804BN, GMH80804BX, GMH80805CN, GMH80805CX, GMH81005CN, GMH81005CX, GMH81205DN, GMH81205DX, GMH81405DN, AMH80403AN, AMH80403AX, AMH80603AN, AMH80603AX, AMH80604BN, AMH80604BX, AMH80803BN, AMH80803BX, AMH80804BN, AMH80804BX, AMH80805CN, AMH80805CX, AMH81005CN, AMH81005CX, AMH81205DN, AMH81205DX, AMH81405DX
GMH95 / GCH95 / AMH95GMH950453BX, GMH950703BX, GMH950704CX, GMH950904CX, GMH950905CX, GMH950905DX, GMH951155DX, AMH950453BX, AMH950703BX, AMH950704CX, AMH950904CX, AMH950905CX, AMH950905DX, AMH951155DX, GCH950453BX, GCH950703BX, GCH950704CX, GCH950905DX
GMS8 / AMS8GMS80403AN, GMS80403AX, GMS80603AN, GMS80603AX, GMS80604BN, GMS80604BX, GMS80804BN, GMS80804BX, GMS80805CN, GMS80805CX, GMS81005CN, GMS81005CX, GMS81205DN, GMS81205DX, GMS81405DN, AMS80403AX, AMS80603AX, AMS80604BX, AMS80804BX, AMS80805CX, AMS81005CX, AMS81205DX, AMS81405DN
GMSS92 / GCSS92 / AMSS92GMSS920402BN, GMSS920403AN, GMSS920603BN, GMSS920803BN, GMSS920804CN, GMSS920805CN, GMSS921004CN, GMSS921005CN, GMSS921205DN, AMSS920402BN, AMSS920403AN, AMSS920603BN, AMSS920803BN, AMSS920804CN, AMSS920805CN, AMSS921004CN, AMSS921005CN, AMSS921205DN, GCSS920402BN, GCSS920603BN, GCSS920804CN, GCSS921005CN
GMSS96 / GCSS96 / AMSS96 / ACSS96GMSS960402BN, GMSS960403AN, GMSS960603BN, GMSS960803BN, GMSS960804CN, GMSS960805CN, GMSS961005CN, GMSS961205DN, AMSS960402BN, AMSS960403AN, AMSS960603BN, AMSS960803BN, AMSS960804CN, AMSS960805CN, AMSS961005CN, AMSS961205DN, GCSS960402BN, GCSS960603BN, GCSS960804CN, GCSS961005CN, GCSS961205DN, ACSS960402BN, ACSS960603BN, ACSS960804CN, ACSS961005CN, ACSS961205DN
GMES80 / GCES80 / AMES80 / ACES80GMES800403AN, GMES800403AX, GMES800603AN, GMES800603AX, GMES800603BN, GMES800603BX, GMES800604BN, GMES800604BX, GMES800803BN, GMES800803BX, GMES800804BN, GMES800804BX, GMES800804CN, GMES800804CX, GMES800805CN, GMES800805CX, GMES801005CN, GMES801005CX, GMES801205DN, AMES800403AX, AMES800603AX, AMES800603BN, AMES800604BX, AMES800803BX, AMES800804BX, AMES800804CX, AMES800805CX, AMES801005CX, AMES801205DX, GCES800403AN, GCES800403AX, GCES800603AN, GCES800603AX, GCES800804BN, GCES800804BX, GCES801005CN, GCES801005CX, ACES800403AN, ACES800403AX, ACES800603AN, ACES800603AX, ACES800804BX, ACES801005CX
GMES92GMES920403AN, GMES920603BN, GMES920803BN, GMES920804CN, GMES920805CN, GMES921004CN, GMES921005CN, GMES921205DN
GMES96 / GCES96 / AMES96 / ACES96GMES960403AN, GMES960603BN, GMES960803BN, GMES960804CN, GMES960805CN, GMES961005CN, GMES961205DN, AMES960403AN, AMES960603BN, AMES960803BN, AMES960804CN, AMES960805CN, AMES961005CN, AMES961205DN, GCES960403BN, GCES960603BN, GCES960804CN, GCES961005CN, GCES961205DN, ACES960403BN, ACES960603BN, ACES960804CN, ACES961005CN, ACES961205DN

Where this comes from

Checked against the manufacturer's manual on 15 October 2026.

Flame sensed when there should be none

On GMEC96 / GCEC96 / AMEC96 / ACEC96.

The control sees a flame when no flame should be present, and the furnace does not run. The gas valve may be stuck open.

This needs a licensed gas technician. There are a few safe checks you can do first, marked below. Anything inside the unit is a job for a professional.

This involves the gas supply or burner. Only a licensed technician should open the unit or work on gas parts.

What causes it

  1. The gas valve is stuck open.

    Shut off the gas to the furnace, then the powerYou can do this

    1. Close the manual gas shut-off valve on the gas pipe outside the furnace first.
      If you smell gas, do not touch any electrical switch, do not use a phone in the building and do not try to light anything. Leave and call your gas supplier from a neighbour's phone.
    2. Only then turn off the electrical power to the furnace. Goodman says to shut the gas first whenever the furnace overheats or the gas does not shut off.
    3. Leave the furnace off and book a qualified servicer.

    Book a licensed gas technician

  2. The wiring to the gas valve is wrong.

    Book a licensed gas technician

  3. The flame rod or its wire is shorted.

    Book a licensed gas technician

How to read this code on your unit

Booking a licensed gas technician

Book a licensed gas technicianlicensed gas technician

  1. Turn the unit off and leave the covers on. Gas components must only be serviced by a licensed technician.
  2. Note the code, how often it appears, and the model and serial numbers from the rating label.
  3. Book a licensed gas technician and give them those details.

Models that show this code

30 models in 1 range
RangeModels
GMEC96 / GCEC96 / AMEC96 / ACEC96GMEC960302BN, GMEC960303AN, GMEC960402BN, GMEC960403AN, GMEC960603AN, GMEC960603BN, GMEC960803BN, GMEC960804CN, GMEC961004CN, GMEC961005CN, GMEC961205DN, AMEC960302BN, AMEC960303AN, AMEC960402BN, AMEC960403AN, AMEC960603AN, AMEC960603BN, AMEC960803BN, AMEC960804CN, AMEC961004CN, AMEC961005CN, AMEC961205DN, GCEC960403BN, GCEC960603BN, GCEC960803BN, GCEC961005CN, ACEC960403BN, ACEC960603BN, ACEC960803BN, ACEC961005CN

Where this comes from

Checked against the manufacturer's manual on 13 October 2026.

Other Goodman gas furnace codes

Code Meaning What you can do
ECF Gas valve stepper motor communication error Call a pro
EE0 Lockout after three failed ignition attempts Safe checks first, then a pro
EE7 Igniter circuit problem Call a pro
EEb Gas valve not powered when it should be Call a pro
EEC Gas valve powered when it should be off Safe checks first, then a pro
EEL Igniter circuit problem Call a pro
EEn Igniter open Call a pro
7 red flashes Flame loss or ignition failure (depends on model) Depends on your model
8 red flashes Ignition failure or flame loss (depends on model) Depends on your model
10 red flashes Power supply problem or gas valve fault (depends on model) Depends on your model
11 red flashes Ignition failure or overheat (depends on model) Call a pro
12 red flashes Flue or venting fault / ignition failure (depends on model) Call a pro

See all ignition failure codes on gas furnaces across brands.

See all gas valve fault codes on gas furnaces across brands.

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