- Home
- Goodman
- gas furnaces
- Code E4
Goodman gas furnace code E4: Flame sensed with no call for heat
Gas furnace, Canada and United States
The control senses a flame when there is no call for heat. The inducer and circulator blowers run continuously and the furnace does not operate.
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
-
A short to ground in the flame sensor or its wiring.
-
A burner flame is lingering after the burners should have shut off.
Shut off the gas to the furnace, then the powerYou can do this
- 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.
- 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.
- Leave the furnace off and book a qualified servicer.
- Close the manual gas shut-off valve on the gas pipe outside the furnace first.
-
The gas valve is slow to close.
Same check as above: Shut off the gas to the furnace, then the power
How to read this code on your unit
The code shows on the two-character display on the furnace control board, which you can see through the sight glass on the blower compartment. On means normal operation. A blank display means the board has no power or has failed. A ComfortNet thermostat, if fitted, shows the same codes with a short message and uses EE for an internal fault.
Booking a licensed gas technician
Book a licensed gas technicianlicensed gas technician
- Turn the unit off and leave the covers on. Gas components must only be serviced by a licensed technician.
- Note the code, how often it appears, and the model and serial numbers from the rating label.
- Book a licensed gas technician and give them those details.
Models that show this code
66 models in 4 ranges
| Range | Models |
|---|---|
| GMVC8 / GCVC8 / AMVC8 / ACVC8 | GMVC80603BN, GMVC80603BX, GMVC80604BN, GMVC80604BX, GMVC80803BN, GMVC80803BX, GMVC80804CN, GMVC80804CX, GMVC80805CN, GMVC80805CX, GMVC80805DN, GMVC80805DX, GMVC81005CN, GMVC81005CX, AMVC80603BN, AMVC80603BX, AMVC80604BN, AMVC80604BX, AMVC80803BN, AMVC80803BX, AMVC80804CN, AMVC80804CX, AMVC80805CN, AMVC80805CX, AMVC80805DN, AMVC80805DX, AMVC81005CN, AMVC81005CX |
| GMVC96 / GCVC96 / AMVC96 / ACVC96 | GMVC960403BN, GMVC960603BN, GMVC960803BN, GMVC960804CN, GMVC961005CN, GMVC961005DN, GMVC961205DN, GCVC960403BN, GCVC960603BN, GCVC960804CN, GCVC961005CN, GCVC961205DN, AMVC960403BN, AMVC960603BN, AMVC960803BN, AMVC960804CN, AMVC961005CN, AMVC961005DN, AMVC961205DN, ACVC960403BN, ACVC960603BN, ACVC960804CN, ACVC961005CN, ACVC961205DN |
| GMVM96 / GCVM96 / AMVM96 / ACVM96 | GMVM960603BX, GMVM960805CX, GMVM961005DX, GMVM961155DX |
| GMVM97 / GCVM97 / AMVM97 / ACVM97 | GMVM970603BN, GMVM970803BN, GMVM970804CN, GMVM971005CN, GMVM971205DN, AMVM970603BN, AMVM970803BN, AMVM970804CN, AMVM971005CN, AMVM971205DN |
Where this comes from
- GMVC96/GCVC96 (revision AA) ComfortNet gas furnace installation instructions (IOG-2008H) , page 53
- GMVC8/GCVC8 ComfortNet gas furnace installation instructions (IOG-2012C) , page 42
- GMVM97/GCVM97 (revision AA) modulating gas furnace installation instructions (IOG-2007H) , page 54
- GMVM96/GCVM96 modulating gas furnace installation instructions (IO-406E) , page 53
Checked against the manufacturer's manual on 14 October 2026.
Other Goodman gas furnace codes
| Code | Meaning | What you can do |
|---|---|---|
| E0 | Lockout after three failed ignition attempts | Safe checks first, then a pro |
| E1 | Low-stage pressure switch closed at start of heating | Call a pro |
| E1A | Onboard return air sensor shorted | Call a pro |
| E2 | Low-stage pressure switch not closing | Safe checks first, then a pro |
| E3 | Overheat (depends on model) | Safe checks first, then a pro |
| E5 | Open fuse on the control board | Call a pro |
| E6 | Weak flame signal | Call a pro |
| E7 | Igniter circuit problem or poor ground | Call a pro |
| E8 | High-stage pressure switch closed at start of heating | Call a pro |
| E9 | High-stage pressure switch not closing | Safe checks first, then a pro |
| EE4 | Flame sensed with no call for heat | Safe checks first, then a pro |
| 5 red flashes | Sensor fault or overheat (depends on model) | Safe checks first, then a pro |