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Goodman gas furnace code EE3: Primary limit switch open

Gas furnace, Canada and United States

The primary limit switch circuit is open, for example because too little air is moving across the heat exchanger. The circulator blower runs continuously and the furnace does not heat.

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.

What causes it

  1. Not enough air across the heat exchanger because of blocked filters, restrictive ductwork, the wrong blower speed or a failed blower motor.

    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

  2. Loose or wrongly connected wiring in the high limit circuit.

    Book a licensed gas technician

How to read this code on your unit

The code shows on the three-character display on the furnace control board, which you can see through the sight glass on the blower compartment. IdL means the furnace is idle and normal. A blank display means the board has no power or has failed.

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

285 models in 17 ranges
RangeModels
GM9C80 / GC9C80 / AM9C80GM9C800403AN, GM9C800403AX, GM9C800603AN, GM9C800603AX, GM9C800603BN, GM9C800603BX, GM9C800803BN, GM9C800803BX, GM9C800804BN, GM9C800804BX, GM9C800804CN, GM9C800804CX, GM9C800805CN, GM9C800805CX, GM9C800805DX, GM9C801004CN, GM9C801005CN, GM9C801005CX, GM9C801205DN
GM9C96 / GC9C96 / AM9C96GM9C960303AN, GM9C960403AN, GM9C960603AN, GM9C960603BN, GM9C960803BN, GM9C960804CN, GM9C961004CN, GM9C961005CN, GM9C961205DN, GC9C960403BN, GC9C960603BN, GC9C960803BN, GC9C961005CN
GM9S80 / GC9S80 / AM9S80 / AC9S80GM9S800403AN, GM9S800403AX, GM9S800603AN, GM9S800603AX, GM9S800603BN, GM9S800603BX, GM9S800604BN, GM9S800604BX, GM9S800803BN, GM9S800803BX, GM9S800804BN, GM9S800804BX, GM9S800804CN, GM9S800804CX, GM9S800805CN, GM9S800805CX, GM9S801005CN, GM9S801005CX, GM9S801205DN, AM9S800403AX, AM9S800603AX, AM9S800603BN, AM9S800604BX, AM9S800803BX, AM9S800804BX, AM9S800804CX, AM9S800805CX, AM9S801005CX, AM9S801205DX
GM9S92
GM9S96 / GC9S96 / AM9S96 / AC9S96GM9S960403AN, GM9S960603BN, GM9S960803BN, GM9S960804CN, GM9S960805CN, GM9S961005CN, GM9S961205DN, GC9S960403BN, GC9S960603BN, GC9S960804CN, GC9S961005CN, GC9S961205DN, AM9S960403AN, AM9S960603BN, AM9S960803BN, AM9S960804CN, AM9S960805CN, AM9S961005CN, AM9S961205DN
GR9S80 / GD9S80 / AR9S80GR9S800403AN, GR9S800403AX, GR9S800603AN, GR9S800603AX, GR9S800603BN, GR9S800603BX, GR9S800604BN, GR9S800604BX, GR9S800803BN, GR9S800803BX, GR9S800804BN, GR9S800804BX, GR9S800804CN, GR9S800804CX, GR9S800805CN, GR9S800805CX, GR9S801005CN, GR9S801005CX, GR9S801205DN, GD9S800403AN, GD9S800403AX, GD9S800603AN, GD9S800603AX, GD9S800804BN, GD9S800804BX, GD9S800805CX, GD9S801005CN, GD9S801005CX
GR9S92 / AR9S92GR9S920403AN, GR9S920603BN, GR9S920803BN, GR9S920804CN, GR9S920805CN, GR9S921004CN, GR9S921005CN, GR9S921205DN
GR9S96 / GD9S96 / AR9S96GR9S960403AN, GR9S960603BN, GR9S960803BN, GR9S960804CN, GR9S960805CN, GR9S961005CN, GR9S961205DN, GD9S960403BN, GD9S960603BN, GD9S960804CN, GD9S961005CN, GD9S961205DN, AR9S960403AN, AR9S960603BN, AR9S960803BN, AR9S960804CN, AR9S960805CN, AR9S961005CN, AR9S961205DN
GR9T80 / GD9T80GR9T800403AN, GR9T800403AX, GR9T800603AN, GR9T800603AX, GR9T800603BN, GR9T800603BX, GR9T800803BN, GR9T800803BX, GR9T800804BN, GR9T800804BX, GR9T800804CN, GR9T800804CX, GR9T800805CN, GR9T800805CX, GR9T800805DX, GR9T801004CN, GR9T801005CN, GR9T801005CX, GR9T801205DN, GD9T800403AX, GD9T800603AX, GD9T800603BX, GD9T800804BX, GD9T800805CX, GD9T801005CX
GR9T96 / GD9T96GR9T960303AN, GR9T960403AN, GR9T960603AN, GR9T960603BN, GR9T960803BN, GR9T960804CN, GR9T961004CN, GR9T961005CN, GR9T961205DN
GMVC8 / GCVC8 / AMVC8 / ACVC8GMVC80603BN, 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
GMVC80 / GCVC80 / AMVC80 / ACVC80GMVC800603BN, GMVC800603BX, GMVC800604BN, GMVC800604BX, GMVC800803BN, GMVC800804CN, GMVC800804CX, GMVC800805CN, GMVC800805CX, GMVC800805DN, GMVC800805DX, GMVC801005CN, GMVC801005CX, AMVC800603BN, AMVC800603BX, AMVC800604BN, AMVC800604BX, AMVC800803BN, AMVC800804CN, AMVC800804CX, AMVC800805CN, AMVC800805CX, AMVC800805DN, AMVC801005CN, AMVC801005CX
GMVC96 / GCVC96 / AMVC96 / ACVC96GMVC960403BN, GMVC960603BN, GMVC960803BN, GMVC960804CN, GMVC961005CN, GMVC961005DN, GMVC961205DN, GCVC960403BN, GCVC960603BN, GCVC960804CN, GCVC961005CN, GCVC961205DN, AMVC960403BN, AMVC960603BN, AMVC960803BN, AMVC960804CN, AMVC961005CN, AMVC961005DN, AMVC961205DN, ACVC960403BN, ACVC960603BN, ACVC960804CN, ACVC961005CN, ACVC961205DN
GMVM97 / GCVM97 / AMVM97 / ACVM97GMVM970603BN, GMVM970803BN, GMVM970804CN, GMVM971005CN, GMVM971205DN, AMVM970603BN, AMVM970803BN, AMVM970804CN, AMVM971005CN, AMVM971205DN
GRVM97 / GDVM97GRVM970603BN, GRVM970803BN, GRVM970804CN, GRVM971005CN, GRVM971205DN
GRVT80 / GDVT80GRVT800603BN, GRVT800603BX, GRVT800604BN, GRVT800604BX, GRVT800803BN, GRVT800804CN, GRVT800804CX, GRVT800805CN, GRVT800805CX, GRVT800805DN, GRVT800805DX, GRVT801005CN, GRVT801005CX, GDVT800603BX, GDVT800803BX, GDVT800805CX, GDVT801005CX
GRVT96 / GDVT96GRVT960403BN, GRVT960603BN, GRVT960803BN, GRVT960804CN, GRVT961005CN, GRVT961005DN, GRVT961205DN

Where this comes from

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

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Other Goodman gas furnace codes

Code Meaning What you can do
E3 Overheat (depends on model) Safe checks first, then a pro
E11 Rollout switch open Call a pro
Ed Manual-reset rollout switch open Call a pro
EE1 Pressure switch closed at start of heating Call a pro
EE2 Pressure switch not closing Call a pro
EE4 Flame sensed with no call for heat Safe checks first, then a pro
EE5 Open fuse on the control board Call a pro
EEd Auxiliary limit switch open (blower compartment) Safe checks first, then a pro
4 red flashes Overheat (depends on model) Safe checks first, then a pro
5 red flashes Sensor fault or overheat (depends on model) Safe checks first, then a pro
6 red flashes Overheat / flue or venting fault (depends on model) Depends on your model
11 red flashes Ignition failure or overheat (depends on model) Call a pro

See all overheat codes on gas furnaces across brands.