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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
-
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
- Turn off the electrical power to the furnace before you take the filter out. Never run the furnace without a filter in place.
- 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.
- 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.
- Fit the filter so the air flows through it in the same direction as before, then turn the power back on.
- 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
- Go round the house and look at every supply register and return air grille.
- Move furniture, curtains, clothes, rugs or anything else that covers or blocks them.
- Turn off the electrical power to the furnace before you take the filter out.
-
Loose or wrongly connected wiring in the high limit circuit.
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
- 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
285 models in 17 ranges
| Range | Models |
|---|---|
| GM9C80 / GC9C80 / AM9C80 | GM9C800403AN, GM9C800403AX, GM9C800603AN, GM9C800603AX, GM9C800603BN, GM9C800603BX, GM9C800803BN, GM9C800803BX, GM9C800804BN, GM9C800804BX, GM9C800804CN, GM9C800804CX, GM9C800805CN, GM9C800805CX, GM9C800805DX, GM9C801004CN, GM9C801005CN, GM9C801005CX, GM9C801205DN |
| GM9C96 / GC9C96 / AM9C96 | GM9C960303AN, GM9C960403AN, GM9C960603AN, GM9C960603BN, GM9C960803BN, GM9C960804CN, GM9C961004CN, GM9C961005CN, GM9C961205DN, GC9C960403BN, GC9C960603BN, GC9C960803BN, GC9C961005CN |
| GM9S80 / GC9S80 / AM9S80 / AC9S80 | GM9S800403AN, 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 / AC9S96 | GM9S960403AN, GM9S960603BN, GM9S960803BN, GM9S960804CN, GM9S960805CN, GM9S961005CN, GM9S961205DN, GC9S960403BN, GC9S960603BN, GC9S960804CN, GC9S961005CN, GC9S961205DN, AM9S960403AN, AM9S960603BN, AM9S960803BN, AM9S960804CN, AM9S960805CN, AM9S961005CN, AM9S961205DN |
| GR9S80 / GD9S80 / AR9S80 | GR9S800403AN, 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 / AR9S92 | GR9S920403AN, GR9S920603BN, GR9S920803BN, GR9S920804CN, GR9S920805CN, GR9S921004CN, GR9S921005CN, GR9S921205DN |
| GR9S96 / GD9S96 / AR9S96 | GR9S960403AN, GR9S960603BN, GR9S960803BN, GR9S960804CN, GR9S960805CN, GR9S961005CN, GR9S961205DN, GD9S960403BN, GD9S960603BN, GD9S960804CN, GD9S961005CN, GD9S961205DN, AR9S960403AN, AR9S960603BN, AR9S960803BN, AR9S960804CN, AR9S960805CN, AR9S961005CN, AR9S961205DN |
| GR9T80 / GD9T80 | GR9T800403AN, 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 / GD9T96 | GR9T960303AN, GR9T960403AN, GR9T960603AN, GR9T960603BN, GR9T960803BN, GR9T960804CN, GR9T961004CN, GR9T961005CN, GR9T961205DN |
| 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 |
| GMVC80 / GCVC80 / AMVC80 / ACVC80 | GMVC800603BN, 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 / 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 |
| GMVM97 / GCVM97 / AMVM97 / ACVM97 | GMVM970603BN, GMVM970803BN, GMVM970804CN, GMVM971005CN, GMVM971205DN, AMVM970603BN, AMVM970803BN, AMVM970804CN, AMVM971005CN, AMVM971205DN |
| GRVM97 / GDVM97 | GRVM970603BN, GRVM970803BN, GRVM970804CN, GRVM971005CN, GRVM971205DN |
| GRVT80 / GDVT80 | GRVT800603BN, GRVT800603BX, GRVT800604BN, GRVT800604BX, GRVT800803BN, GRVT800804CN, GRVT800804CX, GRVT800805CN, GRVT800805CX, GRVT800805DN, GRVT800805DX, GRVT801005CN, GRVT801005CX, GDVT800603BX, GDVT800803BX, GDVT800805CX, GDVT801005CX |
| GRVT96 / GDVT96 | GRVT960403BN, GRVT960603BN, GRVT960803BN, GRVT960804CN, GRVT961005CN, GRVT961005DN, GRVT961205DN |
Where this comes from
- GM9S80/GC9S80 gas furnace installation instructions (IOG-2030B) , page 28
- GR9S92/GR9S96/GD9S96 gas furnace installation instructions (IOG-2037C) , page 44
- Gas furnace user's information manual (HI-130) , page 8
- GMVC96/GCVC96 (revisions BA to BC) gas furnace installation instructions (IOG-2015L) , page 48
- GRVT80/GDVT80 gas furnace installation instructions (IOG-2043B) , page 35
- Gas furnace user's information manual (HIG-2002A) , page 8
- Gas furnace user's information manual (HIG-2001B) , page 8
Checked against the manufacturer's manual on 13 October 2026.
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.