Good news first. If your DishDrawer is showing U1 or U6, Fisher & Paykel has already told you this is something you can fix. The U series exists specifically to separate the problems an owner can resolve from the ones that need a technician.
The E series is the other list, and it does not have that property. National Appliance Repairs services Fisher & Paykel appliances across five capitals, and DishDrawers are one of the appliances where knowing which list you are looking at saves a callout fee.
U codes and E codes are different lists
Fisher & Paykel’s DishDrawer user guide splits its fault codes into two groups.
U codes describe a condition you can correct. The drawer will resume its programme once you have. There is no part to replace and no panel to remove.
E codes describe component and electronics faults. Flood detection, motor failure, temperature sensor faults, heating element failure, lid faults, drying fan faults and electronics faults all sit in the E group.
| Code | What Fisher & Paykel says it means | Group |
|---|---|---|
| U1 | No water. The water supply has not been turned on | Owner |
| U4 | A fault in the other drawer is preventing use of this drawer | Owner |
| U6 | The spray arm has loosened or come off its mounting, or water pressure is too low | Owner |
| E1 | Flood detected | Technician |
| E2 | Motor fault | Technician |
| E3 | Temperature sensor fault | Technician |
| E4 | Heating element failed | Technician |
| E5 | Fault with the internal lid | Technician |
| E6 | Fault with the drying fan | Technician |
| E7, E8 | Electronics faults | Technician |
Fixing a U1
U1 means the drawer asked for water and did not get any.
Turn the water supply on at the tap under the sink, then press the start button to resume the wash programme. That is Fisher & Paykel’s stated fix, and in most cases it is the whole story: somebody isolated the water for a plumbing job, or a tap was knocked closed during a cupboard clean-out.
If the tap is already open, work outward:
- Check the inlet hose for kinks behind or under the cabinetry.
- Check the inlet filter at the hose connection for grit and scale.
- Check whether the rest of the house has water. Mains work in the street produces U1 as reliably as a closed tap does.
- Check the other drawer on a double unit. If it also refuses to fill, the problem is the supply, not the drawer.
A U1 that persists with a confirmed open supply and a clear hose points at the inlet valve, and that is a service call.
Fixing a U6
U6 has two possible causes, and Fisher & Paykel names both.
The spray arm has come loose
This is the common one and it takes a minute. Open the drawer, look at the spray arm in the base, and check whether it has lifted off its mounting or worked loose. Refit it following the instructions in the user maintenance section of your guide, close the drawer, and press start to resume.
While the drawer is open, lift the spray arm and shake any foreign material out of it, then rinse it under running water. Blocked spray arm holes will not necessarily throw a code, but they will leave dishes dirty, and debris in the arm is often what worked it loose in the first place.
Also check nothing loaded in the drawer is fouling the arm’s rotation. Spin it by hand through a full turn. A tall item or a fallen utensil stopping the arm produces the same result as a loose one.
The water pressure is too low
If the spray arm is seated correctly and rotating freely and U6 still appears, the second cause applies. Fisher & Paykel notes that low incoming water pressure can trigger this code, and that a 4 litre valve may need to be installed on the water supply to correct it.
That is a plumbing change, not an appliance repair. It is worth knowing before anyone orders a spray arm, because a new arm will not fix a pressure problem. Households on tank water, on rural supply, or at the end of a long run in an older building are the ones most likely to be in this category.
The hidden second fault number
Something else in the F&P guide that almost nobody uses.
When a code is displayed, pressing the buttons in the sequence set out in the user guide brings up a second number briefly on the display. Note it down alongside the first. Fisher & Paykel uses it to identify the fault more precisely.
If you are calling us, that second number narrows the diagnosis before a technician leaves the depot, which is often the difference between one visit and two.
When it is not a U code
If the drawer is showing an E code, stop. Those describe component failures, and E1 in particular means the flood switch has detected water in the base, which calls for the water supply to be isolated straight away.
Our dishwasher repair service covers DishDrawer single and double units in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, with same-day appointments subject to availability, a 12-month parts warranty and a 3-month labour warranty.
Call:
- Melbourne 03 9123 0548
- Sydney 02 9621 5988
- Brisbane 07 3166 9770
- Adelaide 08 7123 4027 or
- Perth 08 9470 4450
Tell the office the code and, if you have it, the second number. If the drawer is draining poorly as well, our guide to why dishwashers stop draining covers the checks worth doing first.
Frequently asked questions
What does U1 mean on a Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer?
No water. The supply has not been turned on, or water is not reaching the drawer. Turn the tap on and press start to resume the programme.
What does U6 mean on a DishDrawer?
Either the spray arm has loosened or come off its mounting, or the incoming water pressure is too low. Check and refit the spray arm first.
Do U codes mean my DishDrawer is broken?
No. Fisher & Paykel uses the U series for conditions the owner can correct. Component faults appear as E codes instead.
Why does U6 keep coming back after I refit the spray arm?
Most likely low water pressure. F&P notes that a 4 litre valve may need to be fitted to the supply. That is a plumbing job, and a new spray arm will not resolve it.
One drawer shows U4. Is that drawer faulty?
No. U4 means the other drawer has a fault that is blocking this one. Deal with the code on the other drawer and U4 will clear.
The short version
U1 and U6 are the two DishDrawer codes worth trying yourself. U1 is almost always a closed tap. U6 is almost always a spray arm that has lifted off its mounting, and when it is not, it is water pressure, and that needs a plumber, not an appliance technician.
Anything in the E series is a different matter, and E1 in particular means isolate the water now. National Appliance Repairs services Fisher & Paykel DishDrawers across five capitals with upfront quoting. Book online or call your nearest office.
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