What F23 (110 / Whirlpool-built front-load) Means
F23 on 110-prefix Whirlpool-built Kenmore front-loaders reports the water heating circuit as failed — an element that has gone open, or wiring to it that no longer carries current, as opposed to the shorted-element condition that this platform calls F23's neighbour F03.
Common Causes of F23 (110 / Whirlpool-built front-load)
- A heating element gone open circuit
- The element harness disconnected or burnt at its terminals
- A heater relay on the main control board no longer closing
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
Feel the door glass part way through a hot cycle; glass that stays cool through a wash that should be heating supports what the code is reporting, and needs no tools at all.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- Isolate the machine at the breaker before the front panel comes off; the element terminals sit at the lowest point of a wet cabinet.
- Element terminals that have run hot often damage the harness as well, and fitting a new element onto burnt spades repeats the fault.
- Whether the heater or its relay has failed is a meter question, and guessing sends the order to the wrong part.
Opening a panel to inspect or repair something yourself doesn't automatically cancel your manufacturer's warranty — but it can risk accidental damage, and some manufacturers do have specific service conditions. Check your product's warranty terms, or ask us, before deciding.