A built-in microwave in a kitchen cabinet stopped halfway through a cycle, a covered glass dish of vegetables inside behind the mesh window and a faint wisp of steam on the glass.

KitchenAid F3T3: the thermistor that watches heat in the hood section

Because a hood combination hangs over the cooking surface, KitchenAid gives it a thermistor that reads the heat coming up from below.

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Mon–Sat, 8am–8pm

  • Sensors and temperature
  • Microwave control board and touchpad repair
  • Source: KitchenAid

Book a visit

Three short steps, about a minute.

or call (844) 393-5858

What F3T3
actually means.

Because a hood combination hangs over the cooking surface, KitchenAid gives it a thermistor that reads the heat coming up from below. F3T3 says that reading, or the wiring that carries it, is outside the range the board accepts, so the unit can no longer judge when the vent should react to that heat.

KitchenAid microwave display · also shown as F3 T3

What to do when F3T3 shows on the microwave

Before you book,
in this order.

Each step comes from KitchenAid's own guidance for F3T3 on its microwaves. Follow it to the end: the last card says whether this is a visit.

01

Switch the microwave off at the breaker for one full minute, then switch it back on.

02

Leave it idle for a minute and watch the display; if the code does not return, run a short test cycle.

03

Switch the vent fan on by hand whenever pans are going underneath.

04

Book a visit if F3T3 comes back.

Still there?

It usually turns into microwave control board and touchpad repair. Book with the code and the model number.

What not to do

F3T3 is about a sensor, not the vent fan motor or its switch, which have their own code (F2H1). It does not affect the magnetron either.

What you may
notice with it.

The microwave problems F3T3 tends to arrive with. Answer these at the microwave before anyone is booked.

All problems

Where F3T3 usually leads

Microwave control board and touchpad repair.

Control board, keypad membrane or display · moderate to highest.

In KitchenAid's own words

There may be a problem with the Hood Temperature Thermistor or the associated wiring.
KitchenAid Product Help, over-the-range microwave: F3T3 KitchenAid Product Help, over-the-range microwave: F3T3

Every code on this site is taken from the manufacturer's documentation, never from a forum or a parts listing. Listed on KitchenAid's help pages for over-the-range microwaves; the lettered F-codes belong to the newer hood controls, and the exact code set depends on the model generation.

KitchenAid F3T3 microwave repair,
where we come out.

The same visit in every metro below: the code, the model number, and a diagnosis before any part is ordered.

All service areas
A family warming plates of food at a built-in microwave in a bright kitchen
For the heart of your home.

Questions
about F3T3.

Can I clear F3T3 myself?
Switch the microwave off at the breaker for one full minute, then switch it back on. If it comes back, it needs a visit.
Why doesn't my KitchenAid vent start by itself anymore?
Automatic fan response depends on the hood temperature thermistor. If F3T3 is showing, that reading is not trusted.
Is it safe to cook below a KitchenAid showing F3T3?
Yes, as long as you run the vent fan yourself so heat and steam are carried away from the unit.
Does F3T3 on a KitchenAid need a new board?
Usually not. A thermistor or a loose connector is the common find, confirmed with a resistance reading.

Back to your everyday

Still showing F3T3?

Three details make the booking useful: the characters or beeps just as they appeared, every character of the model number, and whether a cup of water still warms up. With those, the technician arrives already halfway to the answer.

(844) 393-5858 Schedule a repair