Goodman furnace code EE0: ignition lockout and how to reset it

Furnace control display or LED

EE0

“Furnace lockout due to an excessive number of ignition “retries” (3 total)”

Printed on 21 model series · 20 documents

GR9S92 / GR9S96 / GD9S96, A/GR9S96*U* Ultra-Low NOx, GR9S80 / GD9S80 / AR9S80 / AD9S80, A/GR9S80*U* Ultra-Low NOx, VR9S80/VD9S80, GR9T96 / GD9T96 / AR9T96 / AD9T96, GR9T80 / GD9T80 / AR9T80 / AD9T80, GRVT80 / GDVT80 / ARVT80 / ADVT80, GM9S92 / GM9S96 / GC9S96, GM9S80 / GC9S80 / AM9S80 / AC9S80 / VM9S80 / VC9S80, *M9S96*U; *M9S80*U, GM9C96 / GC9C96 / AM9C96 / AC9C96, GM9C80 / GC9C80 / AM9C80 / AC9C80, GMVC96*BB / GCVC96*BB, GMVC96*BA, GMVC80*AC / GCVC80*AC / ACVC80*AC / AMVC80*AC, GMVC8 / AMVC8 / ADVC8; ACVC8 / GCVC8, GMVM97*BA / GCVM97, *MVS80*U ; CCVS80; *MVS96; CCVS96, *MES96*U, GMES80*U / AMES80*U · IOG-2037A p. 41; RS6612302 p. 31; RS6621301 p. 34; RS6621302 p. 28; RS6612304 p. 27; RS6621304 p. 35; RS6621305 p. 43; IOG-2029D p. 39; IOG-2030B p. 28; IOG-2032C p. 37; IOG-2027E p. 46; IOG-2026B p. 30; IOG-2015L p. 48; RS6612014R3 p. 60; IOG-2023E p. 33; IOG-2016A p. 36; IOG-2017H p. 46; IOG-2034A p. 35; RS6612017R4 p. 30; RS6621006R4 p. 33

Owner checks, then technician

What it means

EE0 is a lockout. The control tried to light the burners three times without success: either no flame was established, or the flame was lost after it was established IOG-2037D, p. 43. The furnace does not run RS6612301, p. 36. Goodman’s owner’s manual describes a lockout as a non-functioning furnace, with the circulator blower possibly running continuously, “providing a diagnostic LED code” HIG-2002A, p. 6. For boards with a display, the GRVT96 installation instructions tie lockout to this code: a non-functioning furnace and “an EE0 code displayed on the 7-segment display” IOG-2044B, p. 45.

The current table lists these possible causes: no gas or improper gas pressure to the burners, a bad igniter or igniter alignment, restricted orifices, a coated, oxidized or improperly connected flame sensor, a restriction in the flue or a lack of combustion air, and improper induced draft blower performance IOG-2037D, p. 43.

Check these first

Goodman’s owner’s manual has no code table, but it has a section on lockouts. Its troubleshooting section is written for a flashing LED and does not mention the three-character display HIG-2002A, p. 8.

1. Write the code down before you open anything; the manual’s first step, written for the LED, is to record the flashes HIG-2002A, p. 8. See how to read a Goodman code.
2. Reset the lockout by one of the three methods in the owner’s manual HIG-2002A, p. 6: wait for the control to reset itself after the one-hour lockout period; interrupt the 115 volt power to the furnace for more than 20 seconds; or interrupt the thermostat signal to the furnace for between 0 and 20 seconds.
3. If the condition that caused the lockout is still there, the control locks out again. If the furnace locks out often, the manual says a problem exists that must be corrected and to contact a qualified servicer HIG-2002A, p. 6.
4. For a code that stays, the troubleshooting section says to shut the furnace down and contact a qualified servicer HIG-2002A, p. 8. The shut-down: thermostat to its lowest setting, then, behind the burner compartment door, the gas valve’s ON/OFF switch to OFF, the external manual gas shut-off valve closed, and the door back on HIG-2002A, p. 6. Before the gas control goes to OFF, the start-up steps and the label also turn off the electrical power to the furnace; the label says to do so if service is to be performed HIG-2002A, pp. 6, 9. Move the gas control by hand only, never with tools HIG-2002A, p. 9. Full steps: shutting the furnace down.

Do not go further than this: “Do not attempt repairs yourself” HIG-2002A, p. 8, and “do not remove any internal compartment covers” HIG-2002A, p. 6.

When to call a licensed technician

• The lockout comes back after a reset, or happens often HIG-2002A, p. 6.
• The gas supply and gas pressure to the burners. The table’s first corrective action is to locate and correct a gas interruption IOG-2037D, p. 43.
• The igniter: replacing or realigning it IOG-2037D, p. 43. The GMVC96*BA service manual adds that the igniter is fragile RS6612014R3, p. 60.
• The flame sensor: checking the flame sense signal and cleaning the sensor if it is coated or oxidized IOG-2037D, p. 43.
• The front cover pressure switch and drainage, the flue piping (blockage, length, elbows, termination) and the induced draft blower IOG-2037D, p. 43.
• Any service or maintenance. The owner’s manual says to disconnect electrical power before performing it HIG-2002A, p. 7, and that maintenance is for a qualified service technician HIG-2002A, p. 6.

Notes for different models

Board or series	Code	Wording in the table	Source
Most three-character boards (GR9, GM9, VR9 and GMVC96 lines; MES96U and GMES80*U from the March 2023 manuals)	EE0	“Furnace lockout due to an excessive number of ignition “retries” (3 total)”	IOG-2029D, p. 39; RS6612017R4, p. 30
ComfortNet alarm tables (GMVC96BA, GMVC96BB, GMVC80AC, GMVM97BA, GRVT96, GRVT80, GRVM97)	EE0	“Lockout Due to Excessive Retries or Recycles”	RS6612014R3, p. 56; RS6612305, p. 39
Single-LED boards (GMSS9, GMES9, GMES80, GKS9, GMS8 and others)	1 flash	Same lockout after 3 ignition retries	IOG-2009Q, p. 42
GMEC96, GMEC80	Red 7 flashes	“Lockout - excessive retries from flame not being proven during trial for ignition”	IOG-2011U, p. 55 (GMEC96); RS6621005R1, p. 29 (GMEC80)
GMEC96, GMEC80	Red 8 flashes	“Lockout - excessive recycles from flame proving being lost after being proven”	IOG-2011U, p. 55 (GMEC96); RS6621005R1, p. 29 (GMEC80)
MES96U, GMES80*U, 2019 manuals	Red 1 flash	Lockout after 3 ignition attempts	RS6612017, p. 20; RS6621006, p. 16
Older ComfortNet two-character boards	E0 (thermostat: LOCKOUT)	Same lockout after 3 ignition retries	RS6612010R6, p. 47

Reset times differ between documents. The owner’s manual gives more than 20 seconds without power, or 0 to 20 seconds without the thermostat signal HIG-2002A, p. 6. The GR9T96 installation instructions give 1 to 20 seconds for both IOG-2038E, p. 46. The GMVC96*BA service manual gives no time for the power method and describes the thermostat method as lowering the thermostat so there is no call for heat for 1 to 20 seconds, then setting it back RS6612014, p. 72. All of them have the automatic reset after one hour. These pages follow the owner’s manual.

Older editions of the owner’s manual (HI-115C, 02/12; HIG-2002, 07/19) had one more check: that the manual gas shut-off valve outside the furnace is ON, and if it is OFF, turning the gas on by following the start-up steps HI-115C, p. 8; HIG-2002, p. 8. The current edition, HIG-2002A (09/19), no longer has this check HIG-2002A, p. 8, and this page does not recommend it. The start-up steps include a five-minute wait to clear out gas and a smell check near the floor; if you smell gas after that wait, the manual says to immediately follow the instructions on its cover HIG-2002A, p. 6.

Two documents describe the lockout display differently from their own tables. The GR9T96 installation instructions say a lockout shows as a one flash diagnostic LED code, while their table gives EE0 IOG-2038E, pp. 45, 49. The GMVC96*BA service manual describes the code on a “dual 7-segment display” RS6612014, p. 72.

Related Goodman codes

• 1 flash “Furnace lockout due to an excessive number of ignition “retries” (3 total).”
• Red 7 flashes “Lockout - excessive retries from flame not being proven during trial for ignition”
• EE6 “Flame sense micro amp signal is low”
• EEL “Problem with igniter circuit”

See also

• Heat pump vs gas calculator
• HVAC and furnace tax credits in 2025 and 2026: 25C, 25D, 30C

Other gas furnaces: Carrier, Lennox, Rheem and Ruud

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