Goodman furnace code EE3: primary limit circuit open

Furnace control display or LED

EE3

“Primary limit circuit is open”

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

Technician

What it means

EE3 says the control found the primary limit circuit open. Goodman’s tables describe a furnace that does not heat while the circulator blower runs continuously RS6612301, p. 36. The primary limit is a safety switch in that circuit, and three of the four causes in the current table concern air moving through the furnace: insufficient conditioned air over the heat exchanger; blocked filters or restrictive ductwork; an improper circulator blower speed or a failed circulator blower motor. The fourth is loose or improperly connected wiring in the high limit circuit IOG-2037D, p. 43.

Check these first

Goodman’s owner’s manual (HIG-2002A) has no code table and does not mention the three-character display. Its troubleshooting section is written for a flashing LED, and for that case it says to record the code, shut the furnace down and contact a qualified servicer HIG-2002A, p. 8. Applied to EE3:

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. Shut the furnace down by the owner’s manual: set the thermostat to its lowest setting (the control closes the gas valve and the blowers stop after a delay), remove the burner compartment door, move the gas valve’s ON/OFF switch to OFF, close the external manual gas shut-off valve and put the door back 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; if it will not move, call a qualified service technician HIG-2002A, p. 9. Full steps: shutting the furnace down.
3. Contact a qualified servicer HIG-2002A, p. 8.

The manual asks you not to go further: “Do not attempt repairs yourself” HIG-2002A, p. 8, and “do not remove any internal compartment covers” HIG-2002A, p. 6.

Blocked filters are among the causes of EE3. Filter changes are the one maintenance task the owner’s manual leaves to you HIG-2002A, p. 6. It says to disconnect electrical power before removing filters, to inspect, clean or change filters every two months or as required, and never to run the furnace without one HIG-2002A, p. 7; its checklist says to check them at least once a month HIG-2002A, p. 8. That checklist runs in this order: thermostat, circuit breakers and fuses, filters, return and supply grilles, then intake and vent terminations on high efficiency furnaces. The manual gives it for a furnace whose LED is not flashing, so it is not a fix for EE3.

When to call a licensed technician

• Checking the circulator blower speed and performance, correcting the speed or replacing the blower motor IOG-2037D, p. 43. The GMVC96*BA service manual points to the Specification Sheet applicable to your model for the allowable rise range and proper circulator speed RS6612014R3, p. 60.
• Restrictive ductwork and obstructions in the duct system IOG-2037D, p. 43.
• Wiring in the high limit circuit IOG-2037D, p. 43.
• Anything inside the furnace. The owner’s manual restricts user maintenance to frequent air filter changes HIG-2002A, p. 6 and says to disconnect electrical power before performing any service or maintenance HIG-2002A, p. 7.

Notes for different models

Board or series	Code	Wording in the table	Source
Most three-character boards (GR9S96, GM9S96, GM9C96, GR9T96 and others)	EE3	“Primary limit circuit is open” or, in the 2026 installation instructions, “Primary limit circuit open.”	IOG-2037A, p. 41; IOG-2029D, p. 39; IOG-2037D, p. 43
ComfortNet alarm tables (GMVC96BA, GMVC96BB, GMVC80AC, GMVM97BA, GRVT96, GRVT80, GRVM97)	EE3	“Open High Limit Switch”	RS6612014R3, p. 56; RS6612305, p. 39
Single-LED boards (GMSS9, GMES9, GMES80, GKS9, GMS8 and others)	4 flashes	“Primary or auxiliary limit circuit is open.” or “Primary limit circuit is open.”	IOG-2009Q, p. 43; RS6612003R2, p. 55
GMEC96, GMEC80	Red 4 flashes	“Open limit circuit, main limit, aux limit, or roll out switch”	IOG-2011U, p. 55 (GMEC96); RS6621005R1, p. 29 (GMEC80)
MES96U, GMES80*U, 2019 manuals	Red 4 flashes	“Primary limit insert; or aux limit circuit is open.”	RS6612017, p. 20; RS6621006, p. 16
Older ComfortNet two-character boards	E3 (thermostat: HIGH LIMIT OPEN)	“Primary limit or auxiliary limit circuit is open. Rollout limit circuit is open.”	RS6612010R6, p. 48

The Ultra-Low NOx MES96U and GMES80*U show EE3 only in their March 2023 manuals RS6612017R4, p. 30; RS6621006R4, p. 33. Several boards, including the ComfortNet, variable speed and Ultra-Low NOx lines, report an open auxiliary limit in the blower compartment as a separate code, EEd IOG-2015L, p. 49.

Related Goodman codes

• 4 flashes “Primary or auxiliary limit circuit is open.”
• Red 4 flashes “Open limit circuit, main limit, aux limit, or roll out switch”
• EEd “Aux limit switch open (blower compartment)”
• E11 “Open roll out switch”

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

All Goodman codes

Goodman is a trademark of its owner. How House Works is not affiliated with or endorsed by Goodman.