How House Works

Noritz 11 (ignition failure): what to check

By How House Works EditorialBased on Noritz manualsChecked against sources Updated

Noritz display

11

“Ignition failure”

EZ, NRCR, EZTR40, NRC661A/NRC711, NRC661, NRC98/NRC111/NERC, NRC (2013), NRC111 (2009), NRCP, NR98/NR83/NR71DVC, NR501/NR662/NER66, NR (2009–2013) · EZ/NRCR Owner's Guide Rev. 10/25, p. 31; EZTR40 Owner's Guide Rev. 01/17, p. 24; NRC661A/NRC711 Owner's Guide Rev. 01/17, p. 25; NRC661 Owner's Guide Rev. 01/13, p. 25; NRC98 Owner's Guide Rev. 01/17, p. 28; NRC83/NRC98 Owner's Guide Rev. 03/13, p. 26; NRC111 Owner's Guide Rev. 09/09, p. 27; NRCP1112/NRCP982 Owner's Guide Rev. 05/19, p. 39; NR98 Owner's Guide Rev. 11/20, p. 26; NR501/NR662 Owner's Guide Rev. 01/17, p. 24; NR50/NR66/NR71 Owner's Guide Rev. 01/11, p. 26
Owner checks, then technician

“Ignition error” in EZ Owner's Guide SBB80T9-2 (p. 28) and in the EZTR40, NRC, NERC, NR and NER66OD guides. NRCP heaters show Er:11, “Ignition has Failed 10 (Ten) Times” (NRCP1112/NRCP982 Owner's Guide Rev. 05/19, p. 39). Technical sheets: “Ignition failure (Initial flame fault detection)”.

What it means

Code 11 means the heater tried to light the burner and failed. The EZ/NRCR, EZTR40 and NRCP guides say the heater has no pilot: an ignition device lights the burner, and you should not try to light it by hand EZ/NRCR Owner’s Guide Rev. 10/25, p. 3; EZTR40 Owner’s Guide Rev. 01/17, p. 3; NRCP1112/NRCP982 Owner’s Guide Rev. 05/19, p. 4.

The 10/25 guide’s troubleshooting section lists a related symptom, “The water heater attempts to ignite but fails”: reset the heater and try again, since there may be air in the gas line, and have a professional check the gas supply pressure EZ/NRCR Owner’s Guide Rev. 10/25, p. 28.

Every Noritz owner’s guide we use lists a gas valve check for 11. The reset that follows differs by model.

Check these first

  1. Check that the gas valve to the heater is open EZ/NRCR Owner’s Guide Rev. 10/25, p. 31; EZTR40 Owner’s Guide Rev. 01/17, p. 24; NRC98 Owner’s Guide Rev. 01/17, p. 28. Turn the knob by hand only. If it will not turn by hand, do not force it or use tools; call a qualified service technician EZ/NRCR Owner’s Guide Rev. 10/25, p. 3.
  2. Reset the heater the way your guide describes:
    • EZ and NRCR heaters covered by the 01/24 and 10/25 guides: close the hot water fixture and open it again, or turn the POWER button or Power switch off and then on EZ/NRCR Owner’s Guide Rev. 10/25, p. 31; EZ/NRCR Owner’s Guide Rev. 01/24, p. 25.
    • EZ and NRCR heaters covered by the 04/21 guides, and NRC98, NRC111, NERC, NRC83, NRC1111, NR98, NR83, NR71DVC and the 2009–2013 NR models: turn the heater off with its power button, open a hot water fixture, then turn the heater back on EZ Owner’s Guide SBB8163-2, p. 18; NRC98 Owner’s Guide Rev. 01/17, p. 28; NR98 Owner’s Guide Rev. 11/20, p. 26.
    • EZTR40, NRC661A/NRC711, NRC661, NR501/NR662 and NER66OD: unplug the heater or press the power button on the optional remote controller, open a hot water fixture, then turn the heater back on EZTR40 Owner’s Guide Rev. 01/17, p. 24.
    • NRCP: press the Power button to clear Er:11. It is a hard lockout, which clears when Power is pressed off and then on NRCP1112/NRCP982 Owner’s Guide Rev. 05/19, p. 39.
  3. If the number does not come back, the guides treat the problem as solved EZ/NRCR Owner’s Guide Rev. 10/25, p. 31.
  4. If an error code is indicated again after these actions, the guides say to contact Noritz America EZ/NRCR Owner’s Guide Rev. 10/25, p. 32; EZTR40 Owner’s Guide Rev. 01/17, p. 24; the NRCP guides say to contact the installer or Noritz America Technical Support NRCP1112/NRCP982 Owner’s Guide Rev. 05/19, p. 39. Technical Support is at 1-866-766-7489 EZ/NRCR Owner’s Guide Rev. 10/25, p. 32.

When to call a licensed technician

  • 11 is indicated again after the guide’s actions EZ/NRCR Owner’s Guide Rev. 10/25, p. 32.
  • Gas supply pressure and the gas line. Noritz leaves the pressure check to a professional EZ/NRCR Owner’s Guide Rev. 10/25, p. 28, and sizing and installing the gas system is the installer’s responsibility EZ Installation Manual Rev. 10/25, p. 36. The installation manuals give the supply pressure range: 3.5–10.5 in. W.C. for natural gas and 8–13 in. W.C. for propane for the EZ models in the 10/25 manual EZ Installation Manual Rev. 10/25, p. 38, and 4–10.5 and 8–14 in. W.C. on the EZTR40 EZTR40 Installation Manual Rev. 11/20, p. 16. The EZ manual warns that pressure below the minimum may result in ignition failure, injury or death EZ Installation Manual Rev. 10/25, p. 38.
  • Parts inside the heater. Noritz’s sheet for service technicians lists the checks: gas supply piping and pressure, igniter spark, gas valve, flame rod and the ground connection to the circuit board EZ Technical Sheet FPFK081, p. 1.

Notes for different models

On NRCP heaters the code reads Er:11, “Ignition has Failed 10 (Ten) Times” NRCP1112/NRCP982 Owner’s Guide Rev. 05/19, p. 39; NRCP111/NRCP98 Owner’s Guide Rev. 05/19, p. 34.

NR71-SV and NR71-OD heaters without a remote flash a lamp instead of showing a number, for any unit abnormality, not only an ignition failure. The guide’s steps for the lamp are the same gas valve check, then closing and reopening the hot water fixture NR50/NR66/NR71 Owner’s Guide Rev. 01/11, p. 26.

In its instructions for draining the heater, the EZ/NRCR Owner’s Guide Rev. 10/25 says 11 or 41 may appear on the operation panel, that this is not a malfunction, and not to turn the power off p. 25.

Related Noritz codes

  • 12 “Flame Rod does not detect flame (Flame fault detection)”
  • 90 “(1) [When supplying combustion air from the indoors] The air supply vent may be clogged. (2) Exhaust vent may be clogged. (3) Abnormal combustion, low gas supply pressure. (4) Condensate drain line may be clogged.”
  • 902 “Abnormal combustion, low gas supply pressure.”

All Noritz codes

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Sources

  1. NORITZ America Corporation. EZ/NRCR Owner's Guide Rev. 10/25. SBB81M1, Rev. 10/25; cover title: Condensing Tankless Gas Water Heater Owner's Guide; covers EZ111DV, NRCR111DV, EZ98DV, NRCR92DV and EZ71DV (GQ-...-FF-1 US models); EZTR50 and EZTR75 are named only in the warranty table (p. 36); p. 1 is the unnumbered cover. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  2. NORITZ America Corporation. EZ/NRCR Owner's Guide Rev. 01/24. SBB81HC, Rev. 01/24; cover title: Condensing Tankless Gas Water Heater Owner's Guide; covers the 2024 EZ111DV, NRCR111DV, EZ98DV, NRCR92DV and EZ71DV (GQ-...-FF US models). Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  3. NORITZ America Corporation. EZ Owner's Guide SBB8163-2. SBB8163-2, Rev. 04/21; covers EZ111DV (GQ-C3260WX-FF US) and EZ98DV (GQ-C2860WX-FF US). Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  4. NORITZ America Corporation. EZTR40 Owner's Guide Rev. 01/17. SBB809K-2, Rev. 01/17; covers NRC663-FSV (EZTR40). Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  5. NORITZ America Corporation. NRC661A/NRC711 Owner's Guide Rev. 01/17. SBB8067-4, Rev. 01/17; covers NRC711-DV, NRC711-OD, NRC661A-DV and NRC661A-OD. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  6. NORITZ America Corporation. NRC661 Owner's Guide Rev. 01/13. SBB801H, Rev. 01/13; covers NRC661-DV and NRC661-OD. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  7. NORITZ America Corporation. NRC98 Owner's Guide Rev. 01/17. SBB80JP-3, Rev. 01/17; covers NRC98DV (GQ-C2857WS-FF US) and NRC98OD (GQ-C2857WS US). Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  8. NORITZ America Corporation. NRC83/NRC98 Owner's Guide Rev. 03/13. SBA8884-1, Rev. 03/13; covers NRC98-DV, NRC98-OD, NRC83-DV and NRC83-OD. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  9. NORITZ America Corporation. NRC111 Owner's Guide Rev. 09/09. SBA8370, Rev. 09/09; covers NRC111-SV and NRC111-DV. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  10. NORITZ America Corporation. NRCP1112/NRCP982 Owner's Guide Rev. 05/19. Rev. 05/19, no SB number printed; title line: NRCP1112-DV / NRCP982-DV (Eco TOUGH). Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  11. NORITZ America Corporation. NRCP111/NRCP98 Owner's Guide Rev. 05/19. Rev. 05/19, no SB number printed; covers NRCP111-DV and NRCP98-DV (listed by Noritz as the 2019 models). Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  12. NORITZ America Corporation. NR98 Owner's Guide Rev. 11/20. SBB80J3-4, Rev. 11/20; covers NR98OD (GQ-2857WX US), NR98DVC (GQ-2857WX-FFA US) and NR98SV (GQ-2857WX-F US). Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  13. NORITZ America Corporation. NR50/NR66/NR71 Owner's Guide Rev. 01/11. SBA8654, Rev. 01/11; covers NR71-SV, NR71-OD, NR66-SV, NR66-OD and NR50-OD. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  14. NORITZ America Corporation. NR501/NR662 Owner's Guide Rev. 01/17. SBB8065-5, Rev. 01/17; covers NR662-OD and NR501-OD. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  15. NORITZ America Corporation. EZ Technical Sheet FPFK081. Sheet code FPFK081, no revision or date printed; 2025 EZ111DV, EZ98DV and EZ71DV (GQ-...-FF-1 US); a service document filed under Field Manual in Noritz's Technical Literature; no page numbers printed, p. 1 is the PDF page. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  16. NORITZ America Corporation. EZ Installation Manual Rev. 10/25. SBB81M3-1, Rev. 10/25; cover title: Condensing Tankless Gas Water Heater Installation Manual; covers EZ111DV, EZ98DV and EZ71DV (GQ-...-FF-1 US); linked from the EZTR50 and EZTR75 product pages, which the manual does not name. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.
  17. NORITZ America Corporation. EZTR40 Installation Manual Rev. 11/20. SBB809L-2, Rev. 11/20; covers NRC663-FSV (EZTR40), indoor installation; p. 22 is an image page without a text layer. Accessed Oct 12, 2026.