Furnace Fault Codes

Goodman GMEC96 and Amana AMEC96 furnace fault codes

Every diagnostic code published for the GMEC96 series — 24 of them — taken from the manufacturer's own per-model fault code database rather than from a general table.

Codes differ between models from the same manufacturer, which is why this list is worth reading in preference to a brand-wide one. No code below contradicts another Goodman model that publishes its own list. Its 24 codes put it 4th of 10 Goodman lists by length, between the GCVM97 at 43 and the GMP at 8. The same board is sold as Amana AMEC96, with the same code list.

GMEC96 fault codes

What the LED showsWhat it means
1 red flashFlame sensed when no flame should be present
2 red flashesPressure switch stuck closed, or an inducer error
3 amber flashesSecond stage heat called with no first stage call
3 red flashesFirst stage pressure switch stuck open, or an inducer error
3 double red flashesSecond stage pressure switch stuck open, or an inducer error
4 amber flashesCooling called with no fan call
4 red flashesOpen limit switch
5 red flashesOpen rollout switch, or open fuse detected
6 red flashesPressure switch cycle lockout
7 red flashesExternal lockout — ignition retries exhausted
8 red flashesExternal lockout — recycles exhausted
9 red flashesGrounding problem or reversed polarity
10 red flashesGas flow detected with a call for heat
11 red flashesLimit switch open due to blower failure
12 red flashesIgnitor relay failure
rapid amber flashingLow flame sense current
rapid red flashingTwinning error
solid redInternal control fault, gas valve error, microprocessor or frequency check failure

Codes that are not faults

These 6 indications mean the furnace is doing something normal — running a stage, moving air for cooling, or sitting idle. They are listed separately so they do not get counted as problems.

What the LED showsWhat it means
1 amber flashNormal operation — first stage heat
1 green flashNormal operation — low stage cooling
2 amber flashesNormal operation — second stage heat
2 green flashesNormal operation — high stage or single stage cooling
rapid green flashingNormal operation — fan only, no heating or cooling
solid greenStandby — powered, no call

Other models with their own code list

Reading this table against York's

If this table looks familiar from a York, Luxaire, or Coleman furnace, that is not coincidence: the York red-flash table and this one match nearly code for code — compare York's nine red flashes with this board's grounding code, or York's eleven with the blower-failure limit code here. York's service literature reproduces the White-Rodgers Emerson code table that this control lineage descends from; the history is covered at York's two code generations. The practical use: descriptions and diagnostic logic translate between the two tables, though you should always confirm against your own model's documentation rather than assume — codes are not standard, even when tables rhyme.

What the fix costs

The faults this board reports most map onto well-established price bands from the site's cost guides: pressure switch work (the three-red and six-red family) at $150–400, hot surface ignitor replacement behind the seven-red lockout at $150–350 installed per the ignitor cost guide, flame sensor cleaning behind the rapid-amber warning at $80–200, and control board replacement for solid red at $400–900 per the board cost guide. The repair cost guide holds the full table. Knowing the code before calling means knowing which of these bands you are in — which is most of the leverage a homeowner gets.

DIY or call a pro on this board?

The GMEC96's three-colour LED does the triage for you. Amber and green patterns are status: reading them, adjusting the thermostat, and changing the filter are homeowner work. Red patterns are faults, and almost all of them land on the professional side — this board's red codes involve gas valves, flame sensing, venting proof, and line-voltage blower circuits, each on this site's licensed-work list. The homeowner exceptions worth knowing: checking outdoor vent terminations on the pressure switch codes, one deliberate reset on the retry lockout, and accurate reporting of the pattern and colour in every case. The code you quote on the phone is the cheapest diagnostic instrument this furnace has.

What this looks like

From the outside, this usually shows up as the vents blowing cold air on a heat call — that walkthrough covers what to check in order, and when it stops being a homeowner job.

This site is a reference, not a substitute for a licensed HVAC technician. Gas appliances can leak carbon monoxide and cause fire. Anything involving gas lines, the heat exchanger, or the flame sensing circuit should be handled by a licensed professional. Pages are written with AI assistance from the sources listed on each page and checked against them before publishing.

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