What does Hoshizaki code E0 mean?

Hoshizaki FM-series code E0 means: Ice making water leak. Common causes include water escaping the ice making circuit.

What does Hoshizaki code E1 mean?

Hoshizaki FM-series code E1 means: Low ice production. Common causes include cycle running long: hot gas valve leakage, water valve letting water in during freeze, stuck float switch, hot ambient air at the condenser.

What does Hoshizaki code E2 mean?

Hoshizaki FM-series code E2 means: Float switch error. Common causes include water level float switch reading out of range or stuck, often scale.

What does Hoshizaki code E3 mean?

Hoshizaki FM-series code E3 means: Gear motor error or gear motor sensor circuit open. Common causes include auger drive motor fault or its sensor circuit open.

What does Hoshizaki code E4 mean?

Hoshizaki FM-series code E4 means: Abnormal high side pressure. Common causes include dirty condenser, blocked airflow, fan failure, refrigerant-side faults.

What does Hoshizaki code E5 mean?

Hoshizaki FM-series code E5 means: Gear motor drive element error. Common causes include fault in the auger motor drive circuit.

What does Hoshizaki code E8 mean?

Hoshizaki FM-series code E8 means: Discharge pipe temperature fault. Common causes include discharge line temperature outside range; condenser airflow and refrigerant-side causes.

What does Hoshizaki code 1 beep mean?

Hoshizaki FM-series code 1 beep means: Low water safety: the reservoir did not refill in time. Common causes include the upper float switch stayed open more than 90 seconds after the inlet water valve energised. water supply off or throttled, exhausted filters, a blocked valve screen, a float sticking on scale, or a drain valve leaking water away as fast as it fills.

What does Hoshizaki code 2 beeps mean?

Hoshizaki FM-series code 2 beeps means: Control switch left in DRAIN longer than 15 minutes. Common causes include somebody drained the machine and did not return the control switch to ice. this is housekeeping, not a failure.

What does Hoshizaki code 3 beeps mean?

Hoshizaki FM-series code 3 beeps means: High-pressure switch tripped, first or second time within an hour. Common causes include dirty condenser or air filter, ambient or condenser water too warm, condenser fan not running, refrigerant overcharged, a restriction in the refrigerant line, or condenser water pressure too low on water-cooled models.

What does Hoshizaki code 4 beeps mean?

Hoshizaki FM-series code 4 beeps means: High-pressure switch tripped a third time within the same hour. Common causes include the same high-side causes as the 3-beep alarm, except now the fault is repeating instead of clearing.

What does Hoshizaki code 5 beeps mean?

Hoshizaki FM-series code 5 beeps means: Freeze timer: 30 minutes elapsed without the lower float opening. Common causes include the machine is not making ice fast enough to draw the reservoir down. low charge, a restriction, a failing compressor, a dirty evaporator, or an auger and gear motor not turning as they should.

Hoshizaki FM-series ice machine Error Codes

Applies to: FM-series flakers and F/FD modular flakers. Compiled and paraphrased from Hoshizaki's own service documentation: FM-series service manuals for the E-codes, and service manual 73204 for the H and J Series Modular Flaker with F-A and F-C control boards for the beep alarms, including Hoshizaki's own reset instructions and voltage thresholds. Code sets differ between FM flakers, F/FD modular flakers, IM cubers and KM cubers; always confirm against the service manual for your exact model. Table last updated Aug 13, 2026.

How to read the codes

Hoshizaki flakers report faults in two completely different languages, and which one you get depends on the control board rather than on anything you can choose. FM-series machines display an E-code when an interlock trips. North American F and FD modular flakers with the F-A or F-C control board have NO code display: they sound an alarm and the NUMBER OF BEEPS is the fault, repeating every 5 seconds. So count the beeps between pauses before you go looking for a code that is not there. Two further Hoshizaki families differ again: KM-series cubers signal with LED blink patterns on the control board, and newer models with a diagnostic display show the code on screen. Always match the table to your machine family.

The codes

Code	Meaning	Likely causes	Operator-safe steps	Technician work
E0	Ice making water leak	Water escaping the ice making circuit	Check for visible leaks and water supply problems; shut water off if leaking	Water circuit and valve service
E1	Low ice production	Cycle running long: hot gas valve leakage, water valve letting water in during freeze, stuck float switch, hot ambient air at the condenser	Clean the condenser, improve ventilation, confirm water supply	Hot gas valve, water valve, and refrigerant-side diagnosis
E2	Float switch error	Water level float switch reading out of range or stuck, often scale	Clean and descale on schedule	Float switch cleaning or replacement
E3	Gear motor error or gear motor sensor circuit open	Auger drive motor fault or its sensor circuit open	Record the code; stop using the machine	Gear motor and sensor diagnosis
E4	Abnormal high side pressure	Dirty condenser, blocked airflow, fan failure, refrigerant-side faults	Clean the condenser and clear space around the unit	Refrigerant-side diagnosis (EPA 608 required)
E5	Gear motor drive element error	Fault in the auger motor drive circuit	Record the code for the technician	Drive circuit and control board service
E8	Discharge pipe temperature fault	Discharge line temperature outside range; condenser airflow and refrigerant-side causes	Clean the condenser; check ambient temperature	Refrigerant-side diagnosis (EPA 608 required)
1 beep	Low water safety: the reservoir did not refill in time	The upper float switch stayed open more than 90 seconds after the inlet water valve energised. Water supply off or throttled, exhausted filters, a blocked valve screen, a float sticking on scale, or a drain valve leaking water away as fast as it fills	Check the supply is on and the filters are not overdue. This alarm resets itself once water is restored and the upper float closes	Float switch cleaning and continuity check, inlet water valve screen and solenoid, and the drain valve seat
2 beeps	Control switch left in DRAIN longer than 15 minutes	Somebody drained the machine and did not return the control switch to ICE. This is housekeeping, not a failure	Move the control switch back to ICE and the alarm resets itself	Not needed unless the alarm continues with the switch in ICE, which points at the switch contacts or the control board
3 beeps	High-pressure switch tripped, first or second time within an hour	Dirty condenser or air filter, ambient or condenser water too warm, condenser fan not running, refrigerant overcharged, a restriction in the refrigerant line, or condenser water pressure too low on water-cooled models	Clean the condenser and air filter and clear whatever is blocking airflow. The alarm resets itself once pressure falls and the switch closes	High-side diagnosis: condenser, fan motor, water regulating valve, charge and restrictions (EPA 608 required)
4 beeps	High-pressure switch tripped a third time within the same hour	The same high-side causes as the 3-beep alarm, except now the fault is repeating instead of clearing	Hoshizaki's own instruction here is to call for service, and it recommends leaving the icemaker off until the alarm is resolved to avoid possible catastrophic failure	Do not simply reset and walk away. Diagnose the high side before returning the machine to service. Reset is manual, by cycling the power supply
5 beeps	Freeze timer: 30 minutes elapsed without the lower float opening	The machine is not making ice fast enough to draw the reservoir down. Low charge, a restriction, a failing compressor, a dirty evaporator, or an auger and gear motor not turning as they should	Record the alarm and stop running the machine. Reset is manual, by turning the power supply off and on	Refrigeration diagnosis, then auger, bearing and gear motor inspection
6 beeps	Low supply voltage, at or below 92VAC plus or minus 5%	Supply voltage has fallen below what the control board will run on. Hoshizaki notes the POWER OK LED turns off when the voltage protection operates	This is a building electrical problem rather than an icemaker fault. Check whether other equipment on the same circuit is affected	Measure supply voltage under load. The control voltage safeties reset automatically once voltage is corrected
7 beeps	High supply voltage, at or above 147VAC plus or minus 5%	Supply voltage above the board's tolerance, usually a wiring or utility problem rather than anything inside the machine	Report it as an electrical problem. The machine is protecting itself and resets when voltage returns to range	Measure supply voltage and investigate the branch circuit before replacing any icemaker component
8 beeps	Gear motor alarm: the compressor control relay contacts failed to close	The gear motor did not start, or the compressor control relay did not pull in. Blown gear motor fuse, open internal protector, failed capacitor, a worn spline coupling, or a failed relay	Stop the machine and record the alarm. Reset is manual, by cycling the power supply	Gear motor fuse, internal protector, windings and capacitor, the coupling between auger and gear motor, and the compressor control relay
9 beeps	Bin control fault: the mechanical backup had to stop the machine	On machines using an infrared bin sensor with a mechanical backup, the infrared sensor failed to shut the machine down and the paddle did it instead. A dirty sensor lens is the common cause	Wipe the sensor lens with a clean, warm, damp cloth and clear ice away from it. Reset by cycling the power supply	Bin control check: cover the lens and confirm the yellow LED responds. If it does not, replace the infrared sensor

Refrigerant-side work legally requires an EPA Section 608 certified technician, and opening electrical panels is technician work. When in doubt, record the code and the cycle behavior; that detail alone shortens the service call.

If this needs an ice machine technician

16 companies in this directory name Hoshizaki on their own site: that page shows who has been phone-confirmed, who publishes 24/7 cover, and what each puts in writing. Start there if the brand matters more than the city.

Two questions worth reading before you ring anyone: what to do first when a code appears and how to tell whether it is yours to fix.

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Related: the PM checklist that prevents the most common codes outright, and the operator guides for symptom-first diagnosis.

Not sure this is the right make? The lookup by code shows every make that uses a given code, and flags the ones that mean different things depending on the machine in front of you.