Goodman Furnace: Check the hot surface igniter

Check the hot surface igniter on a Goodman furnace: When one of these Goodman/Amana single-stage units throws 8 or 11 flashes, locks out or just won't light, the hot surface igniter is usually the first thing I put a meter on. They crack and go weak with age and they are cheap to check. Do it cold and with the power off.

Homeowner with a furnace problem? Call (647) 657-2977 or book a service call — licensed technicians across Vaughan and the GTA.

Applies to: GMES9, GCES9, AMES9, ACES9, VMES9, VCES9 (single stage, 92% and 96%)

Common causes of check the hot surface igniter

• Cracked or weak igniter
• Open or shorted igniter

How to fix check the hot surface igniter: step by step

1. Disconnect power and unplug the igniter from the control.
2. Measure resistance with the igniter cold, about 70 to 77 F. Normal reading is 37 to 68 ohms.
3. A reading way outside that range, or open, means the igniter is done.
4. Replace it with the correct part if it is out of range.
5. Handle the new one by the base, since skin oil and knocks shorten its life.

If the unit shows an error code, look it up: Goodman Furnace codes

Models

ACES96ACES960403BNAAACES960603BNAAACES960804CNAAACES961005CNAAACES961205DNAAAMES92AMES96AMES920403ANAAAMES920603BNAAAMES920803BNAAAMES920804CNAAAMES920805CNAAAMES921004CNAAAMES921005CNAAAMES921205DNAAAMES960403ANAAAMES960603BNAAAMES960803BNAAAMES960804CNAAAMES960805CNAAAMES961005CNAAAMES961205DNAAGCES96GCES960403BNAAGCES960603BNAAGCES960804CNAAGCES961005CNAAGCES961205DNAAGMES92GMES96GMES920403ANAAGMES920603BNAAGMES920803BNAAGMES920804CNAAGMES920805CNAAGMES921004CNAAGMES921005CNAAGMES921205DNAAGMES960403ANAAGMES960603BNAAGMES960803BNAAGMES960804CNAAGMES960805CNAAGMES961005CNAAGMES961205DNAAVCES96VCES960403BNAAVCES960603BNAAVCES960804CNAAVCES961005CNAAVMES96VMES960403ANAAVMES960603BNAAVMES960803BNAAVMES960804CNAAVMES961005CNAA