GE Window Air Conditioner Troubleshooting [Step By Step Guide]

You will find the instructions and guidelines to fix GE window air conditioner troubleshooting problems here. The first step is to know the exact problem. Then you have to find the cause of the problem and only then you can repair it.

GE’s window air conditioners are the most popular option for homeowners looking to cool their entire home. The best brands are designed for cooling large and extra-large rooms, making them a smart idea for renters and homeowners alike.

ACs come with a ton of little components, each of which can cause issues that impact your unit’s overall performance.

Dirty filters can decrease airflow, which makes cooling more difficult and increases energy consumption. Power issues, such as blown fuses or tripped breakers, can result in the same problems. Incorrect thermostat settings can lead to higher energy bills and slower cooling.

Thankfully, most of these issues can be resolved with a little maintenance.

Below we look at various tips and tricks to help you repair your GE Window Air Conditioner Troubleshooting. This article will also show you how to resolve common error codes associated with your AC unit as well as help you get your brand new air conditioner installed correctly the first time.

GE Window Air Conditioner Troubleshooting – Complete Step by Step Guide

Be sure to read through the instruction manual before attempting to fix any household appliance; this will prevent you from doing more harm than good.

A window Air conditioner is a common cooling device in many homes. They are very convenient as they can be installed even when the weather outside is cold. However, their operations need proper maintenance and care to ensure their efficiency and longevity. As soon as you hear them making unusual noises, you should check for any faults and fix them to ensure that all safety measures are met.

GE Air Conditioner Not Cooling Efficiently

GE Air Conditioners are designed to cool your home year-round & keep you comfortable. However, we understand that sometimes, the temperature inside your home can get a bit too hot for comfort. If you’re experiencing one of these issues with your GE air conditioner, or if it’s just not working as well as it used to, here are some things to check.

We’ve put together some easy tips to help you keep your unit running like new throughout the summer. Don’t forget to check out our owner’s manual for specific cleaning instructions.

The Temperature Control has not been set correctly.

Open the front panel. Make sure the Sleep mode is off, the air conditioner is in Cool mode, and that the Temperature Control is set to between 58 and 68 degrees. To change the Temp Control setting, press the “Decrease” button until you reach your desired temperature setting. To save settings, press the”crowded Light” button.

Blocked Airflow

Air conditioners can’t operate efficiently unless the air from outside is getting in and circulating freely — obstructions like tight window frames, furniture, and drapes can keep air from circulating to cool an entire room. For the best performance, GE recommends that you keep at least 3 inches of space between your unit and any other object.

Dirty Air Filter

This is the most common reason for reduced efficiency — make sure that there’s no buildup of dirt and grime on your filters before you call for assistance.

Dirty filters cause inefficiency and damage your AC unit — it can also cause excess moisture to collect on the evaporator coil, creating a favorable mold environment between the inside and the outside of the coil.

GE recommends cleaning your air filters every 30 days, at least.

Wait For Some Time

Cooling down a hot room takes some time, which is why we recommend waiting 15 minutes before you judge the product based on appearance.

GE air conditioners are engineered to cool rooms fast, but sometimes it may take longer to cool down a room that was extra hot. Your AC unit may need a little more time to make sure your home is comfortable.

Cold Air is Leaking

GE air conditioners are designed to distribute cool air throughout your home so that you can feel comfortable. To make sure your unit is distributing cold air properly, first use your index finger to quickly feel the air coming out of a register or return. If you can’t feel any cold air, there may be an issue with your settings or ductwork.

Cooling Coils has Frozen

Cover the air conditioner and run it at a high temperature to melt any ice on the coils. Another option is to turn the unit off, wait until it is cool, then use warm water to wash away any dust and dirt build-up on the coils.

GE Window Air Conditioner Not Starting

There are many possible reasons why your GE window air conditioner isn’t starting up when you turn the switch on. Luckily, they’re all fixable and preventable with a bit of troubleshooting.

Check Electrical Connection

First, try plugging the unit back into the outlet and make sure it’s pushed in all the way. If that doesn’t work, check the circuit breaker or GFCI (if there is one).

If the air conditioner’s power switch is in the On position and the unit still will not start, make sure that your electrical circuit is providing power by investigating appliances that are plugged in around your window air conditioner.

Tripped Circuit Breaker

You’re sure your circuit breaker works and the outlet you plugged your window air conditioner into is working. Here’s what you can do:

Turn the control switch to “Off” then back to “On” and try again. If the power cord is plugged in, make sure it’s pushed in all the way.

Power Failure

When the AC is on and there’s a power outage, it will automatically restart after the power comes back. The process takes about 3 minutes, and helps prevent tripping of the compressor overload meaning the unit may not start to cool sufficiently until 3 minutes elapse since it was turned back on. This feature is particularly useful during summer when blackouts are more common than winter.

GE Window Air Conditioner Remote Control Not Working

If your GE unit is unresponsive, there are a few things you should check first. Contact our team if none of these solutions work.
Double-check your remote batteries and make sure they’re inserted correctly. If the problem persists, download the GE Smart Slot app on your iOS or Android mobile device, and reset your device from there.

If you are unable to operate the air conditioner via its remote, this indicates that the batteries may have been installed incorrectly.

In the case of a GE Window Air Conditioner, the batteries should be installed with their (+) and (-) terminals in the reverse directions. Needless to say, you could also have exhausted batteries – which will require a replacement.

GE Window Air Conditioner Freezing Up

Understanding your AC and how it functions is essential to using it correctly, which helps you save money. When your GE window air conditioner is cooling correctly, three lights will come on: the compressor fan light, the high-fan light (or “cooling”), and the temperature light.

If your AC is freezing up, make sure the thermistor is not frozen. Typically it will be right behind the grill of the indoor portion of the heater/AC unit. If you want to test to see if the thermostat is working, put your hand on it while it is running and turn off then on. If it gets cold it is working and vice versa.

GE Window Air Conditioner Leaking Water Inside

If you have a GE window air conditioner leaking water inside, there are a few possible reasons why this is happening.

The air conditioner may have been tilted to one side during installation — placing it at an angle can cause water to drip in the room.

You should also inspect the filter regularly to make sure it doesn’t need to be replaced. A clogged filter can cause water to leak into the room and collect on the floor.

To prevent water from leaking into your room, please tilt your unit to the outside a bit (about ¼”). This way water will drip out of the unit instead of leaking into your room.

If you suspect that the filter is causing the problem please clean it (consult the owner’s manual for specific instructions — it may be too complicated to explain here).

GE Window Air Conditioner Dripping Water Outside

The condensation that forms on the cold coil collects and drips out of the unit. This is normal, expected behavior and does not indicate a problem with your AC, as long as it isn’t dripping excessively.

There are lots of window AC units that have water dripping from the back onto the front side. The front/side of the unit will get wet when you did not dry the water on the back side.

You need to clean it once in a while and there is no solution to fix this problem except drying the water from back side.

GE Air Conditioner Buttons Not Working

If your GE air conditioner’s buttons aren’t working, you’ll have to reset the unit.

Disconnect power to your AC by unplugging it. If you can’t remember where you plugged it in, try the first outlet closest to the floor on any given circuit. Leave it disconnected for two minutes and 30 seconds, then reconnect power. Slowly press and hold each of your unit’s buttons until you hear a click — that’ll kickstart the reset.

Thermostat is OFF

Letting the AC unit run for 2 hours isn’t enough to cool a room or home. You should let it run overnight while you’re in bed, and then check on it in the morning. Depending on how hot your room is, it may take up to 6 hours before the room is cool enough to sleep in.

GE Air Conditioner Turns On And Off Right Away

If GE window air conditioner keeps turning on/off, the filter could be dirty.

Our expert technicians recommend cleaning the filter once a month or as needed using our easy, 20 second clean-and-dry filter program. Dirty filters can also cause your unit to work harder and use more energy—so you can save on cooling costs by keeping it clean.

If you need to replace your filter, make sure it’s the proper size (see specs) and properly installed so air can move freely through the outside unit.

Another likely culprit is a bad compressor. If your unit isn’t cooling well but the fan is working, this is a likely issue. A faulty compressor isn’t an air conditioner’s only problem — it can also cause the temperature to fluctuate, which leads to your unit turning on and off.

GE Window Air Conditioner All Lights Flashing

GE window air conditioners have a diagnostic feature that can help with troubleshooting any issues you may be having. When you first turn it on, you will see “88” in the display. This number tells you that there is no need to worry — that this is a normal feature of this type of unit. All GE window air conditioners display “88” when they are first turned on and then turn off the display.

If there is a power interruption/failure, the GE Window Air Conditioner will restart in the last used mode. However, the time and date that you programmed will not be retained if this happens.

We’ve all seen these before. They’re the units that display 88, meaning that they are overheating, and all the lights are on, showing that there is a problem somewhere in the circuitry. This GE Window Air Conditioner may have a faulty control board or it could be something as simple as a sensor not functioning correctly.

GE Air Conditioner Blinking Red Light

You can use “Reset Filter” to remind you to clean the filter, this is simply a reminder so you won’t forget to clean it. If it does not remind you, you may as well do it at a time when you’re thinking about cleaning it. This is one more reason why a product like this is important in your home.

GE window-mounted air cons with a ‘Reset Filter’ pad (with LED) will turn on once the fan has run for 250 hours. This is simply to remind you to clean the filter. The light may come on even though the filter is not dirty. You can turn the unit off, reset the count-down timer, and then turn it back on to reset the filter reminder light.

GE Window Air Conditioner Cool Light Flashing

If your GE window air conditioner isn’t cooling properly, it’s possible that the evaporator coils may be frosted or frozen. There are two ways to troubleshoot your unit:

First, make sure the thermostat is set to “cool.” If it is set to “off,” the compressor will not run, and there will be no cool air no matter what the temperature.

Frosted evaporator coils and low coil temperature might be a sign that your air conditioner is working too hard and is trying to cool down your home when the outside temperature is too low.

This can cause your electricity bill to go up significantly. So, if you want to cut back on the electricity usage, we suggest you replace your old window air conditioner with a newer model with higher SEER (Seasonal Energy Efficiency Ratio).

GE Air Conditioner Keeps Changing Temperature

If your air conditioner keeps changing temperature, try to check the control panel.

Some GE air conditioners have a feature that allows the user to change the temperature at random. This feature can be activated as a result of faulty wiring, or it can occur due to a malfunction in the control panel.

If you need to replace the control panel, call customer service and ask for a replacement unit. If your air conditioner is still under warranty, they will give you a new one at no cost. A malfunctioning control panel could be responsible for this problem. If you want to fix the problem yourself, we suggest that you check the connection of the keypad. 

GE Air Conditioner Control Panel Not Working

When you press the button, the unit does not respond. The buttons do not respond. If the buttons do not respond, try to reset the unit by removing the power cord from a power outlet from both ends for one minute, then plug it back in again.

GE Air Conditioner Error Codes

When it comes to repairing your AC, there’s nothing more helpful than a good list of error codes. This way, you can be sure that you’re covering all possible issues – and saving time.

GE Air Conditioner Error Code E1

The GE air conditioner error code E1 indicates that there is a malfunction with the electronic control board. A reset may initially solve the issue, but if it continues, try replacing the electronic control board with this.

GE Window Air Conditioner Error Code E4

You might want to check the water collection bucket. Most window air conditioners utilize a float switch to tell if the bucket is full. If this switch is faulty, it could be sending a signal to the unit telling it that the bucket is full when it is not. You can test this by taking the bucket out and seeing if you get anywhere near the same error message when you plug in your air conditioner.

GE Window Air Conditioner Error Code 8

On some GE units, about 90% of E8 errors indicate overloading or power supply issues. The error code is most commonly associated with indoor fan motors or defective slide out / whole house fan motors. Remedy the issue by removing excess debris and cleaning the window air conditioner. Contact an authorized repair service if the problem persists.

How To Reset GE Window Air Conditioner

Resetting your GE air conditioner is simple. First, you’ll want to turn the air conditioner off, and then let it cool for two to three minutes. Next, you can disconnect the power cord from the wall. After that, wait another two minutes, reconnect the power cord, and turn the air conditioner on again.

If your air conditioner isn’t cooling your home, it’s likely that you need to reset its thermostat. If your GE window unit features a reset button, you can solve overheating issues very simply by pressing it.

Pushing the reset button on your air conditioner is usually the simplest way to resolve an issue, and it’s a useful and quick troubleshooting method in case your GE model doesn’t have a reset function.

Why Is My GE Air Conditioner Beeping

You may be experiencing an issue with your unit, but first you need to determine if the beeping noise is being triggered by a button press on the remote or the unit itself. If a remote button is pressed, there will only be one beep. If the remote is not involved, there will be two short beeps.

The most common reason is when the power cord is connected, but the main control unit has been deactivated. This occurs because on some models, the A button is used to turn on and off the main control unit. Pressing this button also acts as a shortcut for turning your GE air conditioner on and off via remote control if you’ve set up a wireless connection.

How To Reset GE Air Conditioner WiFi

You’ll want to reset your GE air conditioner Wifi if the AC cannot connect to WiFi. There are a few options for resetting the AC so you can get back up and running. To reset your GE air conditioner, start by removing its power cord from the outlet and plugging it back in. Next, press the power button to turn off the AC.

However, resetting network settings for your entire home AC and reconnecting with your Wi-Fi is an easy fix!

Final Thoughts

When the heat is stifling, you need a cool and collected way to stay comfortable inside your home. With GE Window Air Conditioner Troubleshooting procedures, you’ll be able to easily troubleshoot your window AC when it develops problems.

If you are unable to fix the problem on your own, call 1800-432-2737 for help from GE customer service. You may also contact them by filling out their online form.