A dE display means demo mode. The help pages describe holding the Booster key for 5 seconds shortly after power is connected.
Model compatibility: KitchenAid reuses codes across series and model years, so dE may mean something different on another appliance or generation. Confirm this against your model’s documentation and record your full model number before acting.
What this code means
Demo mode is on: the cooktop does not switch heat up and its functions do not come on.
What dE tells you
- It is written “d E” on the manufacturer’s pages and shown while the cooktop is off.
- It means Demo mode is on, not that anything has failed.
- In that mode the cooktop gives no heat and no function starts; in the manufacturer’s phrasing, it does not switch heat up.
What KitchenAid prints
The electric and the induction help page each give a method, worded a little differently:
At a glance
| Code | dE |
|---|---|
| What it means | Demo mode is on: the cooktop does not switch heat up and its functions do not come on. |
| What you can check | Connect the cooktop to power, then within one minute hold the Booster key at the bottom left of the keypad for five seconds. Check the use and care guide if the result is unclear. |
| When to call a technician | If dE persists after the booster-key step and the cooktop still will not heat, request service. Give the model and say that the cooktop shows dE. |
- Connect the cooktop to mains power.
- Within one minute of that, hold the quick heating key that carries the “Booster” label (bottom left keypad) for five seconds.
The one-minute window
Pressing must happen within a minute of power being connected. The text gives no other way to change the mode, and the cooktop does not heat in the meantime.
Where the pages disagree
An illustration of the key is on the pages, but it does not come through as text. Per the induction page, this press switches Demo Mode on or off; per the electric page, it switches the acoustic signal. They conflict, so the result of the press is uncertain and the use-and-care guide is the place to check.
Other messages you may see
Cooktop repair in Miami, New York, Houston, Los Angeles and San Diego
Call (844) 919-2035 if dE persists after the booster-key step. Our coverage is the Miami, New York, Houston, Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas. Report the model and that the cooktop shows dE and will not heat. See also cooktop repair.
Source: KitchenAid Product Help, Induction Cooktops Error Code or Indicator Light; Electric Cooktop
Important safety warning. Do not attempt repairs involving electrical components, gas, water lines, refrigerant or sealed systems. Unplug the appliance if it is safe to reach the outlet, and leave internal diagnostics to a qualified technician.
Sources & references
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