8 flashesGoodman, Amana · ASX13 · AC

Goodman, Amana ASX13 error code 8 flashes

Welded contactor

Goodman is the platform name, and your unit may not say it

Amana ASX13 / ASZ13 is the same board with a different badge, so this page covers all of them. The fault, the checks and the parts are identical, which is why there is one page rather than one per brand.

Amana ASX13 / ASZ13

Stop using it

Which models this applies to. This page covers the Goodman and Amana ASX13, ASZ13, ASXC16, ASZC16 air conditioner flash codes.

What is specific to the ASX13 platform

Air conditioner platform. These are not furnace codes.

Your control board does not print the code. It blinks an LED, and you count the flashes against a legend printed on the board or inside the access panel. Count a full cycle before you read it, because the pattern pauses and repeats.

Quick answer

On Goodman ASX13 (2000s-2010s), 8 flashes is a fault. It means welded contactor. A first thing to check: Contact failure from age or from contactor pitting.

Applies to: Goodman ASX13; Goodman and Amana ASX13, ASZ13, ASXC16, ASZC16 air conditioner flash codes · Air Conditioner · 2000s-2010s
Type of code: Fault; Urgency: Stop using it
First safe check: Watch the contactor when the thermostat is set to cool and the unit has been off for a while. If the compressor is running, the contacts are welded.

Checked 2026-09-26

What 8 flashes means on this model

The contactor contacts have welded shut. The compressor is being energised whether or not the control wants it running, and the unit cannot start when it is asked to because the contactor never releases. This can put the compressor at risk of short cycling against a control that has no idea it is happening.

Symptoms you will notice

Compressor runs and will not stop
Unit may not start on a call for cooling
Fan runs continuously
Code appears on calls for cooling

Common causes

The code tells you what the control detected, not which part failed. These are the causes we see most often, roughly in order of likelihood:

Contact failure from age or from contactor pitting
Frequent short cycling wearing the contacts
Contactor not rated for the compressor load
Supply voltage problems or a loose lug causing arcing

What you can safely check

These are homeowner-level checks. None of them need you to open a live electrical compartment or work on gas.

Watch the contactor when the thermostat is set to cool and the unit has been off for a while. If the compressor is running, the contacts are welded.
Check the contactor lugs for heat damage.

Do not do these

×Do not cut power to the outdoor unit and back on as a routine fix. The contactor is not going to un-weld.
×Do not continue running the system with a welded contactor, since the compressor can be damaged without any indication.

When to call a technician

Stop using the appliance and call today

This one is a safety limit, not a nuisance. The control is shutting the unit down to prevent damage or a hazard, and it will keep doing that until the underlying cause is fixed. Running it anyway risks the expensive failure it was designed to prevent.

The refrigerant circuit is sealed and legally requires licensed handling. Opening it without certification releases refrigerant and can put the whole system in violation of regulation, so a low-pressure or high-pressure fault on this equipment is a call-out, not a weekend job.
If the appliance has stopped mid-cycle, is making a noise you have not heard before, or smells burnt, stop reading here and call. Those are symptoms of something the fault code does not describe well enough.

A contactor swap is a reasonable homeowner job, provided the power is verified off first.

What it costs to fix

Parts

Contactor $25 to $70. Wiring and lugs $20 to $80.

Labor

One to two hours.

DIY or technician