Water past the limit
F8E3 is one of the codes where the first instruction is to stop, because the washer has filled past where it should and water is the immediate concern.
What overflow means
The Cactus Appliance washer code guide puts it simply: "Overflow: the level rose past the limit." The machine kept letting water in past the point its level sensor should have cut it off.
Stop and shut the valves
The source's response is not a gentle reset: "Close the valves and unplug. Stuck inlet valve or wrong sensor reading; call first." Its FAQ singles F8E3 out alongside the older overflow codes as a case where you "close the supply valves and stop" — unlike a balance or suds code, this one is not a "finish the load" situation.
Non-official repair reference — this page summarizes a technician's guide; it is not a Whirlpool or Maytag service manual, and an overflow is a situation to handle with the supply cut first.
Source and date
Source: Cactus Appliance — Whirlpool and Maytag Washer Error Codes · Checked 2026-11-12.