Thermador Cooktop F3 on Older CIT365GB-Series Induction Units: Cooking Sensor Too Hot (Legacy Meaning)

What F3 means

F3 on the older Masterpiece generation means the cooking sensor is too hot. Models named in the manual are CIT304GB, CIT304GM, CIT365GB, CIT365GM and CIS365GB, and newer Thermador induction cooktops do not use this table. You see F3 while the sensor probe sits in a very hot pan or on a hot surface, and the cooktop stops using it until it has cooled.

Usual causes of F3

Sensor probe left in a very hot pan or on a hot zone
Sensor still carrying heat from earlier cooking
Sensor temperature reading stuck high after it cooled

✓ A safe check worth trying

1. Remove the pan from the element. 2. Take out the cooking sensor and set it on a heat-safe surface. 3. Press the cooking sensor key, then press any symbol. 4. F3 disappears when the sensor has cooled. If it stays after a long wait, stop using the sensor.

! Why you should stop here

The sensor and its socket sit close to live power electronics.
A sensor reading stuck high needs testing against a known value.
We quote in writing before any older-unit repair.

Taking off a panel yourself does not by default void a manufacturer warranty, yet it can lead to accidental damage, and some manufacturers attach their own service terms. Read your warranty paperwork, or ask us, before you decide.

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More Cooktop codes

F9Thermador Induction Cooktop F9 Error Code (Flex Zone) U400Older Thermador Cooktop U400 on CIT365DS and CIT304E Induction Models: Cooktop Connected Incorrectly U400Thermador Cooktop U400 Voltage Error Code E7015Thermador Cooktop E7015 on Current Masterpiece and Freedom Induction Models: Electronics Overheated E8207Thermador Cooktop E8207, Current Masterpiece and Freedom Induction: Zone Shut Off, Electronics Hot E8208Thermador Cooktop E8208 on Current Induction Models (Masterpiece/Freedom): Overheated Electronics F0Legacy Thermador Cooktop F0 on Older CIT365GB-Series Induction Units: Cooking Sensor Defective (Older Meaning) F2Older Thermador Cooktop F2 on CIT365GB-Series Induction Units: Element Too Hot (Not the Current Meaning)

F3F3 questions

What exactly is the cooking sensor?

It is the probe this older generation uses for temperature-controlled cooking. F3 tells you the sensor itself is too hot, so remove the pan and give the sensor time to cool.

Is F3 the same on new Thermador cooktops?

No. This code belongs to the older CIT365GB-era table. Newer Thermador induction cooktops use different messages for different problems, so compare by model number.

F3 appeared after a long simmer. Is that normal?

It can be. Long cooking at high heat can warm the sensor past its limit. Let it cool and try again; if F3 appears with a cold sensor, book service.