GE Refrigerator Error Code F515

The F515 error code on a GE refrigerator indicates that the relay driver circuit on the door board has developed an internal short. The door board, sometimes called the dispenser board or fresh food door board, controls various functions routed through relay outputs, including dispenser components, door-mounted controls, and lighting circuits. When the relay driver transistor or associated circuitry shorts internally, the control system detects an out-of-range condition and logs the F515 fault to alert the technician that the door board can no longer reliably manage those relay-controlled outputs.

A relay driver short typically occurs within the door board's integrated circuitry rather than in external wiring or loads. The driver circuit is responsible for switching relay coils on and off in response to commands from the main control board. When this driver shorts, it can cause the relay to remain energized, fail to energize, or draw excessive current, all of which the system interprets as a fault condition. Unlike faults that can sometimes be traced to wiring harnesses or external components, a shorted relay driver is almost always an internal board failure.

Because the fault originates inside the door board itself, the primary and recommended diagnostic action is direct replacement of the door board. Before replacement, a technician should inspect the wiring harness connectors at the door board for signs of corrosion, heat damage, or pinched wires that may have contributed to the failure. However, if the connectors and wiring are intact, board replacement is the definitive corrective action for this fault.