Maytag Cooktop Error Code 3 LEDs flash

The 3 LEDs flash error on a Maytag cooktop indicates a fault in the redundant OFF key input line on the control board. This safety circuit is designed to provide a secondary confirmation that the cooktop is in the OFF state. When the control board detects that this redundant input line is not functioning properly, it locks the electronic control and signals the fault with a single audible beep. The cooktop cannot be operated while this fault is active because the safety monitoring system has been compromised.

The redundant OFF key input is a fail-safe feature built into the control board's circuitry. It runs parallel to the primary OFF signal path and continuously verifies that OFF commands are being received and processed correctly. If the board detects a discrepancy or an open/short condition on this line, it interprets the situation as a potentially unsafe operating state and locks out the controls entirely. This is not a sensor or wiring harness fault that can be isolated externally; the input line is internal to the control board itself.

Because the fault originates within the control board's internal circuitry, the diagnostic path leads directly to control board replacement. There are no external components to test or adjust when this specific fault is present. The electronic lock will persist until the faulty board is replaced with a functioning unit, at which point the redundant OFF key input line will be restored to proper operation.