This post sharing what to do if you get an Instant Pot C6 error is based on my experience because I had no idea what to do. Let me know your thoughts on it, and click on the affiliate links I share which gives me a commission from any purchase.
I love my Instant Pot. I use it all the time, from pulled pork to Spanish rice to chicken curry and more, this pressure cooker is a lifesaver.
You can imagine my horror when I turned it on to make chicken stock only to hear a nasty beep beep beep and see flashing lights. The screen simply showed C6.
I tried pressing buttons. I tried unplugging it and turning it on after letting it sit for a couple minutes. Really I tried everything, but my Instant Pot was clearly broken.
I searched my product manual, but it doesn’t define the C6 Instant Pot error. I had no idea what to do, and I don’t want you in that spot.
What is the Instant Pot C6 error?
This means you have a faulty pressure sensor. Your Instant Pot can’t recover. This is a an error you can’t fix, but stop your tears.
You may be ok. First, don’t throw away your Instant Pot. Yet. This is a manufacturer’s defect, not something you did.
What do I do now?
Instant Pot has a support center. Submit an Instant Pot support ticket with details about your C6 error message.
You will need:
- The product model number from the silver label
- A photo of your receipt (bonus if you buy from Amazon – you can look up your receipts under your account!)
- A photo of the label from the back of your Instant Pot
Fill out the form completely. I received a response the next day!
Once you get the response, be prepared with two more photos. You can’t share them in your initial submission, but know you will need to take a photo of the serial number – a white sticker on the bottom of your pressure cooker – and the silver sticker on the back of your Instant Pot, peeled off and cut in half.
The next day, I received confirmation that a new Instant Pot was on its way to me, including the tracking number. They shipped it FedEx (from Canada), and I received it less than a week later.
From start to finish, I had a new Instant Pot in under two weeks!
What will I get?
This depends on what version of the Instant Pot you currently own. The standard is to replace the cooker base, so make sure you hold onto your top, insert, and other accessories. That said, there are exceptions.
I had a V2, but the current Instant Pot is a V3. You can check your model on the silver sticker on the back.
Because Instant Pot no longer makes the V2, they sent me a full new Instant Pot, just like I had purchased a new one because the cooker base changed and wouldn’t fit my other components.
What if I don’t have my receipt?
This is where you may be stuck. Instant Pot confirmed when I asked that they generally need a receipt for warranty claims.
If you received it as a gift, make sure you get or have a gift receipt. This is a good reminder to never throw away receipts for electronics, or – better yet – make sure you have a good way to save them.
When I purchase on Amazon, I can go back to find my receipt from pretty much any purchase I’ve ever made. For other stores, I use a receipt scanner so I can easily find them if needed.
That said, if you don’t have a receipt, you may be in the market for a new Instant Pot unfortunately.
What if this happens again?
Ideally, it won’t, but the world never works on ideals, does it?
First, make sure you take proper care of your Instant Pot to minimize the likelihood that anything happens to it. If you’re like me and use it near daily, accept that you’re more likely to wear out components than those who use it rarely.
Good news? If it does happen again, just reopen your existing ticket that has all your information saved. Instant Pot is here for you.
If you found this article because you have an Instant Pot C6 error, I’m so sorry. I hope this information helps you, as I couldn’t find any information and was lucky to stumble my way to a successful resolution.
Once you get your Instant Pot back up and running, come on back to check out some of my favorite Instant Pot recipes:
- Corn chowder
- Spanish rice (one of my most popular recipes!)
- Creamy chickpea tomato soup (with adaptation to make on stovetop)
- Easy peasy tomato soup
- Homemade chicken stock
- Updated (healthier) honey bourbon chicken
- Chicken curry
- Pulled pork
- Broccoli cheddar soup
- Chicken Tikka Masala
- Lentil Soup
Did you have a successful resolution to your Instant Pot C6 error?
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Thanks for your detailed post! Did they require you to send your IP back? If so, who flipped the bill? Just got the dreaded error as well.
I did not have to send my IP back. I provided the info the requested – including the stickers removed and cut in half that I assume ensures I can’t return/sell/do this again, and that was all they needed me to send them. Here’s hoping you get a new one quickly.
Thank you for your work! I submitted my claim, along with receipt and serial #. They did not ask for a picture of the sticker removed, or cut in half. Just processed my claim, sent me a Lux-60 v3 to replace the v2.
Fantastic! I’m so glad you were able to get yours repaired and replaced. They may have updated the procedure since I had to get mine replaced – great that it’s even easier!
This was so helpful to find when I received the C6L error on my Instant Pot! I just completed a ticket so I hope they will respond soon. I’m so glad you posted this!
I’m glad I can help someone else. I was so devastated when I got that error and panicked when I couldn’t find a solid do X then Y then Z. Fingers crossed for you!
I got the dreaded C6 error when my husband accidentally started cooking without the inner pot. I was devastated because it had been a gift so I had no receipt. My MIL looked and didn’t save the receipt. After a few weeks I decided to try and open a ticket without it. I plugged it in to make sure I put the correct error code on the ticket and my instapot WORKED!!!! It has worked great for the past month!!!
Oh no! I can’t even imagine how that would feel. I’m so glad to hear that your IP is working again. Yay to magic fixes and implements that fix themselves!
Thank you so much for all the info. I was so upset put chicken and all other ingredients in pot and everything started blinking with the C6 code. I am what you call a Instant pot finnatic. I use it daily sometimes numerous times. I try to make mostly everything in it. I do have a Power Pressure XL but this does not compare to an Instant Pot. It is old and my first cooker. It happened yesterday and I am already missing it so much. After finding that other people went through this it helps. I hope to hear something soon. I have opened a ticket with instant pot and sent all necessary information to them. Thanks again. Wish me luck mine is 1 year and 8 months old.
Oh fingers crossed that it works out smoothly for you. It was such a frustration for me when I was all ready to cook and then… not. I hope this helps!
Get a Square Trade warranty!!!!! Our Instant Pot DUO80 showed the C6H error after 17 months. After that terrible feeling of having to spend more money to replace one more thing, my husband remembered that he had bought a Square Trade warranty with it, which only cost about $10 for 4 years!! After dealing with them online, we have an Amazon gift card on the way (or we could have chosen a check) which will more than cover a new Instant Pot type appliance! I don’t understand why this seems to be a rather common complaint with Instant Pot, and they apparently do not sell repair parts. Which is crazy since it looks like an Instant is put together in such a way that it would be relatively easy to repair. I guess this generation has been dumbed down so much, and become litigation crazy that IP is afraid to offer repair parts.
Yeah, I can’t see the counsel at Instant Pot signing off on letting people repair their own pressure cookers! I’m glad to hear that your Square Trade worked out for you. I know I’ve heard mixed reviews from people over time with them.
Here’s hoping, I get c 1 error often. I came across your blog and referenced it to IP, telling them how wonderful their great customer service and product support is. Said I was very hopeful I would have the same outcome as I’m seeing on your blog and comments from others with c 6 errors. I can barely use mine without the lights flashing. I thought my eggs were boiled, I had to take them out of IP and put them on the stove and had no idea how far along they were when unplugging my pot. So I cracked one a bit, thinking it was finished cooking, and what a surprise, it was raw! So I made tapioca, managed to get the IP to function after another c 1 lights flashing episode. The pot really isn’t much use. It’s the weekend, so hope to hear more on my ticket Monday. We’ll see! Thanks for listening.
Yikes – I’m glad that this post has helped you find a way to contact them and what you mean. That would drive me nuts to not be able to use mine!
Hi Michelle,
Such good news! Just heard from IP they are shipping a new base. V3, should fit V2. After reading your post, I re emailed IP and sent the picture they requested. Prior to reading your post, I had been bummed that my warranty period was up by two months and that I was responsible for shipping to Canada as well. I told them I’d lost the sales receipt, but would a copy of my canceled check work? I’d have to pay $5 to the bank to get it, but after reading your blog, it would be worth it if they’d ship what I needed. You gave me knowledge and faith to re email them. Apparently they took my word for the check/receipt part and are shipping a new base! Wow! Guessing they knew also that I’d registered it right after purchase. I told them I’d post on your blog about their great company. Very impressed with them. Thank you so much! This is a C 1 error, not a C 6, just in case someone else out there is looking.
That’s fantastic! I’m so glad to hear that this is working out for you. I know how frustrating it is when you have a problem with your Instant Pot!
I had a C6H error code on my IP DUO-60 V3, which is a faulty high pressure sensor. I removed the pressure sensor and inspected it. The problem was one of the contact points was pitted, causing the unit to fail. Pitting is a deterioration process that happens to contactors when they’ve been exposed over a period of time to excessive voltage and heat. The pitting eventually creates a surface where adequate contact and transfer of electricity is unobtainable, rendering them ineffective and in need of replacement. I ordered a new part on eBay for about $15.00. Problem solved.
If you can figure out how to fix that on your own, that’s fantastic! I don’t know that I’d trust myself – or my pressure cooker – after trying to do that, but kudos to you! That’s great 🙂
That’s interesting. I’ve had my V3 for two years and two days in a row I used the saute feature to boil some noodles. Both days I kept smelling like something was too hot in the pot (haha, a rhyme). Then the third day, it is reading C6. So I submitted a claim today. I have five IP’s and they don’t hold up as well as I’d like although my huge one has been used daily for years and is still fine.
Needless to say no more using it for boiling noodles.
Yikes! I know the manual says no noodle boiling, so maybe they mean it! I’ve – thankfully – only had this issue once and I use it regularly. Here’s hoping your claim goes through and it holds up for you going forward!
Came home from church last Sunday to find the C6 code. I had it on slow cooker mode for a chicken stew. The food seemed cooked through, but I gave it more heat on the stove top to be sure. Found your website first thing, followed your directions, and although the unit is 3 years old, they are replacing it. I am delighted! Thank you so much for helping all of us!
Good! I’m so glad you’re able to get the replacement for this. So glad this was helpful for you!
I came home from church last Sunday and found the dreaded C6 code. I had been using it on slow cooker setting for a stew. It seemed to be done, but I added heat stove top to be sure. Found your website first thing and followed your instructions. I will be receiving a new InstantPot, even though mine is three years old! I am delighted. Thank you so much for helping all of us.
Oh I’m so glad I was able to help and you have a new one coming. That had to be such a nightmare when you came home.