Noritz NRCP Code Er38
Circuit board memory error. Noritz calls this abnormal operation — a memory error on the circuit board. The remedy is a single line with a conclusion built in: try the main power switch off and on, and if the same error code returns, the circuit board needs to be replaced.
Also displayed as: 38, E38
Part replacementThe verdict
Replace a part
One free attempt, then the most expensive part in the appliance. Noritz offers no middle diagnosis here, so the power cycle is worth doing properly — off at the breaker, a full minute, back on — before accepting the answer.
Typical cost: $0–$900
US estimate for parts and labor. Prices vary by region and by who does the work — see how we estimate costs.
What the manual says
The meaning above is transcribed from the manufacturer's diagnostic documentation for the NRCP — not averaged across the brand.
Source: Noritz Service Manual — NRCP111-DV / NRCP98-DV (Rev. 09/19) (p. 62), read Sep 2026 — the manufacturer's own documentation for this exact series.
What you can safely check
- Switch off at the breaker, wait a full minute, and switch back on.
- Run a hot tap and see whether Er38 returns.
- If it returns, book a service call — Noritz's own conclusion is that the board needs replacing.
Code Er38 on other Noritz series
The same code number can mean something different on another series — make sure you're reading the page for your exact unit:
Don't confuse this with
One other Noritz NRCP code points at the circuit board too. They are different components in different places, and ordering a part against the wrong one is the most common way this fault gets expensive: