Rheem R802VA07542117MSA Error Code A014_F: Flame Present with Gas Valve Off
What Does Code A014_F Mean?
Rheem's Bluetooth Communicating IFC continuously cross-checks two things it controls independently: whether it has commanded the gas valve open, and whether the flame sensor rod is detecting a flame. During normal operation those two signals always agree. Code A014_F is the alarm logged when they disagree in the most dangerous direction on your two-stage, variable-speed R802VA07542117MSA — the control has de-energized (or never energized) the gas valve, yet the flame-sensing circuit is still reporting a live flame.
The most common real-world cause is a gas valve that has stuck in the open position, letting gas keep flowing and burning after the control ordered it shut. A faulty flame-sensing circuit is the other main possibility: a shorted or leaky sensor circuit can report a phantom flame that isn't actually there. From the homeowner's side there is no safe way to tell those apart, which is why the manufacturer marks this fault as non-DIY — one scenario means real uncommanded combustion and the other means the furnace can no longer trust its own flame proof.
On this control, A014_F is the troubleshooting/alarm-level notice of the undesired-flame condition. It is closely tied to code A116_F, which is the one-hour safety lockout the board imposes for the same 'flame present with gas valve off' situation, and to code A127_F, which is the UL-compliance-flagged form of that identical condition. It is the opposite of code A126_F, where the gas valve is confirmed open but no flame is sensed. A board-level root cause is also possible: codes A225_F (gas valve 1 relay welded shut) and A093_F (internal fault, possibly a welded gas-valve relay) describe a control board that can no longer physically de-energize the valve, which can present as this undesired-flame reading.
Because any version of this fault involves the gas valve and flame circuit, the safe homeowner action is the same regardless of cause: switch the furnace off, close the manual gas shutoff valve at the furnace, and have a technician diagnose it before the unit is operated again.
What You'll Notice
- The alphanumeric LED blinks out the A014_F fault code digit by digit, with a roughly 3-second pause between digits
- The furnace shuts down and will not run a normal heat cycle from the thermostat
- Burner flames may appear to stay lit, or relight, after the furnace should have shut the gas off
- There may be a smell of gas near the furnace, or a burner that keeps burning when no heat was called
- The inducer or blower may keep running as the control tries to clear heat from a flame it did not command
Common Causes
How This Is Diagnosed
A technician first determines which side of the mismatch is real by observing the burners while the control commands the gas valve closed: a visible flame with the valve de-energized points to a stuck-open or leaking gas valve, while no visible flame with the board still reporting one points to a faulty flame-sensing circuit or a shorted sensor lead. They verify the actual electrical state of the gas valve terminals against what the IFC has commanded, since Rheem's board monitors valve voltage directly on this design.
If the valve itself checks out mechanically, the technician looks upstream at the control-board relays that switch it. A welded gas-valve relay — the condition behind codes A225_F and A093_F — leaves the valve energized even when the processor commands it off, producing a genuine uncommanded flame. That board-level path is why an A014_F that clears and returns is treated as a control and gas-train inspection rather than a simple sensor issue.
When to Call a Professional
This code involves components that are not homeowner-serviceable, so have a licensed HVAC technician diagnose and repair it. Keep in mind:
- The code appears at all, since this is a gas-valve and flame-circuit fault that is unsafe to diagnose without proper tools
- Burner flames remain lit or relight after the thermostat is satisfied or the furnace is switched off
- There is any smell of gas near the furnace, even faint
- The code clears after a power cycle but returns on a later cycle
- The furnace recently had its control board replaced and the fault appeared afterward
Frequently Asked Questions
Is A014_F dangerous enough to shut the furnace off right now?
Yes. Because it can mean gas is burning when the valve was commanded closed, the safe response is to switch the furnace off, close the manual gas shutoff valve at the unit, and have a technician inspect it before running it again. If you smell gas, leave the home and call your gas company first.
Could this just be a bad sensor rather than a real gas problem?
A faulty flame-sensing circuit reporting a phantom flame is one of the two main causes, but from the outside you cannot reliably tell that apart from a stuck-open gas valve, which is a genuine hazard. Both are handled by a technician, so the safe action is the same either way.
How is A014_F different from A116_F and A127_F?
They describe the same undesired-flame situation at different levels: A014_F is the alarm notice, A116_F is the one-hour lockout the control imposes for that condition, and A127_F is the UL-compliance-flagged form of the same 'flame present with gas valve off' fault.
Can a control board problem cause A014_F?
Yes. A welded gas-valve relay on the board — the condition behind codes A225_F and A093_F — can leave the valve energized even when the control tries to shut it, which shows up as flame present with the valve supposedly off. That is why a recurring A014_F warrants a control and gas-train inspection.
✓ Verified against manufacturer service manual — March 2026