The pump shouldn't run for recirculation at all if the water in the tub is higher than the very low recirculation level.

Does it run normal recirculation before agitation begins?

Have you tried setting the Traditional Wash option so Eco Active recirculation doesn't occur? Does the pump then still run when agitation begins?

Recirc does not occur before agitation begins. If I turn the unit on and hit start it auto fills such that the water touches the bottom of the low level mark, meaning the mark itself is not underwater. (I just have a few hand towels in for experimentation.) Agitation begins and then the pump starts running a few seconds later (5-10 maybe?)and recirc begins. If I pause the cycle and manually adjust the water level up, and resume the cycle the unit does not increase the water level to the higher setting. The water kicks on for a brief moment but shuts off and recirc begins very quickly thereafter.

I did try the Traditional Wash option just after my original post. The tub filled to just below medium and then began agitating. The pump did not run when agitation began and thus no recirculation. I did not run the Traditional Wash cycle to completion as everything appeared to be working as intended.

Not necessary to have clothes in for testing the levels. Each level fills to slightly below the respective mark on the agitator, those marks are the level of dry fabric suitable for the level, not the level of the water. Run a "normal" cycle with Traditional Wash selected and the lowest load size. Pause the cycle when agitation begins, increase the level, and Start to resume. It should fill to the new level and continue agitation. Check each level in turn to see if any of them fill higher or if none of them do so. There should be no recirculation at any point with Traditional Wash selected ... although my reference for that is model IWL12 which is a Phase 6 unit. IWL16 is a Phase 7 so could possibly act different in that respect, but I don't think it should.

You could also try the Handwash fabric choice (and manual water level selection for testing) which runs a Traditional Wash without needing to specifically select that option.

Sounds as if the pressure sensor on the motor board is bad ... or maybe the pressure tube is leaking air pressure, or the air dome integral to the outer tub where the tube attaches is clogged .... either of which can cause a false reading on the level.

There are some other tests you can do if you want go further into the diagnostics, including getting numbers on what the pressure sensor is reading.

Ran Traditional Wash as instructed. There was no recirculation at any point. However, I could not go through all the water levels as the tub would have over flowed. Specifically, the low level setting filled to medium on the agitator, medium low filled to med high, medium filled to high, med high to tub top so couldn't run high fill.

l did check the air dome integral and it was clear. Also had examined the pressure tube for any obvious damage but didn't see anything, realizing that a cursory visual doesn't guarantee much.

If I start a new Eco cycle and manually set the water level the tub only fills to the low mark on the agitator regardless of the water level manually selected.

Sorry, long reply ...

Check if the machine size is wrong, although it shouldn't be unless someone accidentally accessed that procedure and changed it. F&P machines on other world markets are sold in three capacity sizes. U.S. models are all the largest size but the board must still be set for it.

- With Power off, press and hold Fabric Care, then press Power at the same time. Four beeps and the display shows choices. Power off and try again if necessary. The setting should be at 650mm (L). Press Option to toggle/select the correct choice if necessary, then Power to exit and save, or Power to exit if it doesn't need changing.

Next, check the reading on the pressure sensor with the tub empty.

- With Power off, Press and hold Lifecycle, then press Power at the same time. Two beeps, the display lit but blank (or maybe not blank, doesn't matter). Press/hold Lifecycle again a few seconds for a 2nd beep, release it. Press it once more if the display is blank, or not if it isn't blank. There are several screens of information. Press Option Up or Down until the display says "Not in Sense." The middle parameter on the bottom line should be WL:x where x is 0 or 1 or 2 or some such low number. It's a reference to the tub water level

Power to exit Diagnostics.

Then check the pressure reading again with water in the tub at Low (Traditional Wash to avoid Eco Active). Turn the machine off when agitation begins. Get into Diagnostic as above, check the WL:x reading. My IWL12 reads 67-68 for Low. Medium level in the tub (about an inch below top of the Med agitator mark) reads 125. There may be some minor variation from one machine to another for a given level.

If your Low fills to Medium in the tub but reads a figure for Low then the pressure sensor on the motor board apparently is wonky and the board needs replacement.

If the reading is reasonable for Low but the pump for recirculation (with the diverter valve energized) then something is still apparently wonky with the board.

Capacity is correct. W values are zero when empty, 48-49 at low, 179-180 at medium when fill stopped. The water is still in the tub and the level reading has dropped to 175 over the last 15 minutes. Is there some spec for holding a reading?

Thank you VERY much for your time and assistance!

It shouldn't reasonably change at all. Monitor if it continues to drop. The level reading dropping without an accompanying change in the actual tub level indicates the pressure tube (or the sensor on the board) has a pressure leak. Check if there's an obvious pinhole or crack in the tube (can be difficult to locate). Can also cut a smiden off the ends for a fresh/tighter fit on the tub and board connections if either/both seems insecure. May or may not fix the problem. Else replace the board. There are used boards sometimes on eBay if you're inclined to go that route. Be sure to look up the part number on parts sources / diagrams, it may substitute to an updated number. Either way it must be a legitimate Phase 7 board. Some Phase 7 boards are reflashed to Phase 6 firmware and the part number relabeled.

It held overnight so ruling out any leaks with the tube. Just for fun I put light finger pressure on the tube and watched the reading change. Haven't decided if we're going to replace the board or just call it a day and move on to a new unit. Thank you again for your diligence and expertise!

Leaning toward repair. PartSimple sells a reman board for $146 with 1 yr warranty. The web page indicates they have sold 483 of the board my IWL16 requires. They are part of corecentric solutions. Anyone have experience with their reman appliance parts?

One last question.. I cleared an obstruction from the diverter valve last week but didn't mark the 2 connectors. Does it matter which terminals they connect to or are they interchangeable?

No. Both wires are the same color (orange), yes? The connector(s) would be keyed to fit one way if orientation is of consequence.

You can test the diverter for proper operation via diagnostic mode.

- Access Diagnostics. Bring up the Machine Status screen. The top line references Diverter:Off/Heating/On/Cooling/Off per the status. Press Home to turn on the diverter to get it ready (Heating --> On). Press/hold How Dirty Down to run in some cold water, up to Low level or whatever. (How Dirty Up runs hot water.) When the diverter is ready (On), press Fabric Care to turn on the pump. Water should recirculate. Press Home to turn the diverter off (Cooling --> Off). Water flow should switch away from recirculation toward drain as it cools and shifts position. Press Fabric Care to turn the pump off when all the water is drained. Power to exit.

Yes both wires are orange. I have tested/used the diverter in diagnostic mode during this latest issue and it operates as described so it's good, especially since I removed a partial clog. THANKS!

Follow-up in case this helps someone else. Ordered the board from PartSimple/Corecentric and it arrived yesterday. Installed and tested as done on previous board. Worked as intended so ran a small load. No issues! Hopefully we'll get some good mileage out of the board/washer. Thank you again dadoes!