What does F01 error code on Hotpoint washing machine mean?
Hotpoint error F01 means “motor triac short.” The triac is an electronic component on the PCB that controls power to the motor. The technical manual advises checking motor and module connections alongside the triac itself – which means a faulty connection rather than a shorted triac is always worth ruling out first. Check all motor wiring connections before concluding the PCB needs replacing.
What Error F01 Means
F01 is described as “motor triac short – check motor and module connections.” The triac is an electronic switching component on the PCB (or occasionally a separate motor control board) that switches power to the motor on and off rapidly to control its speed. If the triac shorts, it loses the ability to control the motor correctly.
What Is a Triac?
A triac is a semiconductor component that handles relatively high currents. In washing machine motor control circuits, it acts as the main power switch for the motor, switching very rapidly under the direction of the PCB’s control logic. A shorted triac typically means it has failed in a conducting state – unable to switch off – which prevents normal motor control. For more detail on the component, see the Wikipedia article on triacs.
The fact that the error description instructs checking connections as well as the triac itself is significant. A poor, corroded, or intermittent connection in the motor wiring can cause the PCB to log a triac fault even if the triac itself is functional. At least one reported case confirmed that F01 was caused by poor connections in the motor plug rather than a failed triac. Connections should always be checked before concluding the PCB has failed.
What to Check
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Check all motor wiring connections.
Inspect the connector plug on the motor for loose, corroded, or burned terminals. Disconnect and reconnect the plug to ensure a clean contact. Trace the wires back from the motor to the PCB and check the PCB-end connector for the same issues. A poor connection here can trigger F01 without any PCB fault being present.
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Test the motor for continuity.
With the machine unplugged and the motor connector disconnected, test the motor windings for continuity with a multimeter. An open circuit winding indicates a failed motor rather than a PCB fault. See our guide on washing machine drum not turning for further motor fault diagnosis.
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If connections and motor check out – the PCB is likely the cause.
A triac that has genuinely shorted is on the PCB. This is not a component that can be diagnosed visually – it requires either electronic testing or replacement. Replacing the PCB on the basis of F01 alone, without first eliminating connections and the motor, is an expensive gamble. The PCB can be tested or repaired by a specialist electronics repair company if the board itself is suspected rather than the connections.
Error codes report the system the PCB believes has failed – not necessarily the actual component at fault. See our guide on appliance error codes – friend or foe? for more on why error codes should be treated as a starting point for diagnosis rather than a definitive fault identification.
Need an Engineer?
PCB and triac faults require electronic knowledge to diagnose and repair correctly – this is beyond typical DIY repair scope.
Related Guides
Washing Machine Drum Not TurningMotor, belt, and PCB faults that stop the drum rotating – including how to test motor continuity.
Appliance Error Codes: Friend or Foe?Why error codes identify symptoms rather than definitive causes – and how to use them effectively.
Hotpoint Aqualtis Error Code F02Motor fault error code on Hotpoint Aqualtis washing machines – causes and diagnosis.
Error F08 / 8 Flashing LightsHeater relay fault on Hotpoint and Indesit machines – another PCB-based error code requiring careful diagnosis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Hotpoint error F01 mean?
F01 means “motor triac short.” The triac is an electronic component on the PCB that controls power to the motor. The error indicates the PCB is logging a problem with this component or its associated circuit. However, the technical manual also instructs checking connections, which means a wiring or connector fault can produce F01 without the triac itself having failed.
Should I replace the PCB for error F01?
Not without checking connections and the motor first. At least one confirmed case of F01 was caused by poor connections in the motor plug rather than a PCB fault. Replacing the PCB without eliminating connection and motor faults is an expensive gamble that may not resolve the issue. Check connections and motor continuity first, then consider PCB testing or replacement only if those checks find nothing.
Can an appliance engineer fix error F01?
Yes, but it requires electronic knowledge to diagnose correctly. Most appliance engineers are trained to replace PCBs rather than repair them, and testing the triac specifically requires electronic test equipment. A specialist PCB repair company can test and repair the board if the PCB itself is confirmed as the fault. An engineer visit is the recommended route for this fault to avoid speculative parts replacement.
16 Comments
Grouped into 13 comment threads.
1 reply For My aqaltis washer dryer f01 error code was broken heater
1 reply Another visit with the dreaded F01 error code 18 months later and guess what, another broken cable on the motor connector plug. Is this a common problem? Does the vibration gradually make the cables snap? Reconnected and all fine again. For another 18 months?
Another visit with the dreaded F01 error code 18 months later and guess what, another broken cable on the motor connector plug. Is this a common problem? Does the vibration gradually make the cables snap? Reconnected and all fine again. For another 18 months?
1 reply Hi there! This morning an F-01 error code appeared on our Hotpoint WMF740 Aquarius + at some point during a 40 degree wash cycle...at this point the door was openable and I simply (as I thought/hoped at the time!), re-set the machine to run another cycle as the washing inside was clearly very wet and I had no idea how far the machine had got through the cycle. The same error code has now appeared, again I am not aware at what point this was triggered as the whole thing seemed to be running fine although, the washing in the machine is noticeably wetter than it was the first time round so, presumably, the problem arose earlier in the cycle. I note the discussion on triacs above, but was wondering, rather hopefully perhaps, whether there is anything that I could do to try to get through this function failure please as I have masses of washing to do. We inherited the machine with the house, so I am unsure of its age although I don’t think it had been used a great deal....reluctant to call an engineer at this point and very reluctant to consider a replacement as, aside from the obvious cost issue, the sink unit would also have to be removed to install a new machine into the space available. Any suggestions, gratefully received. Many thanks Jenny
Hi there!
This morning an F-01 error code appeared on our Hotpoint WMF740 Aquarius + at some point during a 40 degree wash cycle…at this point the door was openable and I simply (as I thought/hoped at the time!), re-set the machine to run another cycle as the washing inside was clearly very wet and I had no idea how far the machine had got through the cycle.
The same error code has now appeared, again I am not aware at what point this was triggered as the whole thing seemed to be running fine although, the washing in the machine is noticeably wetter than it was the first time round so, presumably, the problem arose earlier in the cycle.
I note the discussion on triacs above, but was wondering, rather hopefully perhaps, whether there is anything that I could do to try to get through this function failure please as I have masses of washing to do.
We inherited the machine with the house, so I am unsure of its age although I don’t think it had been used a great deal….reluctant to call an engineer at this point and very reluctant to consider a replacement as, aside from the obvious cost issue, the sink unit would also have to be removed to install a new machine into the space available.
Any suggestions, gratefully received.
Many thanks
Jenny
0 replies We had the f01 problem, seemed to only pop on washes, but could do the rinse/spin programme, so when its "washing" it was and issue, but did the reccomended unplug minimum 2 min, and plug it back in, and wait 30 sek before starting a programme. but no help there.. Just a shame to get a F01 error on a machine that is barely 4 mo old. so i'll call engineer from hotpoint and claim warranty. just enoying could probably had a fix at it myself but better to not mess with waranty
We had the f01 problem, seemed to only pop on washes, but could do the rinse/spin programme, so when its “washing” it was and issue, but did the reccomended unplug minimum 2 min, and plug it back in, and wait 30 sek before starting a programme. but no help there..
Just a shame to get a F01 error on a machine that is barely 4 mo old. so i’ll call engineer from hotpoint and claim warranty. just enoying could probably had a fix at it myself but better to not mess with waranty
0 replies Thanks for sharing that Mitchell. It goes to show that you cannot rely hundred percent on reported error codes and their listed causes. There's always the possibility that error codes are triggered erroneously by an unusual fault or connection.
Thanks for sharing that Mitchell. It goes to show that you cannot rely hundred percent on reported error codes and their listed causes. There’s always the possibility that error codes are triggered erroneously by an unusual fault or connection.
0 replies I had the F01 error code and have managed to fix it. in my case it was a manufacturing error with the crimping of the cables on the motor connector/plug. These cables are crimped (pushed into the plug) and the crimping process had severed the cable just enough for it to work for a while before failing.
I had the F01 error code and have managed to fix it. in my case it was a manufacturing error with the crimping of the cables on the motor connector/plug. These cables are crimped (pushed into the plug) and the crimping process had severed the cable just enough for it to work for a while before failing.
0 replies Hi, I have the Hotpoint Aquarius WDD756 washer dryer. It came up with the code F01 and having looked on the various sites, checked the wiring and connections at the motor,heater,pump and connections to the main board, all appeared OK. After removing the board from the machine I opened up the carrier unit to inspect the actual board. I discovered that the was something that had burnt out and was strewn across the end of the board and had totally disintegrated. I have no idea what it was / is as it has completely vaporized and all that was left was a small piece of black burnt residue which just crumbled when I picked it off the board ? I can see where I think it came from and am assuming it's a capacitor as there are + and - connections on the board where I think it came from - the burny trace led from it to the edge of the board. It has printed on the board where it was "C95" which again I have assumed is for capacitor 95 ??? But that's it ! I have no idea what the component was and no idea what to replace it with,or why it would blow ?
Hi,
I have the Hotpoint Aquarius WDD756 washer dryer. It came up with the code F01 and having looked on the various sites, checked the wiring and connections at the motor,heater,pump and connections to the main board, all appeared OK. After removing the board from the machine I opened up the carrier unit to inspect the actual board. I discovered that the was something that had burnt out and was strewn across the end of the board and had totally disintegrated. I have no idea what it was / is as it has completely vaporized and all that was left was a small piece of black burnt residue which just crumbled when I picked it off the board ? I can see where I think it came from and am assuming it’s a capacitor as there are + and – connections on the board where I think it came from – the burny trace led from it to the edge of the board. It has printed on the board where it was “C95” which again I have assumed is for capacitor 95 ??? But that’s it ! I have no idea what the component was and no idea what to replace it with,or why it would blow ?
0 replies Thanks for that Michael. I agree that the quality of many PCBs in white goods is pathetic. I remember the good old days when the washing machines were controlled by mechanical timers with cogs and small motors. They were generally very reliable. The PCB (or module as we called them) where small, and concerned only with controlling the motors. They were very reliable too. When they got rid of the timer they said they were moving to PCB controls because they were more reliable. That was only true in theory. No moving parts should make them hardly ever fail. But they just made them poorly and they are now less reliable than the old timers. As I said in my article though I'm puzzled as to why the manual says check connections when they claim the fault code is caused by the triac shorting. If it's shorted it should blow.
Thanks for that Michael. I agree that the quality of many PCBs in white goods is pathetic. I remember the good old days when the washing machines were controlled by mechanical timers with cogs and small motors. They were generally very reliable. The PCB (or module as we called them) where small, and concerned only with controlling the motors. They were very reliable too.
When they got rid of the timer they said they were moving to PCB controls because they were more reliable. That was only true in theory. No moving parts should make them hardly ever fail. But they just made them poorly and they are now less reliable than the old timers.
As I said in my article though I’m puzzled as to why the manual says check connections when they claim the fault code is caused by the triac shorting. If it’s shorted it should blow.
0 replies While the error code says S/C Triac in motor - Electronically it is impossible to comeback from that without replacing the Triac!! I would suggest this fault is computed from power being applied to the motor and there being no response from the feedback device on the motor to say it is turning. (trust me when I say when a Triac goes S/C there is a bang :) ) and it doesn't start working again..!!!! Dry joint on PCB module, Poor connection on a multiconnector at the module PCB, check motor brushes if they have them. Check any normally closed thermal protectors/cutouts. Check connectors on any ancillary boards (front panel etc) A fault that starts out as coming and going is often something listed above, since it implies it is not permanent in nature. A triac is an electrically operated solid state switch that can turn on high current and a/c voltage with a low trigger voltage from a digital circuit, failure usually leads to the devices physical destruction and occurs when it connects a load that exceeds its design tolerance. I have seen quite a few white goods appliance PCB with the most horrendous power supply circuits, when you check the actual specifications of some components they come down to WILL DEFINATELY FAIL in less than 6yrs and often within 3yrs. An A/C capacitor a resistor and a smoothing capacitor for a 12V AND 5V supply (Are they kidding) A/C cap always fails and to cap it off they use a type that gives no outward sign of malfunction hahaha. I started out as a white goods engineer many years ago, mechanical timers then and mechanical thermostats in fridges. Now I am a senior Engineer for a company that runs very large cnc and laser equipment and I maintain and repair them, when my own whites goods fail from time to time I fix them. In doing so I see immediately why its happened, how and omg they design failures into them after certain time frames!!! Be methodical, write everything down, check each component and its soldering on the mainboard, check all connections and remember fault comes and goes - its going to be something pretty straight forward to the right eye!!
While the error code says S/C Triac in motor – Electronically it is impossible to comeback from that without replacing the Triac!!
I would suggest this fault is computed from power being applied to the motor and there being no response from the feedback device on the motor to say it is turning. (trust me when I say when a Triac goes S/C there is a bang :) ) and it doesn’t start working again..!!!!
Dry joint on PCB module, Poor connection on a multiconnector at the module PCB, check motor brushes if they have them. Check any normally closed thermal protectors/cutouts. Check connectors on any ancillary boards (front panel etc)
A fault that starts out as coming and going is often something listed above, since it implies it is not permanent in nature.
A triac is an electrically operated solid state switch that can turn on high current and a/c voltage with a low trigger voltage from a digital circuit, failure usually leads to the devices physical destruction and occurs when it connects a load that exceeds its design tolerance. I have seen quite a few white goods appliance PCB with the most horrendous power supply circuits, when you check the actual specifications of some components they come down to WILL DEFINATELY FAIL in less than 6yrs and often within 3yrs.
An A/C capacitor a resistor and a smoothing capacitor for a 12V AND 5V supply (Are they kidding) A/C cap always fails and to cap it off they use a type that gives no outward sign of malfunction hahaha.
I started out as a white goods engineer many years ago, mechanical timers then and mechanical thermostats in fridges. Now I am a senior Engineer for a company that runs very large cnc and laser equipment and I maintain and repair them, when my own whites goods fail from time to time I fix them. In doing so I see immediately why its happened, how and omg they design failures into them after certain time frames!!!
Be methodical, write everything down, check each component and its soldering on the mainboard, check all connections and remember fault comes and goes – its going to be something pretty straight forward to the right eye!!
0 replies Sorry Mike, all my thoughts on the F01 error are in the article. It's possible there is a connection problem with it being intermittent but all you can do is look for something obvious in the motor and module connectors. If you can't see anything you need an engineer.
Sorry Mike, all my thoughts on the F01 error are in the article. It’s possible there is a connection problem with it being intermittent but all you can do is look for something obvious in the motor and module connectors. If you can’t see anything you need an engineer.
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0 replies Hotpoint Aquarius 7Kg washing machine - suddenly F-01 error code this morning. Couldn't cancel or turn off so switched off at fuse board. Back to machine, set it washing and away it went. It completed cycle but because of my wife's skin condition and the fact that the rinsing is so poor we have to rinse everything twice I set it to do a rinse cycle. Same error code so off at isolator again, no joy. Did this a couple of times and it's 30 mins into it's 45 minute rinse cycle at the moment and going strong!! Any ideas anyone other than "Short circuit motor triac"?
Hotpoint Aquarius 7Kg washing machine – suddenly F-01 error code this morning. Couldn’t cancel or turn off so switched off at fuse board. Back to machine, set it washing and away it went. It completed cycle but because of my wife’s skin condition and the fact that the rinsing is so poor we have to rinse everything twice I set it to do a rinse cycle. Same error code so off at isolator again, no joy. Did this a couple of times and it’s 30 mins into it’s 45 minute rinse cycle at the moment and going strong!! Any ideas anyone other than “Short circuit motor triac”?
0 replies derek: I can only assume some motor or pcb connection may have been disturbed or even some water could have got onto something and shorted out a component.
derek: I can only assume some motor or pcb connection may have been disturbed or even some water could have got onto something and shorted out a component.
0 replies hotpoint WMF740 16 minutes F-05 error code remove pump clean out put back together now showing error code F-01 ANY IDEAS?
hotpoint WMF740 16 minutes F-05 error code
remove pump clean out put back together
now showing error code F-01
ANY IDEAS?
For My aqaltis washer dryer f01 error code was broken heater
Thanks Drenovac. For someone else it was a connection fault on the motor plug. Error codes can never be trusted and rarely tell you exactly what is wrong.