Hoover Washing Machine Error Codes
Hoover washing machines display error codes as E followed by a two-digit number — E01, E02, E03 and so on. There are two separate code systems on Hoover machines depending on whether the machine has a carbon brush (collector) motor or a brushless (induction) motor, and the same code number can mean different things on different machine generations. Identify your motor type first using the guide below, then look up your code in the correct table.
The most important thing to know about Hoover error codes
Before looking up a specific code, there is one critical point that most other guides miss: Hoover has used two completely different error code systems across its washing machine range, depending on the type of motor fitted. The same code number means different things on different machines.
Collector motor (carbon brush) models
Older Hoover machines fitted with a conventional carbon brush motor — including the Nextra range and earlier Optima models. On these machines E01 relates to the door safety device and drum braking, E00 is a control module fault, and the code range runs from E00 to approximately E11. These machines have brushes that wear and need replacing over time.
Induction motor (brushless) models
Newer Hoover machines fitted with a brushless induction or inverter motor — including newer Optima models, Vision HD, One Touch, and H-Wash series. On these machines E01 relates to the door lock, and the code range extends from E01 to E22. These machines have no carbon brushes to wear out.
Check the model number on the rating plate (usually inside the door rim). Nextra models are typically collector motor machines. Optima models vary — check the year of manufacture. Vision HD, One Touch, H-Wash, and models produced from approximately 2015 onwards are typically induction motor machines. If in doubt, check your instruction manual or search your model number to confirm which motor type is fitted.
H codes: not an error
Before looking at fault codes, it is worth noting that a display showing H followed by a number — H02, H05 and so on — is not an error code at all. H codes indicate that the delay start timer is active. The number shows how many hours remain until the programme starts. If your machine is showing an H code, press the delay start button to cancel the timer and start the programme immediately, or simply wait for the timer to count down.
Hoover error codes: collector motor (carbon brush) models
The following codes apply to Hoover washing machines fitted with a conventional carbon brush collector motor, including the Nextra range and earlier Optima models.
| Code | Fault description | Most likely causes | Check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| E00 | Control module fault — EEPROM or main PCB error | Failed control board. EEPROM memory error. Wiring harness fault. Moisture damage to board. | Switch off at the mains for 2 minutes and restart. If E00 clears, the cause was transient. If it returns consistently, the control board requires engineer diagnosis. Board replacement is expensive — confirm the fault before committing. |
| E01 | Door safety device or drum braking device fault | Failed door interlock. Failed drum brake mechanism. Wiring fault to door lock circuit. Door not closing properly. | Open and firmly close the door, ensuring nothing is trapped in the seal. If the code persists, test the door interlock for continuity. On collector motor models, E01 can also relate to the drum braking mechanism that slows the drum after spin — distinct from the door interlock alone. See our dedicated guide: Hoover Error E1. |
| E02 | Fill fault — machine not filling with water within the expected time | Tap closed or partially closed. Kinked or trapped inlet hose. Blocked inlet hose filter. Low mains water pressure. Failed inlet valve solenoid. | Confirm the tap is fully open. Straighten the inlet hose. Clean the small mesh filter inside the inlet port at the back of the machine. Check household water pressure is adequate. |
| E03 | Drain fault — machine not draining within the expected time | Blocked pump filter (most common cause). Kinked or blocked drain hose. Standpipe too high. Foreign object blocking the pump impeller. Failed drain pump motor. | Clean the pump filter — behind the small access panel at the bottom front of the machine. Place towels and a tray in front before opening as water will flow out. Unscrew anticlockwise, remove all debris, check the pump cavity for foreign objects, and refit firmly. See our dedicated guide: Hoover Nextra Error 3. |
| E04 | NTC thermistor fault — temperature sensor not reading correctly | Failed NTC thermistor. Loose or corroded wiring connector. Limescale on thermistor in hard water areas. | Test the NTC thermistor with a multimeter — approximately 30,000 ohms at room temperature, falling as temperature rises. Open circuit confirms failure. In hard water areas, run a descaling cycle before testing as limescale on the sensor can produce this code without the thermistor failing. |
| E05 | Heating circuit fault — element or relay | Failed heating element. Faulty relay on the control board switching the element. Wiring fault in the heating circuit. | Test the heating element for continuity — open circuit confirms failure. If the element tests correctly, the fault is in the relay or board circuit. |
| E06 | Motor tachometer fault — motor speed sensor not reading correctly | Worn motor carbon brushes (most common on older machines). Failed tachogenerator. Wiring fault to tachogenerator. Motor winding failure. | Check drum rotates freely by hand with machine unplugged. Inspect carbon brushes — replace if worn below 10mm. Test tachogenerator resistance (typically 100 to 200 ohms — open circuit confirms failure). |
| E07 | Motor control triac fault — triac on PCB controlling the motor has failed | Failed triac component on the main control board. May also cause the machine to trip the RCD. | Engineer diagnosis required. If the machine is also tripping the electrics, the triac is the likely cause. See also: Hoover Error 8 for related motor fault context. |
| E08 | Motor speed sensor fault — speed sensor not detecting drum rotation correctly | Failed motor speed sensor. Wiring fault. Worn carbon brushes. Motor failure. | Check carbon brushes. Test motor speed sensor. Engineer diagnosis if brushes are good and sensor tests correctly. See our dedicated guide: Hoover Nextra Error 7. |
| E09 | Motor or drum fault | Motor fault. Drum bearing failure. Obstruction preventing drum rotation. | Check drum rotates freely by hand. Listen for unusual noises during rotation — grinding or rumbling may indicate bearing failure. Engineer diagnosis required for bearing or motor fault. |
| E10 | Fill fault variant (some models) | Water fill issue — same causes as E02 on applicable models. | Same checks as E02 — tap, inlet hose, inlet filter, water pressure, inlet valve. |
| E11 | Communication fault — internal control board communication error | Communication breakdown between control modules. Wiring harness fault. Board failure. | Switch off at the mains for 2 minutes and restart. If persistent, engineer diagnosis required. |
Hoover error codes: induction motor (brushless) models
The following codes apply to Hoover washing machines fitted with a brushless induction or inverter motor, including newer Optima models, Vision HD, One Touch, and H-Wash series. These machines have a wider code range from E01 to E22 and do not have carbon brushes to wear out.
| Code | Fault description | Most likely causes | Check first |
|---|---|---|---|
| E01 | Door lock fault — machine not detecting the door is properly closed and locked | Door not fully closed. Failed door interlock mechanism. Wiring fault to interlock. Obstruction in door seal. Broken door handle or catch. | Open and firmly close the door, ensuring nothing is trapped in the seal. If the code persists, test the door interlock for continuity. Door interlock replacement is a common repair — genuine parts available through our spare parts section. |
| E02 | Fill fault — machine not filling within the expected time | Tap closed or restricted. Kinked or trapped inlet hose. Blocked inlet filter. Low water pressure. Failed inlet valve solenoid. | Confirm the tap is fully open. Straighten the inlet hose. Unscrew the inlet hose from the back of the machine and clean the small mesh filter inside the inlet port. |
| E03 | Drain fault — machine not draining within the expected time | Blocked pump filter. Kinked drain hose. Standpipe too high. Foreign object in pump impeller. Failed pump motor. | Clean the pump filter first — this resolves the majority of Hoover E03 faults. See our dedicated guide: Hoover Error 3 drain fault. |
| E04 | NTC temperature sensor fault | Failed NTC thermistor. Wiring fault. Limescale on sensor in hard water areas. | Test thermistor resistance — approximately 30,000 ohms at room temperature. Descale in hard water areas before testing. |
| E05 | Heating fault — element or relay | Failed heating element. Board relay fault. Wiring fault in heating circuit. | Test element for continuity. If element is good, relay or board is the likely cause. |
| E06 | Motor tachometer / speed sensor fault | Failed motor speed sensor. Wiring fault between sensor and board. Motor fault. On induction motor models there are no carbon brushes to check — the sensor itself or the inverter board is the primary suspect. | Check drum rotates freely by hand with machine unplugged. Engineer diagnosis required for speed sensor and inverter board testing. |
| E07 | Door lock fault (some newer models) or motor triac fault (some models) | Varies by model generation — on some newer Hoover models E07 is a secondary door lock code; on others it relates to the motor triac. | Confirm which meaning applies to your model by checking the instruction manual. If door-related: same checks as E01. If motor-related: engineer diagnosis required. |
| E08 | Motor speed sensor fault — tachometer error on induction motor models | Failed motor speed sensor. Inverter board fault. Wiring fault. | Engineer diagnosis required on induction motor models. Check drum rotates freely as a first step. |
| E09 | Triac fault on control board | Failed triac component on the main PCB. May cause the machine to trip the RCD. | Engineer diagnosis required. Test element first to rule out a short circuit causing the triac code. |
| E10 | Communication or board error | Internal communication fault between control modules. Board failure. Wiring harness fault. | Switch off at the mains for 2 minutes and restart. If persistent, engineer diagnosis required. |
| E11 | Fill timeout variant (some models) | Water fill taking longer than the extended timeout allows. Same causes as E02. | Same checks as E02 — tap, hose, inlet filter, water pressure, inlet valve. |
| E12 | Motor driver fault | Failed motor driver circuit. Inverter board fault. Motor fault. | Engineer diagnosis required. |
| E13 | Pressure switch / water level sensor fault | Failed pressure switch. Blocked or kinked pressure switch hose. Soap suds blocking the pressure system. | Check the pressure switch hose for blockage or kinks. Run a service wash to clear soap residue. Test pressure switch if hose checks are clear. |
| E14 | Pressure switch fault variant — secondary water level sensor reading incorrect | Failed pressure switch. Pressure hose fault. Board fault. | Check pressure switch hose. Test pressure switch. Engineer diagnosis if clear. |
| E15 | Motor overload — motor drawing excessive current | Machine overloaded with laundry. Foreign object jamming the drum. Motor winding fault. Inverter board fault. | Remove some laundry to reduce the load and retry. Check drum rotates freely with machine unplugged. Check for foreign object trapped near the door seal. |
| E16 | Inverter / motor driver board fault | Failed inverter board controlling the brushless motor. Wiring fault between inverter board and motor. | Engineer diagnosis required. Inverter board replacement is an expensive repair — confirm diagnosis before committing. |
| E17 | Water temperature too high — overheating detected | NTC thermistor reading incorrectly low causing continuous heating. Heating relay stuck closed. Board fault. | Allow machine to cool fully. Test NTC thermistor. If thermistor reads correctly, the fault is in the relay or board. |
| E18 | NTC fault variant — temperature sensor secondary reading error | NTC thermistor fault. Wiring fault. Board fault. | Test NTC thermistor. Check wiring connections. Engineer diagnosis if clear. |
| E19 | Communication error — internal data bus fault | Internal communication error between board modules. Wiring fault. Board failure. | Power cycle. If persistent, engineer diagnosis required. |
| E20 | Overspeed detected — drum spinning faster than expected | Inverter board fault causing incorrect motor speed. Motor fault. Speed sensor fault. | Engineer diagnosis required. |
| E21 | Motor current fault — incorrect current detected in motor circuit | Motor short circuit. Inverter board fault. Wiring fault. | Engineer diagnosis required. If the machine is tripping the RCD alongside E21, a motor short circuit is likely. |
| E22 | Motor driver fault variant | Inverter or motor driver board fault. Motor fault. | Engineer diagnosis required. |
The most common Hoover washing machine faults
Across both the collector motor and induction motor code systems, the same fault categories cause the majority of error codes seen in UK homes.
Blocked pump filter (E03, Error 3)
The E03 drain fault is the single most common Hoover error code encountered in UK homes, and in the vast majority of cases the cause is a blocked pump filter rather than a failed pump. Coins, buttons, bra underwires, and lint accumulate in the filter over time. The fix takes five minutes and costs nothing. Clean the filter every few months as routine maintenance regardless of whether an error code has appeared.
Door interlock failure (E01 on induction models)
The door interlock is a common wear component on Hoover washing machines. On induction motor models, E01 is the primary door lock code. The interlock is subject to mechanical stress over thousands of cycles and typically fails between five and ten years of regular use. Genuine replacement interlocks are widely available for most Hoover models and the repair is practical for a confident DIY repairer.
Carbon brushes (E06, E08 on collector motor models only)
On older Hoover machines fitted with a collector motor, worn carbon brushes are one of the most common motor fault causes. The brushes gradually wear down and eventually cause the machine to stop spinning or generate motor fault codes. Brush replacement is straightforward on most Hoover collector motor models and resolves the majority of motor fault codes without any further parts being needed. Important: induction motor models do not have carbon brushes.
NTC thermistor fault (E04)
The NTC thermistor is the temperature sensor that monitors water temperature during the wash cycle. When it fails, the control board receives an incorrect or absent temperature reading and logs a fault code. In hard water areas, limescale on the thermistor is a frequent cause of E04 without the component actually failing — always descale before replacing. A genuine replacement thermistor for most Hoover models is an inexpensive part.
What to check before calling an engineer
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Power cycle the machine. Switch off at the wall socket, wait 2 minutes, and switch back on. Transient codes clear on a power reset. If the same code returns consistently, it represents a real fault.
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Check whether the display is showing an H code rather than an E code. H followed by a number is not a fault — it is the delay start timer showing how many hours remain. Press the delay start button to cancel it.
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Clean the pump filter (E03 drain code). The filter is behind the small access panel at the bottom front of the machine. Place towels and a shallow tray in front before opening. Unscrew anticlockwise, remove all debris, check the pump cavity, and refit firmly. This is the most productive single check for any drain fault code.
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Check the door closes correctly (E01 door code on induction models). Open and firmly close the door, ensuring nothing is caught in the seal. If the code persists, test the door interlock for continuity.
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Check carbon brushes if you have a collector motor model (E06, E08). With the machine unplugged, check the drum rotates freely by hand. If it does, inspect the motor carbon brushes. Replace if worn below 10mm. This applies only to older collector motor machines — do not look for brushes on induction motor models as they do not have them.
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Check the water supply (E02 fill code). Confirm the tap is fully open, the inlet hose is not kinked, and the inlet filter mesh is clean.
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Descale the machine (E04 temperature codes in hard water areas). Run an empty cycle on the hottest programme with a proprietary descaler before testing or replacing the NTC thermistor.
Always switch the machine off at the wall socket and unplug it before accessing any panels, the pump filter, or internal components. Never work on electrical components with the machine connected to the mains. See our DIY appliance repair safety guide.
Hoover and Candy: the same code system
Hoover and Candy are both owned by Haier Europe and share manufacturing platforms and control systems. The error code systems used across the Hoover and Candy washing machine ranges are the same, and codes are frequently interchangeable across the two brands on machines produced since the brands were consolidated under Haier ownership.
If you have a Candy washing machine and cannot find your code in the Candy guide, cross-referencing with this Hoover guide is worthwhile. The diagnosis steps and replacement parts are typically identical across both brands on shared platform models.
Hoover error code pointing to a fault you cannot resolve?
If basic checks have not cleared the fault, a qualified engineer is the right next step. We cover Hoover washing machine repairs nationwide with genuine spare parts available for most models including door interlocks, drain pumps, heating elements, NTC thermistors, and carbon brushes.
Frequently asked questions about Hoover washing machine error codes
What does E03 mean on a Hoover washing machine?
E03 is a drain fault — the machine has been unable to drain water within the expected time. On both collector motor and induction motor Hoover models, E03 means a drain fault. In the vast majority of cases it is caused by a blocked pump filter rather than a failed pump. The filter is behind the small access panel at the bottom front of the machine. Cleaning it takes around five minutes and resolves most E03 faults without any parts or engineer visit. If the filter is clear and E03 persists, check the drain hose for kinks then test the drain pump motor. See our dedicated guide: Hoover Error 3 drain fault.
What does E01 mean on a Hoover washing machine?
The meaning of E01 depends on which motor type your machine has. On newer induction motor models (Vision HD, One Touch, H-Wash, newer Optima), E01 is a door lock fault — the machine is not detecting the door is properly closed and locked. On older collector motor models (Nextra, earlier Optima), E01 relates to the door safety device and drum braking mechanism. For the door lock version: confirm the door closes fully with nothing obstructing the seal, then test the interlock if the code persists. See our dedicated guide: Hoover Error E1.
What does Error 8 mean on a Hoover washing machine?
Error 8 on older Hoover Nextra machines indicates a motor fault — specifically the motor speed sensor is not detecting drum rotation correctly. On collector motor Nextra models, check the carbon brushes first as worn brushes are a common cause of motor faults. If the brushes are in good condition, the motor speed sensor (tachogenerator) or the motor itself may have failed. See our dedicated guide: Hoover Error 8.
My Hoover washing machine is showing H02 or H05. Is this a fault?
No. H followed by a number is not a fault code — it indicates the delay start timer is active. The number shows how many hours remain until the programme starts. Press the delay start button to cancel the timer and start the programme immediately, or simply wait for the countdown to reach zero.
Does my Hoover washing machine have carbon brushes?
It depends on the age and model of your machine. Older Hoover washing machines — including the Nextra range and earlier Optima models — are fitted with conventional collector motors that use carbon brushes. These brushes wear over time and need replacing. Newer Hoover machines — including Vision HD, One Touch, H-Wash, and newer Optima models — are fitted with brushless induction motors that have no carbon brushes at all. Check your model number to confirm which motor type is fitted if you are unsure.
Are Hoover and Candy washing machine error codes the same?
Yes. Hoover and Candy are both owned by Haier Europe and share the same manufacturing platforms and control systems. The error code systems are identical across both brands on shared platform models, and the diagnosis steps and replacement parts are the same. If you have a Candy machine and cannot find your code, cross-referencing with this Hoover guide is worthwhile.
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