AEG E31 tumble dryer: what it means & what to check

What E31 actually means

The dryer's moisture-sensing circuit is giving a reading that's too high to be real, and the control board has flagged it.

AEG dryers on the Env06 control board judge when your load is dry by measuring how well electricity passes between metal contacts that the tumbling clothes brush against — the conductimetric sensor. E31 means the signal coming back from that circuit is running at too high a frequency for the board to accept. E31 is appearing during diagnostics rather than stopping a running programme, and points the finger at the control board itself.

What E31 looks like on a AEG tumble dryer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a AEG tumble dryer, E31 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not drying properly
Takes hours to dry a load
Getting hot but the clothes stay damp
Stops after a few minutes
Clothes still damp at the end
Finishes far too early
Keeps saying empty the water container
Water container light stays on

Recognise any of those? That is this fault, and the rest of this page explains what causes it and what you can check yourself.

What usually causes it

Fault on the electronic control board (the cause AEG lists for this code)
A film of fabric softener or lint bridging the moisture sensor contacts and skewing the reading
Damp or contamination around the sensor contacts inside the drum
The code being read out of the fault memory during a diagnostic check rather than being a live fault

What you can safely check yourself

Work through these in order. Anything beyond this — panels off, testing parts, anything to do with the wiring — is an engineer's job, and not one to attempt with the machine plugged in.

Turn the dryer off at the socket for a minute, then power it back up and see whether the code returns on a normal cycle.
Clean the lint filter and, on condenser models, rinse the fluff from the filter in the base and check the condenser is clear.
Wipe the metal sensor contacts in the drum area with a damp cloth and dry them — softener residue and lint sitting on them can upset the reading. Do this with the machine unplugged.
Run a load and note whether the drying actually finishes properly, or whether clothes come out damp or over-dried — that tells the engineer whether it's a live sensing problem.

Common questions about AEG E31

What does E31 mean on a AEG tumble dryer?

The dryer's moisture-sensing circuit is giving a reading that's too high to be real, and the control board has flagged it. AEG dryers on the Env06 control board judge when your load is dry by measuring how well electricity passes between metal contacts that the tumbling clothes brush against — the conductimetric sensor. E31 means the signal coming back from that circuit is running at too high a frequency for the board to accept. E31 is appearing during diagnostics rather than stopping a running programme, and points the finger at the control board itself.

Can I fix AEG E31 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the dryer off at the socket for a minute, then power it back up and see whether the code returns on a normal cycle.
Clean the lint filter and, on condenser models, rinse the fluff from the filter in the base and check the condenser is clear.
Wipe the metal sensor contacts in the drum area with a damp cloth and dry them — softener residue and lint sitting on them can upset the reading. Do this with the machine unplugged.
Run a load and note whether the drying actually finishes properly, or whether clothes come out damp or over-dried — that tells the engineer whether it's a live sensing problem.

This one usually needs an engineer once you have tried them.

How much does it cost to repair AEG E31?

£66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Tried the checks and it's still showing E31?

This one usually needs an engineer once you have tried the checks above. Then it wants someone who can open it up.

What it costs, before you call: the price is the same whatever the fault turns out to be — £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Our own engineers, not a call centre. We cover Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire — most tumble dryer faults are seen same day or next day.

Call 0115 648 0929 Book online — postcode and number is all we need

Outside our area? The explanation above still stands — take it to a local engineer and tell them the code. Knowing it saves them time and you money.

Other AEG tumble dryer codes

All AEG fault codes and repairs →

What this looks like when it happens

tumble dryer drum not turning

Repairs we cover near you

Written by the engineers at ASAP Repairs, 0115 648 0929. We repair these machines for a living in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

AEG E31 error — tumble dryer