Altimo E10 tumble dryer: what it means & what to check

Stop using it for now. Carrying on with this fault risks further damage or a leak. Switch it off at the wall until it has been looked at.

What E10 actually means

The machine can't get a believable reading from the sensor that tells it how much water is in the drum, so it stops rather than carry on blind.

E10 on these Altimo machines is an electronic pressure sensor (EPS) fault. The sensor reports water level as a frequency signal, and the control board expects that signal to sit in a narrow band — roughly 43.4 to 46 Hz with the drum empty and the pump running. If the reading is outside that band, or no signal arrives at all, the board flags E10 and abandons what it was doing. Without a trustworthy level reading the machine has no way of knowing whether it is filling, full or empty, which is why it refuses to continue rather than risk overfilling.

What E10 looks like on a Altimo tumble dryer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Altimo tumble dryer, E10 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Machine not draining
Water left in the drum at the end of the cycle
Stops mid-cycle full of water
Standing water in the bottom
Not filling with water
No water going in
Takes for ever to fill
Stops right at the start of the cycle

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

A loose or unplugged connection between the sensor and the control board
A blocked, split or kinked pressure chamber hose feeding the sensor
Sludge or detergent residue clogging the pressure point on the tub
A failed electronic pressure sensor
A control board fault where the sensor signal is read

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 machine off at the wall for a minute, then power it back up — an occasional one-off reading will clear
Make sure the drum is empty of water and that the drain hose is not kinked or pushed too far into the standpipe
Clean the pump filter at the bottom of the machine, as standing water in the sump can upset the level reading

Which Altimo models show E10

E10 means the same thing on all 4 of these models. If yours is not listed, the explanation above still applies — the code is set by the control board, not the model number.

AWM10142W · AWM6122W · AWM7122WG2 · AWM8142W

Common questions about Altimo E10

What does E10 mean on a Altimo tumble dryer?

The machine can't get a believable reading from the sensor that tells it how much water is in the drum, so it stops rather than carry on blind. E10 on these Altimo machines is an electronic pressure sensor (EPS) fault. The sensor reports water level as a frequency signal, and the control board expects that signal to sit in a narrow band — roughly 43.4 to 46 Hz with the drum empty and the pump running. If the reading is outside that band, or no signal arrives at all, the board flags E10 and abandons what it was doing. Without a trustworthy level reading the machine has no way of knowing whether it is filling, full or empty, which is why it refuses to continue rather than risk overfilling.

Can I fix Altimo E10 myself?

There are 3 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then power it back up — an occasional one-off reading will clear.
Make sure the drum is empty of water and that the drain hose is not kinked or pushed too far into the standpipe.
Clean the pump filter at the bottom of the machine, as standing water in the sump can upset the level reading.

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

How much does it cost to repair Altimo E10?

£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 E10?

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 Altimo tumble dryer codes

All Altimo 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.

Altimo E10 error — tumble dryer