Altimo E18 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 E18 actually means

The machine has lost proper control of its brushless drive motor and has shut the cycle down.

E18 is a BLDC failure — BLDC being the brushless direct-current motor that spins the drum, and the control card that drives it. The control board expects the motor to turn at a commanded speed and report back; when that feedback or the drive signal doesn't match, it aborts rather than risk running blind. In practice the owner sees the drum stop or never start, often with clothes left wet or damp mid-programme on these AWM washer-dryers.

What E18 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, E18 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Machine door won't open
Door won't lock or click shut
Door lock light flashing
Door stuck shut with the load inside
Won't start even with the door closed
Drum not turning
Won't spin
Hums or buzzes but nothing moves

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 fault in the motor drive card that controls the brushless motor
A loose or corroded motor connector at the drive card
The motor itself failing electrically or seizing
Water ingress or a leak from above landing on the motor or its wiring
A drum jammed by an item that has escaped the drum, stalling the motor

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 programme knob to the off position and leave it there for about three seconds, then choose the programme again — this resets the control after a one-off glitch
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then power up and retry a short programme
Open the door and check nothing has fallen behind or under the drum lip and jammed it; take out a heavy, tightly packed load and try again with a lighter one
Never force the drum round with tools or reach in while the machine is powered

Which Altimo models show E18

E18 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 E18

What does E18 mean on a Altimo tumble dryer?

The machine has lost proper control of its brushless drive motor and has shut the cycle down. E18 is a BLDC failure — BLDC being the brushless direct-current motor that spins the drum, and the control card that drives it. The control board expects the motor to turn at a commanded speed and report back; when that feedback or the drive signal doesn't match, it aborts rather than risk running blind. In practice the owner sees the drum stop or never start, often with clothes left wet or damp mid-programme on these AWM washer-dryers.

Can I fix Altimo E18 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the programme knob to the off position and leave it there for about three seconds, then choose the programme again — this resets the control after a one-off glitch.
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then power up and retry a short programme.
Open the door and check nothing has fallen behind or under the drum lip and jammed it; take out a heavy, tightly packed load and try again with a lighter one.
Never force the drum round with tools or reach in while the machine is powered.

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

How much does it cost to repair Altimo E18?

£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 E18?

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 E18 error — tumble dryer