Ariston F03 washer 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 F03 actually means

The machine can't get a sensible reading from the sensor that measures water temperature, so it stops rather than heat blindly.

Ariston washer dryers use an NTC temperature sensor to tell the control board how hot the water in the drum is. If that reading goes missing or reads an impossible value, the board shuts the cycle down — usually part way through, with the wash unheated and the programme stuck or ending early. It's a protective stop: without a reliable temperature reading the machine has no way of knowing when to switch the heater off.

What F03 looks like on a Ariston washer dryer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Ariston washer dryer, F03 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not drying
Blowing cold air
Clothes still damp at the end
Takes hours to dry
No function at all
Dead — nothing lights up
Lights flashing and nothing happening
Programme won't start

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

Faulty NTC temperature sensor in the drum or heater assembly
A loose or corroded connection at the sensor
Heating element failure, so the water never warms and the sensor reading never changes as expected
A failed relay or damaged track on the main control board

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, leave it for a couple of minutes, then switch back on and try a short wash — the odd one-off glitch will clear
Note whether the water is warming at all during the cycle, and whether the fault appears at the same point each time; that information saves an engineer time
Run a cold-only programme if you need a wash finished; if that completes normally it points firmly at the heating and sensor circuit

Common questions about Ariston F03

What does F03 mean on a Ariston washer dryer?

The machine can't get a sensible reading from the sensor that measures water temperature, so it stops rather than heat blindly. Ariston washer dryers use an NTC temperature sensor to tell the control board how hot the water in the drum is. If that reading goes missing or reads an impossible value, the board shuts the cycle down — usually part way through, with the wash unheated and the programme stuck or ending early. It's a protective stop: without a reliable temperature reading the machine has no way of knowing when to switch the heater off.

Can I fix Ariston F03 myself?

There are 3 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall, leave it for a couple of minutes, then switch back on and try a short wash — the odd one-off glitch will clear.
Note whether the water is warming at all during the cycle, and whether the fault appears at the same point each time; that information saves an engineer time.
Run a cold-only programme if you need a wash finished; if that completes normally it points firmly at the heating and sensor circuit.

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

How much does it cost to repair Ariston F03?

£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 F03?

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 washer 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 Ariston washer dryer codes

All Ariston fault codes and repairs →

What this looks like when it happens

washer dryer not drying

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

Ariston F03 error — washer dryer