Candy E11 washing machine: what it means & what to check

What E11 actually means

The machine has lost the electrical circuit it needs to heat the air for drying, so it stops rather than run a dry cycle that would never get warm.

On Candy washer-dryers, E11 is raised when the control board sees an open circuit on the drying side — the drying heater itself, the NTC temperature probe that watches the drying air, the drying module or the wiring between them. Because the board cannot confirm it has a working heater to control, it halts the cycle instead of tumbling cold clothes indefinitely. Washing usually still works normally; it is the drying half that has failed.

What E11 looks like on a Candy washing machine

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Candy washing machine, E11 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not heating the water
Washing coming out cold
Cycle takes far longer than it should
Noisy fan
Not getting cold evenly
Cuts out after a few minutes
No function at all
Dead — nothing lights up

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

Drying heater element has gone open circuit (burnt out)
Faulty NTC temperature probe for the drying circuit
Broken or corroded connection in the drying wiring or a loose plug on the heater
Failed drying control module or the main "Cuore" board
Overheating protection on the heater assembly having tripped after restricted airflow

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 and try a short drying cycle — this clears a one-off fault reading.
Run a wash-only programme to confirm it is the drying side at fault rather than the whole machine.
Clean the pump filter behind the flap at the bottom front, and make sure nothing is pressed hard against the back of the machine restricting airflow.

Common questions about Candy E11

What does E11 mean on a Candy washing machine?

The machine has lost the electrical circuit it needs to heat the air for drying, so it stops rather than run a dry cycle that would never get warm. On Candy washer-dryers, E11 is raised when the control board sees an open circuit on the drying side — the drying heater itself, the NTC temperature probe that watches the drying air, the drying module or the wiring between them. Because the board cannot confirm it has a working heater to control, it halts the cycle instead of tumbling cold clothes indefinitely. Washing usually still works normally; it is the drying half that has failed.

Can I fix Candy E11 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 and try a short drying cycle — this clears a one-off fault reading.
Run a wash-only programme to confirm it is the drying side at fault rather than the whole machine.
Clean the pump filter behind the flap at the bottom front, and make sure nothing is pressed hard against the back of the machine restricting airflow.

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

How much does it cost to repair Candy E11?

£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 E11?

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 washing machine 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 Candy washing machine codes

All Candy fault codes and repairs →

What this looks like when it happens

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.

Candy E11 error — washing machine