Candy E17 washing machine: 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 E17 actually means

The machine has lost a reliable speed reading from the motor, so it stops rather than spin blind.

The motor has a small speed sensor on it — the tachometric dynamo (often called the tacho coil) — which tells the control board how fast the drum is actually turning. On these Candy machines the board compares that signal against the speed it asked for, and when the signal is wrong, erratic or missing it shuts the cycle down. You'll usually see it as a drum that won't spin properly, races briefly, or a wash that halts partway with the load still wet.

What E17 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, E17 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Drum not turning
Won't spin
Hums or buzzes but nothing moves
Turns one way only
Very noisy on spin
Banging or knocking
Moving across the floor
Load left soaking wet because it won't spin 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

Faulty tacho coil on the back of the motor
Loose or damaged wiring between the motor and the control board
Worn motor brushes or a worn motor giving an unstable speed reading
Fault on the "Cuore" control board reading the signal

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 switch back on and try a short cycle — an occasional one-off glitch will clear
Take out a heavy or badly unbalanced load (a single bath towel or a bulky duvet) and try again with a more evenly spread load

Common questions about Candy E17

What does E17 mean on a Candy washing machine?

The machine has lost a reliable speed reading from the motor, so it stops rather than spin blind. The motor has a small speed sensor on it — the tachometric dynamo (often called the tacho coil) — which tells the control board how fast the drum is actually turning. On these Candy machines the board compares that signal against the speed it asked for, and when the signal is wrong, erratic or missing it shuts the cycle down. You'll usually see it as a drum that won't spin properly, races briefly, or a wash that halts partway with the load still wet.

Can I fix Candy E17 myself?

There are 2 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then switch back on and try a short cycle — an occasional one-off glitch will clear.
Take out a heavy or badly unbalanced load (a single bath towel or a bulky duvet) and try again with a more evenly spread load.

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

How much does it cost to repair Candy E17?

£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 E17?

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 E17 error — washing machine