Electrolux E12 washing machine: what it means & what to try

What E12 actually means

The machine tried to take in water during the drying part of the cycle and didn't get enough within the time allowed, so it has paused with the door locked.

On washer dryers, a small amount of water is drawn in at the start of drying \u2014 partly to test the fill circuit and partly for the condenser. If the water level it's looking for isn't reached within about ten minutes, the control board stops the cycle and shows E12. The door stays shut and the drum will not move until the fault is cleared or the cycle reset.

What E12 looks like on a Electrolux washing machine

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Electrolux washing machine, E12 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
Not filling with water
No water going in
Takes for ever to fill

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

Water tap turned off or barely open, or low mains pressure
Kinked, trapped or blocked fill hose
Blocked inlet valve filter screen
Faulty water inlet (solenoid) valve
Pressure switch, its hose or 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.

Check the cold tap feeding the machine is fully open
Look behind the machine and straighten the fill hose if it is kinked or squashed against the wall
Run a tap elsewhere in the house to confirm you have normal water pressure
Press Start/Pause, or cancel and restart the cycle, to clear the alarm and see if it fills
Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then back on \u2014 bear in mind this code does not clear by itself on a power cut, so it will need resetting at the buttons too

Common questions about Electrolux E12

What does E12 mean on a Electrolux washing machine?

The machine tried to take in water during the drying part of the cycle and didn't get enough within the time allowed, so it has paused with the door locked. On washer dryers, a small amount of water is drawn in at the start of drying \u2014 partly to test the fill circuit and partly for the condenser. If the water level it's looking for isn't reached within about ten minutes, the control board stops the cycle and shows E12. The door stays shut and the drum will not move until the fault is cleared or the cycle reset.

Can I fix Electrolux E12 myself?

There are 5 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Check the cold tap feeding the machine is fully open.
Look behind the machine and straighten the fill hose if it is kinked or squashed against the wall.
Run a tap elsewhere in the house to confirm you have normal water pressure.
Press Start/Pause, or cancel and restart the cycle, to clear the alarm and see if it fills.
Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then back on \u2014 bear in mind this code does not clear by itself on a power cut, so it will need resetting at the buttons too.

This sometimes clears with those checks. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly.

How much does it cost to repair Electrolux E12?

£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 E12?

This sometimes clears with the checks above. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly. 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 Electrolux washing machine codes

All Electrolux 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.

Electrolux E12 error — washing machine