What E13 actually means
The machine has had to keep topping itself up with water during the cycle, which tells the control board water is escaping somewhere — so it drains down and stops with the door locked.
Electrolux machines monitor the water level throughout the wash. If the level keeps dropping and the machine has to refill more times than it should during a wash or rinse, it treats that as a leak and raises E13. It then pumps out and keeps the door shut, which is deliberate — it is trying to avoid putting more water into a machine that is losing it.
What usually causes it
- A leaking or split sump hose, tub-to-pump hose or pressure system connection inside the machine
- A leaking or perished door seal letting water escape during the wash
- A cracked outer tub or a leaking heater seal
- Water siphoning away down the drain hose because it sits too low or is pushed too far into the standpipe
- A faulty pressure sensor reading the level wrongly, so the machine refills when it does not need to
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 see whether the code returns on a short cycle — but only if there is no water on the floor.
- Look under and behind the machine for damp patches or water tracking across the floor; if you find any, leave it off.
- Check the drain hose is not shoved deep into the standpipe and that it rises to the correct height rather than lying low, as this can let water siphon out of the drum.
- Wipe round the inside of the door seal and check for splits or trapped items holding it open.
When to call someone
This one usually needs an engineer once you have tried the checks above. We cover Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, and it's £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it — £84 in total if it's repaired on the visit with no parts needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.
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
- Electrolux C02 — The machine isn't getting water into the main wash compartme…
- Electrolux C11 — C11 isn't a fault at all — it's the engineer's diagnostic me…
- Electrolux E00 — E00 isn't a fault \u2014 it's the machine telling you no err…
- Electrolux E10 — The machine isn't getting water in fast enough, so it has pa…
- Electrolux E11 — The machine hasn't taken in enough water in the time allowed…
- Electrolux E12 — The machine tried to take in water during the drying part of…
- Electrolux E20 — The machine can't get the water out, and Electrolux flags it…
- Electrolux E21 — The machine hasn't managed to pump the water out in the time…