What E31 actually means
The dryer's moisture-sensing circuit is giving a reading that's far too high to be real, so the machine won't trust it to decide when the load is dry.
Electrolux dryers judge dryness with a conductimetric sensor — two metal contacts in the drum that measure how well damp clothes conduct across them. The control board reads this as a frequency, and E31 means that signal has come back above the range the board expects. On some board versions this only appears while an engineer is in diagnostic mode; on others it halts the cycle there and then.
What usually causes it
- Fault on the main control board (the most common finding by a distance)
- A poor connection or damaged wiring between the sensor contacts and the board
- Worn sensor brushes/contacts in the drum area
- A genuine sensor failure giving a nonsense reading
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 dryer off at the wall for a minute, then power it back up and start a fresh cycle — occasional one-off readings can clear.
- Try a timed programme rather than an automatic/sensor-dry one. If timed drying works normally, that points at the moisture sensing rather than heating or the motor.
- Clear the door filter and the condenser filter as usual — won't fix E31, but rules out other faults appearing alongside it.
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 tumble dryer codes
- Electrolux C00 — This isn't a fault at all othing is stored in the dryer's e…
- Electrolux C06 — The dryer has been running an automatic (sensor) drying prog…
- Electrolux C07 — The dryer isn't getting hot — it checked for a rise in air t…
- Electrolux C08 — The dryer has stopped because its temperature sensor is givi…
- Electrolux C10 — C10 isn't a fault at all — it's one of the service test posi…
- Electrolux E20 — The dryer has stopped mid-cycle because the fan that cools t…
- Electrolux E21 — The dryer has lost control of the pump that moves condensed …
- Electrolux E22 — The dryer's control board can no longer tell whether the wat…