What E45 actually means
The machine can no longer trust what it's being told about the door lock, so it has drained itself and stopped for safety.
E45 is a fault in the circuit that monitors the door interlock — the control board is either reading a signal outside the range it expects, or it's getting two contradictory readings about whether the door is locked and closed. Because the machine can't confirm the door is safely held shut, it runs a safety drain to empty the drum and halts the cycle. This is a wiring or electronics fault rather than something the door itself is doing wrong.
What usually causes it
- Fault in the door interlock sensing circuit on the main control board
- Damaged, chafed or loose wiring between the interlock and the board
- A failed door interlock giving the board a false reading
- Water or detergent ingress affecting connections behind the front panel
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 — a one-off glitch will sometimes clear.
- Make sure the door is properly shut, with no laundry trapped in the seal holding it slightly off the catch, and that the door isn't dropped so it needs forcing to latch.
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.
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