What E71 actually means
The dryer can no longer trust the temperature reading from one of its sensors, so it drops into a cooling cycle instead of heating.
E71 means the control board has lost a sensible signal from the NTC1 temperature sensor — the thermistor it uses to judge how hot the air in the drum is. Because it cannot safely control the heater without that reading, it forces a cooling cycle and stops the drying programme. Typically the load comes out damp and the dryer feels cool rather than hot.
What usually causes it
- The NTC temperature sensor itself has failed
- A damaged or loose connection in the sensor wiring
- Damp or lint contamination around the sensor connections
- A fault on the main electronic control board (less common)
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 switch back on and start a cycle — if the code was a one-off glitch it may clear
- Clean the lint filter and, on condenser models, rinse and refit the filter in the base so airflow past the sensor is not restricted
- Check the vent hose, if fitted, is not kinked or blocked
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…