What E73 actually means
The dryer has lost a sensible reading from the temperature sensor on its steam generator, so it halts the cycle rather than run the steam function blind.
Models with a steam or refresh function have their own small water heater, and a sensor (an NTC thermistor) watches its temperature. When the control board sees a reading that is out of range or absent altogether, it stops the programme on the spot — usually part-way through, with the door still locked until it cools and releases. Without a trustworthy reading the machine has no safe way to control the steam heater, which is why it will not simply carry on.
What usually causes it
- Faulty steam generator temperature sensor
- A loose or corroded plug on the sensor wiring
- Damaged wiring in the loom to the steam unit
- Scale or water damage around the steam heater
- Control board fault misreading the sensor
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 try the cycle again — a one-off glitch can clear.
- If your model has a removable water tank for the steam function, check it is fitted properly and seated fully home.
- Try a plain drying programme with no steam or refresh option selected; if that runs through, it confirms the fault sits in the steam side.
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…