Electrolux F03 dishwasher: what it means & what to check

What F03 actually means

The dishwasher isn't seeing water flow through it when it tries to fill, so it stops the programme.

Electrolux dishwashers measure incoming water with a flow meter rather than only a level switch. F03 is logged when the control board opens the fill valve but gets no pulses back from that flow meter — as far as the machine is concerned, no water is arriving, so it abandons the cycle rather than run the wash pump dry. In practice you'll usually notice it early in the programme, before any real wash action, sometimes with the drain pump running as the machine tries to reset itself.

What F03 looks like on a Electrolux dishwasher

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Electrolux dishwasher, F03 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Dishwasher not draining
Water left in the tub at the end of the cycle
Stops mid-cycle full of water
Standing water in the bottom
Not filling with water
No water going in
Takes for ever to fill
Stops right at the start of the cycle

Recognise any of those? That is this fault, and the rest of this page explains what causes it and what you can check yourself.

What usually causes it

Water supply turned off, or the tap only part open
Kinked, trapped or crushed fill hose behind the machine
Blocked filter in the inlet hose connection or a partly blocked inlet valve
Faulty or stuck flow meter, so real water flow isn't being counted
Wiring or control board fault on the flow meter circuit

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.

Check the water tap feeding the dishwasher is fully open, and that other cold taps in the kitchen are running normally.
Look behind the machine — if you can do it without pulling it out hard — and make sure the fill hose isn't kinked or squashed against the wall.
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then power up and start a short programme to see whether the code returns straight away.
If the machine has been moved recently, check the fill hose connection at the tap is still tight and not twisted.

Which Electrolux models show F03

F03 means the same thing on this model. If yours is not listed, the explanation above still applies — the code is set by the control board, not the model number.

KSE27200SW

Common questions about Electrolux F03

What does F03 mean on a Electrolux dishwasher?

The dishwasher isn't seeing water flow through it when it tries to fill, so it stops the programme. Electrolux dishwashers measure incoming water with a flow meter rather than only a level switch. F03 is logged when the control board opens the fill valve but gets no pulses back from that flow meter — as far as the machine is concerned, no water is arriving, so it abandons the cycle rather than run the wash pump dry. In practice you'll usually notice it early in the programme, before any real wash action, sometimes with the drain pump running as the machine tries to reset itself.

Can I fix Electrolux F03 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Check the water tap feeding the dishwasher is fully open, and that other cold taps in the kitchen are running normally.
Look behind the machine — if you can do it without pulling it out hard — and make sure the fill hose isn't kinked or squashed against the wall.
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then power up and start a short programme to see whether the code returns straight away.
If the machine has been moved recently, check the fill hose connection at the tap is still tight and not twisted.

This sometimes clears with those checks. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly.

How much does it cost to repair Electrolux F03?

£66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Tried the checks and it's still showing F03?

This sometimes clears with the checks above. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly. Then it wants someone who can open it up.

What it costs, before you call: the price is the same whatever the fault turns out to be — £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Our own engineers, not a call centre. We cover Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire — most dishwasher faults are seen same day or next day.

Call 0115 648 0929 Book online — postcode and number is all we need

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 dishwasher codes

All Electrolux fault codes and repairs →

What this looks like when it happens

Repairs we cover near you

Written by the engineers at ASAP Repairs, 0115 648 0929. We repair these machines for a living in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

Electrolux F03 error — dishwasher