Flavel E03 washing machine: what it means & what to check

What E03 actually means

The machine isn't getting a believable temperature reading from its water temperature sensor, so it abandons the wash rather than heat blindly.

E03 on these Flavel machines points at the NTC — the small temperature sensor that tells the control board how hot the water in the drum is. Flavel's own service bulletin records a batch of these sensors reading a falsely low resistance because of contamination on the chip inside, which the board sees as an impossible temperature. When the fault is registered the programme is ended there and then, so you'll typically find the cycle stopping early with the code showing and the load still wet.

What E03 looks like on a Flavel washing machine

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Flavel washing machine, E03 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not heating the water
Washing coming out cold
Cycle takes far longer than it should
Leaking
Water on the floor
Puddle underneath
Shuts itself down and won't restart
No function at all

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

A faulty NTC water temperature sensor — a known bad batch on these models
Contamination inside the sensor giving a false resistance reading
A loose or corroded connection at the sensor, often after a leak or damp
A control board that isn't reading the sensor correctly (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 machine off at the wall socket for a minute, then switch back on and try a short cold programme — if it runs cold but fails on anything heated, that fits a temperature sensor fault
Note which programmes fail and at what point, as it helps the engineer confirm the diagnosis

Which Flavel models show E03

E03 means the same thing on all 4 of these models. If yours is not listed, the explanation above still applies — the code is set by the control board, not the model number.

7124382200 · 7128481300 · 7132081400 · 7148881100

Common questions about Flavel E03

What does E03 mean on a Flavel washing machine?

The machine isn't getting a believable temperature reading from its water temperature sensor, so it abandons the wash rather than heat blindly. E03 on these Flavel machines points at the NTC — the small temperature sensor that tells the control board how hot the water in the drum is. Flavel's own service bulletin records a batch of these sensors reading a falsely low resistance because of contamination on the chip inside, which the board sees as an impossible temperature. When the fault is registered the programme is ended there and then, so you'll typically find the cycle stopping early with the code showing and the load still wet.

Can I fix Flavel E03 myself?

There are 2 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall socket for a minute, then switch back on and try a short cold programme — if it runs cold but fails on anything heated, that fits a temperature sensor fault.
Note which programmes fail and at what point, as it helps the engineer confirm the diagnosis.

This one usually needs an engineer once you have tried them.

How much does it cost to repair Flavel E03?

£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 E03?

This one usually needs an engineer once you have tried the checks above. 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 washing machine 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 Flavel washing machine codes

All Flavel 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.

Flavel E03 error — washing machine