Flavel E04 fridge freezer: what it means & what to check

What E04 actually means

The freezer's automatic defrost isn't working, so ice is building up on the hidden cooling coil instead of being melted away.

Frost-free fridge freezers run a heater across the evaporator every so often to clear the ice that forms on it. The control board has worked out that a defrost cycle ran but the coil never warmed up and cleared as it should, and it flags E4. Left alone, the coil packs with ice, air can't pass over it and the freezer — and often the fridge below it — gradually stops holding temperature.

What E04 looks like on a Flavel fridge freezer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Flavel fridge freezer, E04 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Fridge freezer door won't open
Door won't lock or click shut
Door lock light flashing
Door stuck shut with the load inside
Won't start even with the door closed
Fridge freezer not draining
Water left in the machine at the end of the cycle
Stops mid-cycle full of water

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

Failed defrost heater on the freezer evaporator
Blown thermal fuse or cut-out in the defrost circuit
Faulty defrost sensor giving the board wrong readings
Wiring or connector fault to the heater
Control board not driving the defrost cycle

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 appliance off at the socket for a minute, then back on — occasional one-off readings do clear, though the code coming back means the fault is real.
Check the freezer door is closing fully and the seal isn't folded or sticky; warm, damp air getting in loads the coil with far more ice than the defrost can cope with.
Make sure packets and drawers aren't pressed against the back wall or blocking the vents inside the freezer.
If there's already heavy frost, empty the freezer, switch it off and let it defrost fully with the door open. That restores cooling for a while and tells you how quickly the ice returns.

Which Flavel models show E04

E04 means the same thing on all 2 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.

7248541919 · 7248741919

Common questions about Flavel E04

What does E04 mean on a Flavel fridge freezer?

The freezer's automatic defrost isn't working, so ice is building up on the hidden cooling coil instead of being melted away. Frost-free fridge freezers run a heater across the evaporator every so often to clear the ice that forms on it. The control board has worked out that a defrost cycle ran but the coil never warmed up and cleared as it should, and it flags E4. Left alone, the coil packs with ice, air can't pass over it and the freezer — and often the fridge below it — gradually stops holding temperature.

Can I fix Flavel E04 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the appliance off at the socket for a minute, then back on — occasional one-off readings do clear, though the code coming back means the fault is real.
Check the freezer door is closing fully and the seal isn't folded or sticky; warm, damp air getting in loads the coil with far more ice than the defrost can cope with.
Make sure packets and drawers aren't pressed against the back wall or blocking the vents inside the freezer.
If there's already heavy frost, empty the freezer, switch it off and let it defrost fully with the door open. That restores cooling for a while and tells you how quickly the ice returns.

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

How much does it cost to repair Flavel E04?

£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 E04?

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 fridge freezer 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 fridge freezer 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 E04 error — fridge freezer