What E13 actually means
The control board has lost communication with the washing machine's motor, so the drum won't be driven and the cycle stops.
Grundig machines with a brushless (BLAC) motor rely on a communication cable between the main control card and the motor. When that link goes open circuit, the board can no longer send or receive signals from the motor, so it abandons the programme rather than run blind. Typical symptoms are a load left wet and unwashed, the drum not turning at all, or a cycle that cuts out part way through with poor wash results.
What usually causes it
- The motor communication cable has worked loose at one of its plugs
- A broken or chafed wire in that cable, often from drum vibration
- The plug at the control card end (the KN09 socket) not seated properly
- A fault in the motor's electronics
- A failed main control board
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 for a minute, then power it back up and start a short programme — occasionally the code clears if it was a one-off communication glitch
- Check the machine isn't rocking or walking across the floor, as heavy vibration is what loosens these connections in the first place
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.
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