What E03 actually means
The machine has tried to pump the water out and hasn't emptied within the time it allows, so it has stopped with the drum still holding water.
On this Haden the control board watches how long draining takes. If the water level hasn't dropped far enough by the time the pump has had its allotted run, it halts the cycle and shows E03 rather than carrying on to spin. You'll usually find the drum part-full and the door held shut, because it won't release with water inside.
What usually causes it
- Pump filter blocked with fluff, coins or a stray sock
- Drain hose kinked, crushed behind the machine or pushed too far into the standpipe
- Blockage in the household waste pipe or sink trap the hose feeds into
- Drain pump worn out or jammed by debris
- Faulty water level sensor giving the board the wrong reading
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.
- Put a shallow tray and towels down, open the filter flap at the bottom front and clean the pump filter thoroughly — this is the fault more often than anything else
- Pull the machine out gently and check the drain hose isn't kinked, trapped or squashed against the wall
- Check the hose isn't pushed so far down the standpipe that it siphons or blocks, and that the standpipe or sink trap isn't clogged with grease
- Run a drain or spin programme on its own once the filter is clear
- If the code sticks, switch off at the wall for a minute, then power back up and try to drain again
When to call someone
This sometimes clears with the checks above. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly. 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 Haden washing machine codes
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- Haden E01 — The machine hasn't taken on enough water in the time it allo…
- Haden E04 — The machine thinks it has too much water inside, so it has s…
- Haden E05 — The drum motor isn't running as the control board expects, s…
- Haden E06 — The machine has decided the water heater isn't doing its job…
- Haden E07 — The machine can't get a sensible reading from the sensor tha…
- Haden E10 — The machine isn't getting enough water in, so it has stopped…
- Haden E12 — The machine has sensed more water in the drum than it should…