What E21 actually means
The machine has tried to empty the drum, hasn't got the water out in the time allowed, and has stopped with the water still in it.
On these Haden machines E21 is the drain timeout. The control board expects the water level to drop within a set period once the pump starts; when it doesn't, the cycle halts rather than carrying on and trying to spin a drum full of water. You'll usually find the door locked, standing water in the drum and no spin.
What usually causes it
- Blocked or kinked drain hose
- Fluff, coins or hair clogging the pump filter
- Drain hose pushed too far into the standpipe or the sink trap blocked
- Worn or jammed drain pump
- Water level sensor giving a false 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.
- Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then restart to see if it clears
- Check the drain hose behind the machine isn't kinked, squashed against a wall or trapped by the machine's own weight
- Check the standpipe or sink trap the hose empties into isn't blocked
- Clean the pump filter at the bottom front of the machine if your model has one - put a shallow tray and towels down first, as the drum water will come out
- Run a drain or spin-only programme with an empty drum to see whether it empties
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
- Haden E00 — On these Haden machines E00 isn't a fault at all ing the me…
- Haden E01 — The machine hasn't taken on enough water in the time it allo…
- Haden E03 — The machine has tried to pump the water out and hasn't empti…
- 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…