Hisense F21 tumble dryer: what it means & what to check

Stop using it for now. Carrying on with this fault risks further damage or a leak. Switch it off at the wall until it has been looked at.

What F21 actually means

The control panel you press the buttons on has lost proper communication with the main power board inside the dryer, so the machine won't take its instructions.

Hisense uses two separate boards in these dryers he front panch \u2014 the display and touch panel at the front, and the power board that actually drives the drum, heater and fan. F21 means those two are no longer talking to each other reliably, so the dryer halts rather than run blind. Because it's a communication fault rather than a mechanical one, the drum often won't turn at all and the panel may look lit but unresponsive.

What F21 looks like on a Hisense tumble dryer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Hisense tumble dryer, F21 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not drying
Blowing cold air
Clothes still damp at the end
Takes hours to dry
Not drying properly
Takes hours to dry a load
Getting hot but the clothes stay damp
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 one-off electronic glitch that clears on a full power-down
A loose or corroded plug between the display panel and the power board
A failed display/control panel at the front
A failed main power board
Damp or lint contamination around the panel connections

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.

Switch the dryer off at the wall socket, leave it for a minute, then switch back on and press start/pause again \u2014 the manufacturer's first step, and it does clear one-off glitches
If the code returns straight away, stop and note whether the buttons respond at all; that's useful information for the engineer
Nothing else is safe to try here \u2014 both boards are behind panels and carry mains voltage

Which Hisense models show F21

F21 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.

DH5I104BBAB · DH5I104BWAB

Common questions about Hisense F21

What does F21 mean on a Hisense tumble dryer?

The control panel you press the buttons on has lost proper communication with the main power board inside the dryer, so the machine won't take its instructions. Hisense uses two separate boards in these dryers he front panch \u2014 the display and touch panel at the front, and the power board that actually drives the drum, heater and fan. F21 means those two are no longer talking to each other reliably, so the dryer halts rather than run blind. Because it's a communication fault rather than a mechanical one, the drum often won't turn at all and the panel may look lit but unresponsive.

Can I fix Hisense F21 myself?

There are 3 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Switch the dryer off at the wall socket, leave it for a minute, then switch back on and press start/pause again \u2014 the manufacturer's first step, and it does clear one-off glitches.
If the code returns straight away, stop and note whether the buttons respond at all; that's useful information for the engineer.
Nothing else is safe to try here \u2014 both boards are behind panels and carry mains voltage.

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

How much does it cost to repair Hisense F21?

£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 F21?

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 tumble dryer 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 Hisense tumble dryer codes

All Hisense 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.

Hisense F21 error — tumble dryer