What E04 actually means
The machine has decided it's being overfilled with water and has shut itself down to stop a flood.
The pressure switch that monitors the water level in the drum has an anti-flood safety contact, and on Hoover and Candy machines the control board counts how often it trips. After three of those interventions it stops the cycle and shows this code rather than risk water on the floor. In other words, water has been getting into the drum when it shouldn't be, or the level sensing is telling lies.
What usually causes it
- Water inlet valve stuck open, so the drum keeps filling
- Faulty pressure switch giving a false high-level reading
- Blocked or split pressure switch hose, so the level is misread
- Wiring or connector fault between the switch and the 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 switch it back on and try a short cycle — if the code returns straight away, it needs looking at
- Watch whether water keeps trickling into the drum while the machine is switched off; if it does, close the tap at the wall and leave it closed until an engineer attends
- Check the drain hose isn't pushed too far down the standpipe or kinked, as poor draining can upset the level reading
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.
Other Hoover washing machine codes
- Hoover E01 — The machine can't confirm the door is locked shut, so it ref…
- Hoover E02 — The machine hasn't taken in enough water in the time it allo…
- Hoover E03 — The machine hasn't managed to empty the water out within the…
- Hoover E05 — The machine can't get a sensible reading from the sensor tha…
- Hoover E07 — The machine thinks the door lock is stuck in the locked posi…
- Hoover E08 — The machine can't tell how fast the drum motor is turning, s…
- Hoover E11 — The machine can't see a working drying heater circuit, so it…
- Hoover E12 — The machine has started a drying cycle but the air going int…