Hoover E21 washing machine: 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 E21 actually means

The machine can't tell how much water is inside, so it stops rather than risk filling or heating blind.

On Hoover washing machines E21 means the control board is getting no signal at all from the APS pressure sensor that measures the water level in the drum. Without that reading the machine has no way of knowing when to stop filling or whether it is safe to heat, so it halts the cycle — usually early on, at the fill stage. On models without a display you'll see this as 11 flashes of the indicator light between pauses.

What E21 looks like on a Hoover washing machine

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Hoover washing machine, E21 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Machine not draining
Water left in the drum at the end of the cycle
Stops mid-cycle full of water
Standing water in the bottom
Not filling with water
No water going in
Takes for ever to fill
Stops right at the start of the cycle

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

Faulty APS pressure sensor (the water level sensor)
Damaged or disconnected wiring between the sensor and the control board
Blocked or split pressure hose feeding the sensor
Failed "Cuore" main control board — less common, but it does happen

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 back on and try a short cycle — occasionally the code is a one-off and clears
Check the machine isn't sitting with standing water in the drum from an aborted cycle; if it is, run a drain or spin programme
Clean the pump filter at the front, as a badly clogged one can leave the machine sitting full and confuse the picture

Common questions about Hoover E21

What does E21 mean on a Hoover washing machine?

The machine can't tell how much water is inside, so it stops rather than risk filling or heating blind. On Hoover washing machines E21 means the control board is getting no signal at all from the APS pressure sensor that measures the water level in the drum. Without that reading the machine has no way of knowing when to stop filling or whether it is safe to heat, so it halts the cycle — usually early on, at the fill stage. On models without a display you'll see this as 11 flashes of the indicator light between pauses.

Can I fix Hoover E21 myself?

There are 3 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then switch back on and try a short cycle — occasionally the code is a one-off and clears.
Check the machine isn't sitting with standing water in the drum from an aborted cycle; if it is, run a drain or spin programme.
Clean the pump filter at the front, as a badly clogged one can leave the machine sitting full and confuse the picture.

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

How much does it cost to repair Hoover E21?

£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 E21?

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 washing machine 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 Hoover washing machine codes

All Hoover 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.

Hoover E21 error — washing machine