Hotpoint F10 washing machine: what it means & what to check

What F10 actually means

The machine isn't seeing water arrive as expected, so it halts rather than carrying on with an empty or under-filled drum.

On Hotpoint (Merloni-built) washers, F10 is a fill fault — either no cold water reaching the drum, or on later boards the pressure switch that measures the water level isn't reporting a rising level. Either way the control board waits a set time for water, doesn't get the signal it wants, and stops the programme, usually early on with the drum still empty or barely wet.

What F10 looks like on a Hotpoint washing machine

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Hotpoint washing machine, F10 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

Cold tap at the back turned off or only part open
Kinked, trapped or blocked fill hose
Blocked filter in the inlet valve where the hose screws on
Faulty water inlet valve not opening
Pressure switch or its level hose blocked or split, so the board never sees the water level rise

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.

Check the cold tap feeding the machine is fully open — if you've had work done nearby, it may have been left off
Pull the machine out gently and make sure the fill hose isn't kinked or squashed behind it
Check the drain hose isn't kinked or pushed too far down the standpipe
Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then power up and try a short cycle
If the mains pressure in the house is low or has been off, run a tap in the kitchen to confirm supply is back

Common questions about Hotpoint F10

What does F10 mean on a Hotpoint washing machine?

The machine isn't seeing water arrive as expected, so it halts rather than carrying on with an empty or under-filled drum. On Hotpoint (Merloni-built) washers, F10 is a fill fault — either no cold water reaching the drum, or on later boards the pressure switch that measures the water level isn't reporting a rising level. Either way the control board waits a set time for water, doesn't get the signal it wants, and stops the programme, usually early on with the drum still empty or barely wet.

Can I fix Hotpoint F10 myself?

There are 5 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Check the cold tap feeding the machine is fully open — if you've had work done nearby, it may have been left off.
Pull the machine out gently and make sure the fill hose isn't kinked or squashed behind it.
Check the drain hose isn't kinked or pushed too far down the standpipe.
Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then power up and try a short cycle.
If the mains pressure in the house is low or has been off, run a tap in the kitchen to confirm supply is back.

This sometimes clears with those checks. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly.

How much does it cost to repair Hotpoint F10?

£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 F10?

This sometimes clears with the checks above. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly. 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 Hotpoint washing machine codes

All Hotpoint 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.

Hotpoint F10 error — washing machine