Indesit F11 washer 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 F11 actually means

The control board has lost the electrical connection to the drain pump — it can no longer see the pump at all, so the machine stops with water still in the drum.

On these Indesit washer dryers the board checks the drain pump circuit before and during emptying. F11 means that circuit reads as open — in other words the pump is electrically dead or disconnected, rather than simply blocked. That is the difference between this and the F05 code: F05 means the pump is running but the water is not going anywhere, while F11 means the board gets no response from the pump whatsoever, so the cycle halts, usually part-way through with a drum full of water and clothes.

What F11 looks like on a Indesit washer dryer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Indesit washer dryer, F11 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
Drum not turning
Won't spin
Hums or buzzes but nothing moves
Turns one way only

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

Failed drain pump motor — the most common finding
A connector pushed off or corroded at the pump, often after a leak
Damaged or chafed wiring between the board and the pump
Water damage or a fault on the main control board's pump circuit

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 and back on — occasionally the code clears if it was a one-off glitch
Check the drain hose at the back is not kinked, crushed behind the machine or pushed too far down the standpipe
Clean out the pump filter behind the lower flap if your model has one, with the machine unplugged, and have a shallow tray and towels ready as water will come out. This will not fix F11 on its own, but it drains the drum and rules out the blockage-related F05 fault
Do not keep restarting cycles — the water will not pump away and you risk it spilling

Common questions about Indesit F11

What does F11 mean on a Indesit washer dryer?

The control board has lost the electrical connection to the drain pump — it can no longer see the pump at all, so the machine stops with water still in the drum. On these Indesit washer dryers the board checks the drain pump circuit before and during emptying. F11 means that circuit reads as open — in other words the pump is electrically dead or disconnected, rather than simply blocked. That is the difference between this and the F05 code: F05 means the pump is running but the water is not going anywhere, while F11 means the board gets no response from the pump whatsoever, so the cycle halts, usually part-way through with a drum full of water and clothes.

Can I fix Indesit F11 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute and back on — occasionally the code clears if it was a one-off glitch.
Check the drain hose at the back is not kinked, crushed behind the machine or pushed too far down the standpipe.
Clean out the pump filter behind the lower flap if your model has one, with the machine unplugged, and have a shallow tray and towels ready as water will come out. This will not fix F11 on its own, but it drains the drum and rules out the blockage-related F05 fault.
Do not keep restarting cycles — the water will not pump away and you risk it spilling.

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

How much does it cost to repair Indesit F11?

£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 F11?

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 washer 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 Indesit washer dryer codes

All Indesit fault codes and repairs →

What this looks like when it happens

washer dryer not drying

Written by the engineers at ASAP Repairs, 0115 648 0929. We repair these machines for a living in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

Indesit F11 error — washer dryer