Montpellier E04 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 E04 actually means

The dryer has lost the electrical connection to the part that produces the heat, so it has stopped the cycle rather than tumble without drying.

On the condenser and vented Montpellier models, E04 means the control board can no longer see the heater on the end of its connector — either the plug is off or loose, or the heating element itself has gone open circuit. On the heat pump model the same code points at the compressor connector instead of a heater, since that machine makes its heat with a refrigeration circuit. Either way the board knows it cannot heat, so it flags the fault instead of running a cold cycle that would never dry the load.

What E04 looks like on a Montpellier tumble dryer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Montpellier tumble dryer, E04 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
Keeps saying empty the water container

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

Heater connector pushed off or loose on its terminals
Failed heating element (open circuit)
Damaged or chafed wiring between the control board and the heater
On the heat pump model, a disconnected compressor connector
Faulty main control board, which is the last thing checked rather than the first

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 dryer off at the wall for a minute, switch back on and try a cycle — a one-off fault reading will clear, a real one will come straight back
Take out the lint filter and wash it in lukewarm water, and clean the condenser if your model has one — heavy lint blocking airflow makes the heater run hot and is worth ruling out
Check the load isn't packed so tightly that air can't move through it

Which Montpellier models show E04

E04 means the same thing on all 16 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.

MCD7W · MCSD7K · MHP10SDW · MTDC8SDC · MTDC8SDK · MTDC8SDS · MTDC8SDW · MTDSC7W · MTDSC8W · MW5100P · MW6100P · MWM1014BLW · MWM814BLC · MWM814BLK · MWM814BLS · MWM814BLW

Common questions about Montpellier E04

What does E04 mean on a Montpellier tumble dryer?

The dryer has lost the electrical connection to the part that produces the heat, so it has stopped the cycle rather than tumble without drying. On the condenser and vented Montpellier models, E04 means the control board can no longer see the heater on the end of its connector — either the plug is off or loose, or the heating element itself has gone open circuit. On the heat pump model the same code points at the compressor connector instead of a heater, since that machine makes its heat with a refrigeration circuit. Either way the board knows it cannot heat, so it flags the fault instead of running a cold cycle that would never dry the load.

Can I fix Montpellier E04 myself?

There are 3 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the dryer off at the wall for a minute, switch back on and try a cycle — a one-off fault reading will clear, a real one will come straight back.
Take out the lint filter and wash it in lukewarm water, and clean the condenser if your model has one — heavy lint blocking airflow makes the heater run hot and is worth ruling out.
Check the load isn't packed so tightly that air can't move through it.

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

How much does it cost to repair Montpellier E04?

£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 E04?

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 Montpellier tumble dryer codes

All Montpellier fault codes and repairs →

What this looks like when it happens

tumble dryer not heating

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.

Montpellier E04 error — tumble dryer