Montpellier E12 washing machine: what it means & what to try

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 E12 actually means

The machine has taken in too much water and shut the fill valve off to stop it overflowing.

A sensor watches the water level in the drum. When it sees the level go above the safe maximum, the machine closes the water valve, stops the cycle and shows E12. Either water is genuinely still coming in when it shouldn't be, or the level sensor is misreading and the machine has stopped as a precaution.

What E12 looks like on a Montpellier washing machine

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Montpellier washing machine, E12 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

Water inlet valve stuck open, so it keeps filling
Blocked or kinked air pipe to the pressure sensor, giving a false reading
Faulty water level (pressure) sensor
Too much detergent creating a mass of foam that fools the sensor
Fault on the control board or its wiring to the sensor

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 see if the code clears
Turn the water tap off at the wall — if water keeps trickling into the drum with the machine off, the fill valve has failed and needs an engineer
Check you're not using too much detergent; run a rinse-only cycle with no detergent to clear excess foam
Make sure the drain hose is not pushed too far down the standpipe, which can siphon water back in

Which Montpellier models show E12

E12 means the same thing on all 4 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.

MIWM65 · MW6215W · MW7142P · MWM1214W

Common questions about Montpellier E12

What does E12 mean on a Montpellier washing machine?

The machine has taken in too much water and shut the fill valve off to stop it overflowing. A sensor watches the water level in the drum. When it sees the level go above the safe maximum, the machine closes the water valve, stops the cycle and shows E12. Either water is genuinely still coming in when it shouldn't be, or the level sensor is misreading and the machine has stopped as a precaution.

Can I fix Montpellier E12 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then switch it back on and see if the code clears.
Turn the water tap off at the wall — if water keeps trickling into the drum with the machine off, the fill valve has failed and needs an engineer.
Check you're not using too much detergent; run a rinse-only cycle with no detergent to clear excess foam.
Make sure the drain hose is not pushed too far down the standpipe, which can siphon water back in.

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

How much does it cost to repair Montpellier E12?

£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 E12?

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 Montpellier washing machine codes

All Montpellier 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.

Montpellier E12 error — washing machine