Montpellier E16 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 E16 actually means

The machine has measured a higher temperature than it should reach during the drying part of the cycle, so it has shut the heat off and stopped.

On these Montpellier washer dryers and washing machines the control board watches the temperature while the drying heater is running. If the reading climbs past the safe limit — or the board is told it has — it flags E16, cuts the cycle and holds the fault rather than carrying on heating. In practice the drum is often still warm and the load is left damp part-way through drying.

What E16 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, E16 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
Stops after a few minutes

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

Restricted airflow through the drying system, usually from lint build-up
Very large or tightly packed load, so heat cannot carry away moisture
Temperature sensing on the drying side giving a false high reading
Heater circuit staying live when it should switch off
Control board fault or a poor connection on the heating side

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.

Let the machine cool right down before doing anything else — an overheat fault will often show again immediately if the drum is still hot.
Clean the lint filter thoroughly, including under running water if it is matted, and dry it before refitting.
Take out the load, split it into smaller batches and try a shorter drying cycle to see whether the fault only appears with a full drum.
Make sure the machine has clear space around it and is not drawing warm air from a cupboard or from behind a nearby appliance.
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then power up and try again — if E16 comes straight back it is a genuine fault rather than a one-off.

Which Montpellier models show E16

E16 means the same thing on all 6 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.

MWD8514W · MWM1014BLW · MWM814BLC · MWM814BLK · MWM814BLS · MWM814BLW

Common questions about Montpellier E16

What does E16 mean on a Montpellier tumble dryer?

The machine has measured a higher temperature than it should reach during the drying part of the cycle, so it has shut the heat off and stopped. On these Montpellier washer dryers and washing machines the control board watches the temperature while the drying heater is running. If the reading climbs past the safe limit — or the board is told it has — it flags E16, cuts the cycle and holds the fault rather than carrying on heating. In practice the drum is often still warm and the load is left damp part-way through drying.

Can I fix Montpellier E16 myself?

There are 5 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Let the machine cool right down before doing anything else — an overheat fault will often show again immediately if the drum is still hot.
Clean the lint filter thoroughly, including under running water if it is matted, and dry it before refitting.
Take out the load, split it into smaller batches and try a shorter drying cycle to see whether the fault only appears with a full drum.
Make sure the machine has clear space around it and is not drawing warm air from a cupboard or from behind a nearby appliance.
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then power up and try again — if E16 comes straight back it is a genuine fault rather than a one-off.

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

How much does it cost to repair Montpellier E16?

£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 E16?

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

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 E16 error — tumble dryer