Montpellier E21 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 E21 actually means

The machine has tried to empty the drum and the water level hasn't dropped, so it has shut the pump down and stopped.

During the drain part of the cycle the control board watches the water level sensor. If the level hasn't changed after about three minutes of pumping, it decides the water isn't going anywhere, switches the pump off and shows the code. You'll usually find the drum still holding water and the door refusing to release.

What E21 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, E21 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Machine door won't open
Door won't lock or click shut
Door lock light flashing
Door stuck shut with the load inside
Won't start even with the door closed
Machine not draining
Water left in the drum at the end of the cycle
Stops mid-cycle full of water

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

A blockage in the drain pump or its filter \a sra, hair grip, coin or a small sock is the usual culprit
Drain hose kinked or crushed behind the machine
Blocked or badly fitted standpipe or sink trap the hose empties into
Faulty drain pump, or a poor connection to it
Main control board fault \a the least common of the four

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 and leave it a minute before restarting \a it will sometimes clear a one-off
Pull the machine out gently and check the drain hose isn't kinked, trapped or squashed against the wall
Check the pump filter behind the flap at the bottom front, with a shallow tray and towels ready for the water \a clear any coins, buttons or fluff you find
Make sure the end of the drain hose or the standpipe it sits in isn't blocked with detergent sludge
Run a rinse and spin and watch whether any water leaves the machine at all

Which Montpellier models show E21

E21 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 E21

What does E21 mean on a Montpellier washing machine?

The machine has tried to empty the drum and the water level hasn't dropped, so it has shut the pump down and stopped. During the drain part of the cycle the control board watches the water level sensor. If the level hasn't changed after about three minutes of pumping, it decides the water isn't going anywhere, switches the pump off and shows the code. You'll usually find the drum still holding water and the door refusing to release.

Can I fix Montpellier E21 myself?

There are 5 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall and leave it a minute before restarting \a it will sometimes clear a one-off.
Pull the machine out gently and check the drain hose isn't kinked, trapped or squashed against the wall.
Check the pump filter behind the flap at the bottom front, with a shallow tray and towels ready for the water \a clear any coins, buttons or fluff you find.
Make sure the end of the drain hose or the standpipe it sits in isn't blocked with detergent sludge.
Run a rinse and spin and watch whether any water leaves the machine at all.

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

How much does it cost to repair Montpellier E21?

£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 E21?

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 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 E21 error — washing machine