Montpellier F03 dishwasher: 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 F03 actually means

The dishwasher has started to fill but isn't seeing water actually flow in, so it stops the cycle rather than carry on dry.

Water entering the machine passes a flow meter, which sends pulses back to the control board so it knows how much has gone in. If the board opens the inlet valve and gets no pulses for roughly 50 seconds, it gives up and flags F03. The same code is also used where the machine believes water is coming in when it shouldn't be — a valve that isn't shutting off properly — so it covers both ends of the fill problem.

What F03 looks like on a Montpellier dishwasher

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Montpellier dishwasher, F03 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not filling with water
No water going in
Takes for ever to fill
Stops right at the start of the cycle
No function at all
Dead — nothing lights up
Lights flashing and nothing happening
Programme won't start

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 supply turned off, or the tap only part open
Fill hose kinked or crushed behind the machine
Blocked filter in the inlet hose connection, restricting flow to a trickle
Faulty or stuck water inlet valve
Flow meter not sending pulses, or a loose connection to it

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.

Check the water tap feeding the dishwasher is fully open, and that other cold taps in the house are running normally
Look behind the machine (without pulling it out hard) and make sure the fill hose isn't kinked, trapped or squashed
Turn the dishwasher off at the wall for a minute, switch back on and start a short programme — this clears the fault so you can see whether it returns at the same point
If it filled very slowly before the fault appeared, note that — it points at a restriction rather than a dead valve, and is useful to an engineer

Which Montpellier models show F03

F03 means the same thing on all 25 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.

MAB1353C · MAB1353DC · MAB1353K · MAB1353R · MAB6015C · MAB6015K · MAB6015R · MDI450-2 · MDI600 · MDI605 · MDI650K · MDI650W · MDI650X · MDI655K · MDI655W · MDI655X · MDI700 · MDI705 · MDI800 · MDWBI4553 · MDWBI6095 · MDWBID4553 · MDWBID6053 · MDWBID6064 · MINH90

Common questions about Montpellier F03

What does F03 mean on a Montpellier dishwasher?

The dishwasher has started to fill but isn't seeing water actually flow in, so it stops the cycle rather than carry on dry. Water entering the machine passes a flow meter, which sends pulses back to the control board so it knows how much has gone in. If the board opens the inlet valve and gets no pulses for roughly 50 seconds, it gives up and flags F03. The same code is also used where the machine believes water is coming in when it shouldn't be — a valve that isn't shutting off properly — so it covers both ends of the fill problem.

Can I fix Montpellier F03 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Check the water tap feeding the dishwasher is fully open, and that other cold taps in the house are running normally.
Look behind the machine (without pulling it out hard) and make sure the fill hose isn't kinked, trapped or squashed.
Turn the dishwasher off at the wall for a minute, switch back on and start a short programme — this clears the fault so you can see whether it returns at the same point.
If it filled very slowly before the fault appeared, note that — it points at a restriction rather than a dead valve, and is useful to an engineer.

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

How much does it cost to repair Montpellier F03?

£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 F03?

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 dishwasher 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 dishwasher 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 F03 error — dishwasher