Servis E03 washing machine: 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 E03 actually means

The machine can't get the water out — the drain pump isn't doing its job, so it has stopped with a drum full of water.

E03 is a pump fault. The control board expects the water level to drop once the drain pump runs, and when it doesn't within the expected time it halts the cycle and shows the code. Most of the time the pump itself is fine and something is blocking or restricting the drain path.

What E03 looks like on a Servis washing machine

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Servis washing machine, E03 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
Overfilling, or won't stop filling
Stops with water still inside
Fills and drains over and over
No function at all

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

Blocked pump filter — coins, hair grips, buttons, fluff
Kinked, trapped or blocked drain hose
Blocked sink trap or standpipe the hose empties into
Drain hose pushed too far down the standpipe, or set at the wrong height
Failed drain pump or a wiring/control board fault

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 back on and try a drain or spin — it can clear a one-off glitch
Clean the pump filter at the bottom front of the machine (put a towel and shallow tray down first, water will come out)
Check the drain hose isn't kinked, squashed behind the machine or crushed against the wall
If the hose drains into a sink trap, check the trap isn't blocked with grease
Make sure the hose end isn't pushed too far into the standpipe and the outlet isn't blocked

Which Servis models show E03

E03 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.

W814FGHDB · W814FGHDS · W814FGHDW · W814FLHDB · W814FLHDS · W814FLHDW

Common questions about Servis E03

What does E03 mean on a Servis washing machine?

The machine can't get the water out — the drain pump isn't doing its job, so it has stopped with a drum full of water. E03 is a pump fault. The control board expects the water level to drop once the drain pump runs, and when it doesn't within the expected time it halts the cycle and shows the code. Most of the time the pump itself is fine and something is blocking or restricting the drain path.

Can I fix Servis E03 myself?

There are 5 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then back on and try a drain or spin — it can clear a one-off glitch.
Clean the pump filter at the bottom front of the machine (put a towel and shallow tray down first, water will come out).
Check the drain hose isn't kinked, squashed behind the machine or crushed against the wall.
If the hose drains into a sink trap, check the trap isn't blocked with grease.
Make sure the hose end isn't pushed too far into the standpipe and the outlet isn't blocked.

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

How much does it cost to repair Servis E03?

£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 E03?

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 Servis washing machine codes

All Servis 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.

Servis E03 error — washing machine