Sharp E15 washer dryer: what it means & what to check

What E15 actually means

The machine has flagged a problem with its waterjet — the spray of water it uses to wet and rinse the load — and has stopped the programme rather than carry on with the wash unfinished.

E15 is a waterjet error. It sits in the group of codes intended for engineers running the service autotest rather than the handful the machine normally shows a customer, so seeing it on the display usually means the control has picked up a fault in the water delivery to the drum — most often the valve or the flow feeding that jet — and has abandoned the cycle. The documents name the fault but do not set out a step-by-step cause list, so the exact culprit has to be confirmed on the machine.

What E15 looks like on a Sharp washer dryer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Sharp washer dryer, E15 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, restricted or at low pressure
Blocked filter or debris in the inlet where water enters the machine
Faulty water inlet valve solenoid
Fault in the flow sensing that tells the control how much water has passed
Wiring or control board fault on the water circuit

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 machine is fully open and that other taps in the house are running normally
Look behind the machine and make sure the inlet hose is not kinked, crushed or trapped
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then power up and restart a short programme to see whether the code returns at the same point
If it fills but the code comes back every time in the same place, note when it happens — it helps the engineer

Which Sharp models show E15

E15 means the same thing on all 2 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.

ES-GDD9144W0-EN · ES-GDF964W

Common questions about Sharp E15

What does E15 mean on a Sharp washer dryer?

The machine has flagged a problem with its waterjet — the spray of water it uses to wet and rinse the load — and has stopped the programme rather than carry on with the wash unfinished. E15 is a waterjet error. It sits in the group of codes intended for engineers running the service autotest rather than the handful the machine normally shows a customer, so seeing it on the display usually means the control has picked up a fault in the water delivery to the drum — most often the valve or the flow feeding that jet — and has abandoned the cycle. The documents name the fault but do not set out a step-by-step cause list, so the exact culprit has to be confirmed on the machine.

Can I fix Sharp E15 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Check the water tap feeding the machine is fully open and that other taps in the house are running normally.
Look behind the machine and make sure the inlet hose is not kinked, crushed or trapped.
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then power up and restart a short programme to see whether the code returns at the same point.
If it fills but the code comes back every time in the same place, note when it happens — it helps the engineer.

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

How much does it cost to repair Sharp E15?

£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 E15?

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 washer 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 Sharp washer dryer codes

All Sharp fault codes and repairs →

Written by the engineers at ASAP Repairs, 0115 648 0929. We repair these machines for a living in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

Sharp E15 error — washer dryer