What E16 actually means
The drying side of the machine has got too hot, so the control board has shut the heaters down and stopped the cycle.
On these Sharp washer dryers the drying air is pushed through a heater group by a fan and its temperature is watched by a sensor (the dryer NTC). If that sensor sees the air climbing past the safe limit, the board cuts the drying cycle and logs E16 as a dryer overheat. It is one of the codes that normally only appears in the service autotest rather than on the display, so seeing it usually means the machine has been read out or is repeating the fault.
What E16 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, E16 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
- Not filling with water
- No water going in
- Takes for ever to fill
- Stops right at the start of the cycle
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
- Airflow through the drying system restricted — heavily overloaded drum or a packed, damp load
- Cold water not reaching the condenser, because the tap is off or the inlet is restricted
- Fan group not running at proper speed, so hot air sits around the heaters
- Faulty dryer temperature sensor giving a false high reading
- Fault on the dryer board or heater group holding the heat on
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 try a short drying cycle with a much smaller load
- Check the cold tap is fully open and the inlet hose is not kinked or trapped behind the machine
- Clean the pump filter and make sure water is draining freely — a machine that is not clearing water will not condense properly
- Let the appliance cool down fully before retrying if it has been running back-to-back cycles
- Check the machine is not pushed hard against the wall with the hoses crushed behind it
Which Sharp models show E16
E16 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 E16
What does E16 mean on a Sharp washer dryer?
The drying side of the machine has got too hot, so the control board has shut the heaters down and stopped the cycle. On these Sharp washer dryers the drying air is pushed through a heater group by a fan and its temperature is watched by a sensor (the dryer NTC). If that sensor sees the air climbing past the safe limit, the board cuts the drying cycle and logs E16 as a dryer overheat. It is one of the codes that normally only appears in the service autotest rather than on the display, so seeing it usually means the machine has been read out or is repeating the fault.
Can I fix Sharp E16 myself?
There are 5 checks you can safely do yourself first.
- Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then try a short drying cycle with a much smaller load.
- Check the cold tap is fully open and the inlet hose is not kinked or trapped behind the machine.
- Clean the pump filter and make sure water is draining freely — a machine that is not clearing water will not condense properly.
- Let the appliance cool down fully before retrying if it has been running back-to-back cycles.
- Check the machine is not pushed hard against the wall with the hoses crushed behind it.
This one usually needs an engineer once you have tried them.
How much does it cost to repair Sharp 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 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
- Sharp E17 — The washer dryer has lost a reliable reading from the flowme…
- Sharp E18 — The temperature sensor on the drying side is giving a readin…
- Sharp E01 — The machine cannot lock the door, so it refuses to start fil…
- Sharp E02 — The machine hasn't taken in enough water in the time it expe…
- Sharp E03 — The machine can't get the water out of the drum, so it has s…
- Sharp E04 — The machine has found more water in the drum than it should …
- Sharp E05 — The machine can't get a sensible temperature reading from th…
- Sharp E06 — The machine has stopped because the control board isn't gett…
All Sharp fault codes and repairs →