Teknix E03 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 E03 actually means

The water isn't getting hot, so the dishwasher stops the programme partway through.

The control board watches the water temperature climb during the wash. If it doesn't rise as expected in the time allowed, it abandons the cycle and shows this fault. Teknix's own service notes put it down to the heater side of things — a broken heater element, a tripped thermal fuse or a loose heater connection — and also to the wash pump failing to circulate, because water that isn't being pumped past the heater never warms up.

What E03 looks like on a Teknix dishwasher

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Teknix dishwasher, E03 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Dishes coming out cold and wet
Not drying the load
Water not heating up
Tub not turning
Won't spin
Hums or buzzes but nothing moves
Turns one way only
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

Heater element has gone open circuit
Thermal fuse or cut-out on the heater has tripped
Loose or corroded connection at the heater
Wash pump not circulating properly, so the water never heats (weak motor capacitor is a common one)
Faulty temperature sensor or control board misreading the temperature

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 dishwasher off at the wall for a minute, then back on and run a short cycle — occasionally it's a one-off lockout
Clean the mesh and coarse filters in the bottom of the tub; a blocked filter starves the wash pump and can bring this fault on
Check both spray arms spin freely by hand and that no tall item or fallen utensil is jamming them
Make sure the machine isn't packed so tightly that water can't circulate

Which Teknix 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.

TBD605 · TBD606 · TFD455S · TFD455W · TFD616S · TFD616W

Common questions about Teknix E03

What does E03 mean on a Teknix dishwasher?

The water isn't getting hot, so the dishwasher stops the programme partway through. The control board watches the water temperature climb during the wash. If it doesn't rise as expected in the time allowed, it abandons the cycle and shows this fault. Teknix's own service notes put it down to the heater side of things — a broken heater element, a tripped thermal fuse or a loose heater connection — and also to the wash pump failing to circulate, because water that isn't being pumped past the heater never warms up.

Can I fix Teknix E03 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the dishwasher off at the wall for a minute, then back on and run a short cycle — occasionally it's a one-off lockout.
Clean the mesh and coarse filters in the bottom of the tub; a blocked filter starves the wash pump and can bring this fault on.
Check both spray arms spin freely by hand and that no tall item or fallen utensil is jamming them.
Make sure the machine isn't packed so tightly that water can't circulate.

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

How much does it cost to repair Teknix 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 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 Teknix dishwasher codes

All Teknix 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.

Teknix E03 error — dishwasher