White Knight E02 tumble dryer: 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 E02 actually means

The machine isn't getting enough water in, so it has stopped and flagged a fill fault.

These White Knight washer-dryers monitor how much water arrives once the fill valve opens. If the drum hasn't taken on the expected amount of water in the time allowed, the control board records "lack of water" and shows E02 rather than carrying on and running the heater or the wash action dry. It is one of only a handful of codes White Knight deliberately shows the end user, so it is meant to prompt you to check the water supply first.

What E02 looks like on a White Knight tumble dryer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a White Knight tumble dryer, E02 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
Not drying
Blowing cold air
Clothes still damp at the end
Takes hours to dry

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 tap behind the machine turned off or only part open
Fill hose kinked, crushed behind the machine or trapped after it has been moved
Blocked filter in the inlet hose or valve, usually silt or scale
Low mains water pressure, or a stopcock left partly closed after other plumbing work
Faulty water inlet valve or the sensor that measures the fill

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 tap feeding the machine is fully open — if it also feeds a mixer or an isolator, make sure that isn't half closed
Run a nearby cold tap to confirm you have normal mains pressure and the supply hasn't been shut off
Look behind the machine and make sure the fill hose isn't kinked, twisted or squashed against the wall
Switch off at the socket for a minute, then power up and restart a cycle to clear the code
If the machine has recently been moved or a new hose fitted, check the hose is fully screwed on and not cross-threaded

Which White Knight models show E02

E02 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.

WK-AT7WM148W · WK-ATBIWM814W

Common questions about White Knight E02

What does E02 mean on a White Knight tumble dryer?

The machine isn't getting enough water in, so it has stopped and flagged a fill fault. These White Knight washer-dryers monitor how much water arrives once the fill valve opens. If the drum hasn't taken on the expected amount of water in the time allowed, the control board records "lack of water" and shows E02 rather than carrying on and running the heater or the wash action dry. It is one of only a handful of codes White Knight deliberately shows the end user, so it is meant to prompt you to check the water supply first.

Can I fix White Knight E02 myself?

There are 5 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Check the tap feeding the machine is fully open — if it also feeds a mixer or an isolator, make sure that isn't half closed.
Run a nearby cold tap to confirm you have normal mains pressure and the supply hasn't been shut off.
Look behind the machine and make sure the fill hose isn't kinked, twisted or squashed against the wall.
Switch off at the socket for a minute, then power up and restart a cycle to clear the code.
If the machine has recently been moved or a new hose fitted, check the hose is fully screwed on and not cross-threaded.

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

How much does it cost to repair White Knight E02?

£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 E02?

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 tumble 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 White Knight tumble dryer codes

All White Knight 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.

White Knight E02 error — tumble dryer