White Knight E03 tumble dryer: what it means & what to check

What E03 actually means

The dryer thinks the condensed water can't be pumped away dash usually because the water tank is full, or the machine can't tell that it isn't.

A condenser dryer collects the moisture it pulls out of your washing and pumps it up into the water tank in the front or top of the machine. A float switch (the aquaswitch) tells the control board whether the tank has room; the pump then moves the water. If the switch reports full, or the pump doesn't do its job when asked, the dryer halts the cycle and puts E03 up so it doesn't overflow inside.

What E03 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, 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
Stops after a few minutes

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 tank simply full and needing emptying
Tank not pushed fully home, so the machine can't sense it correctly
Broken or dislodged float in the pump reservoir, so it always reads as full
Drain pump not running dash often a loose connection to the pump rather than the pump itself
Faulty or disconnected float switch wiring

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.

Empty the water tank, then push it firmly back in until it seats properly dash this clears the fault on most machines
If your dryer is plumbed to a drain instead of using the tank, check the hose isn't kinked, trapped behind the machine or lifted too high
Clean the fluff filter and, if your model has an accessible condenser, rinse it out dash a badly blocked machine can throw up other warnings alongside this one
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then power up and restart the programme

Which White Knight models show E03

E03 means the same thing on all 4 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-AT75WDW · WK-AT7WM148W · WK-AT8CW · WK-ATBIWM814W

Common questions about White Knight E03

What does E03 mean on a White Knight tumble dryer?

The dryer thinks the condensed water can't be pumped away dash usually because the water tank is full, or the machine can't tell that it isn't. A condenser dryer collects the moisture it pulls out of your washing and pumps it up into the water tank in the front or top of the machine. A float switch (the aquaswitch) tells the control board whether the tank has room; the pump then moves the water. If the switch reports full, or the pump doesn't do its job when asked, the dryer halts the cycle and puts E03 up so it doesn't overflow inside.

Can I fix White Knight E03 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Empty the water tank, then push it firmly back in until it seats properly dash this clears the fault on most machines.
If your dryer is plumbed to a drain instead of using the tank, check the hose isn't kinked, trapped behind the machine or lifted too high.
Clean the fluff filter and, if your model has an accessible condenser, rinse it out dash a badly blocked machine can throw up other warnings alongside this one.
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then power up and restart the programme.

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

How much does it cost to repair White Knight 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 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 →

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 E03 error — tumble dryer