White Knight E13 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 E13 actually means

The display and control panel has stopped talking to the machine's main control board, so the appliance won't take instructions.

White the fault logs E13 as an LCD communication error. The main control board expects a steady exchange of signals with the display board that carries the screen and buttons; when those messages stop arriving or come back corrupted, the machine halts and shows the code rather than running a cycle it can no longer be sure of. Typically the owner sees a display that lights up but freezes, ignores button presses, or throws the code within seconds of pressing start.

What E13 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, E13 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Leaking
Water on the floor
Puddle underneath
Shuts itself down and won't restart
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

A loose or partly unseated ribbon/plug between the display board and the main board
A failed display (LCD) board behind the control panel
A fault on the main control board itself
Damage or corrosion on the connecting harness, often after damp or a leak
Corrupted control software on one of the two boards

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.

Switch off at the wall socket, leave it for a minute, then power back up — a genuine one-off communication glitch can clear this way
Check the plug and socket are sound and the appliance isn't sharing an overloaded extension lead
If the code returns immediately after a power cycle, stop there — the rest of this fault sits behind the control panel and is not owner-serviceable

Which White Knight models show E13

E13 means the same thing on all 3 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-ATBIWM814W

Common questions about White Knight E13

What does E13 mean on a White Knight tumble dryer?

The display and control panel has stopped talking to the machine's main control board, so the appliance won't take instructions. White the fault logs E13 as an LCD communication error. The main control board expects a steady exchange of signals with the display board that carries the screen and buttons; when those messages stop arriving or come back corrupted, the machine halts and shows the code rather than running a cycle it can no longer be sure of. Typically the owner sees a display that lights up but freezes, ignores button presses, or throws the code within seconds of pressing start.

Can I fix White Knight E13 myself?

There are 3 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Switch off at the wall socket, leave it for a minute, then power back up — a genuine one-off communication glitch can clear this way.
Check the plug and socket are sound and the appliance isn't sharing an overloaded extension lead.
If the code returns immediately after a power cycle, stop there — the rest of this fault sits behind the control panel and is not owner-serviceable.

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

How much does it cost to repair White Knight E13?

£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 E13?

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 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 E13 error — tumble dryer