White Knight E14 tumble dryer: what it means & what to check

What E14 actually means

The dryer side of the machine isn't getting hot — the control checked the temperature during drying and saw no meaningful rise, so it stopped and flagged the fault.

During drying, the board switches on a heating element with the fan and watches the dryer temperature sensor. If the temperature hasn't climbed by around 10°C after a few minutes of heating, it treats the heating circuit as dead and shows E14. On these White Knight washer-dryers it points at the dryer heater, the drying fan or a tripped thermostat rather than anything to do with the wash side, which is why clothes usually come out washed but still soaking or barely warm.

What E14 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, E14 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

Failed dryer heating element
Tripped or open thermal cut-out (thermostat) on the heater
Drying fan not running, so heat never reaches the sensor
Faulty dryer temperature sensor reading a false low
Very cold or badly ventilated room, or a heavily overloaded drum, holding the temperature down

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 start a drying cycle again — an occasional one-off reading will clear.
Try a smaller load; a drum packed tight slows the temperature rise the control is looking for.
If the machine is in a cold garage or an enclosed cupboard, warm/ventilate the space and retry — the manufacturer expects normal room conditions for drying.
Make sure the water tap is fully open and the drain hose isn't kinked or pushed too far down the standpipe, as these machines use water and the pump during the drying cycle.

Which White Knight models show E14

E14 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 E14

What does E14 mean on a White Knight tumble dryer?

The dryer side of the machine isn't getting hot — the control checked the temperature during drying and saw no meaningful rise, so it stopped and flagged the fault. During drying, the board switches on a heating element with the fan and watches the dryer temperature sensor. If the temperature hasn't climbed by around 10°C after a few minutes of heating, it treats the heating circuit as dead and shows E14. On these White Knight washer-dryers it points at the dryer heater, the drying fan or a tripped thermostat rather than anything to do with the wash side, which is why clothes usually come out washed but still soaking or barely warm.

Can I fix White Knight E14 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then start a drying cycle again — an occasional one-off reading will clear.
Try a smaller load; a drum packed tight slows the temperature rise the control is looking for.
If the machine is in a cold garage or an enclosed cupboard, warm/ventilate the space and retry — the manufacturer expects normal room conditions for drying.
Make sure the water tap is fully open and the drain hose isn't kinked or pushed too far down the standpipe, as these machines use water and the pump during the drying cycle.

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

How much does it cost to repair White Knight E14?

£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 E14?

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 →

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 E14 error — tumble dryer