White Knight E15 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 E15 actually means

The machine has detected that the drying side is getting too hot and has shut the heat off to protect itself.

E15 is logged as a high temperature error. During the drying part of the cycle the control board watches the temperature in the drum and air path, and if the reading climbs past the safe limit it stops heating and throws the fault rather than carrying on. The wash side of these White Knight washer-dryers usually still works — it's the drying stage that stops or finishes with the load still damp.

What E15 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, E15 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Machine door won't open
Door won't lock or click shut
Door lock light flashing
Door stuck shut with the load inside
Won't start even with the door closed
Not filling with water
No water going in
Takes for ever to fill

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

Blocked or clogged lint filter starving the machine of airflow
Restricted air path or condenser passages full of fluff
Machine pushed too tight against a wall or drying in a cramped, unventilated space
Overloading, so hot air can't circulate through the load
Temperature sensor reading falsely high, or a heater circuit staying on when it shouldn't

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.

Clean the lint filter thoroughly under a running tap and let it dry fully before refitting
Pull the machine forward a little so there's air space behind it, and open a window or door if the room is small and closed up
Turn it off at the wall for a few minutes, let it cool right down, then run a short drying cycle with a smaller load
If it dries a half load without complaint, the fault was almost certainly airflow — keep the filter clean every cycle

Which White Knight models show E15

E15 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 E15

What does E15 mean on a White Knight tumble dryer?

The machine has detected that the drying side is getting too hot and has shut the heat off to protect itself. E15 is logged as a high temperature error. During the drying part of the cycle the control board watches the temperature in the drum and air path, and if the reading climbs past the safe limit it stops heating and throws the fault rather than carrying on. The wash side of these White Knight washer-dryers usually still works — it's the drying stage that stops or finishes with the load still damp.

Can I fix White Knight E15 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Clean the lint filter thoroughly under a running tap and let it dry fully before refitting.
Pull the machine forward a little so there's air space behind it, and open a window or door if the room is small and closed up.
Turn it off at the wall for a few minutes, let it cool right down, then run a short drying cycle with a smaller load.
If it dries a half load without complaint, the fault was almost certainly airflow — keep the filter clean every cycle.

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

How much does it cost to repair White Knight E15?

£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 E15?

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 E15 error — tumble dryer