White Knight E17 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 E17 actually means

The dryer's temperature sensor isn't giving the control board a sensible reading, so the machine stops rather than heat blind.

E17 is logged as a dryer NTC failure. The NTC is the small thermistor that tells the control board how hot the air in the drying circuit is; if its reading goes out of range, or the board loses the signal from it altogether, the machine abandons the drying cycle. Because the board has no reliable way of knowing the temperature, it will not run the heater — that's a deliberate safety cut-out, not a random glitch.

What E17 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, E17 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 drying
Blowing cold air
Clothes still damp at the end

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

The dryer temperature sensor (NTC) itself has failed or drifted out of range
A loose or corroded plug on the sensor, so the board reads it as open circuit
Damaged or chafed wiring between the sensor and the control board
Restricted airflow through the drying circuit making temperatures behave abnormally
A fault on the control board's sensing side

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 switch back on and start a drying programme again — if the code returns straight away it's a genuine sensor or wiring fault, not a one-off
Clean the fluff filter and make sure nothing is blocking airflow around the machine
Check the door shuts with a click and the drum isn't overloaded, then retry a short drying programme

Which White Knight models show E17

E17 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 E17

What does E17 mean on a White Knight tumble dryer?

The dryer's temperature sensor isn't giving the control board a sensible reading, so the machine stops rather than heat blind. E17 is logged as a dryer NTC failure. The NTC is the small thermistor that tells the control board how hot the air in the drying circuit is; if its reading goes out of range, or the board loses the signal from it altogether, the machine abandons the drying cycle. Because the board has no reliable way of knowing the temperature, it will not run the heater — that's a deliberate safety cut-out, not a random glitch.

Can I fix White Knight E17 myself?

There are 3 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then switch back on and start a drying programme again — if the code returns straight away it's a genuine sensor or wiring fault, not a one-off.
Clean the fluff filter and make sure nothing is blocking airflow around the machine.
Check the door shuts with a click and the drum isn't overloaded, then retry a short drying programme.

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

How much does it cost to repair White Knight E17?

£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 E17?

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 E17 error — tumble dryer