White Knight E18 tumble dryer: what it means & what to check

What E18 actually means

The temperature sensor on the drying side is giving a reading the control board doesn't believe, so the machine has stopped rather than heat blind.

E18 on these White Knight machines is logged as a dryer NTC fault — the NTC is the thermistor that tells the board how hot the air in the drum is. The software expects it to report a sensible starting temperature (the fault works to a window of roughly 0°C to 50°C); if the value falls outside that, or drifts in a way that doesn't match what the heater is doing, the board treats the reading as untrustworthy, skips the heating stage and releases the error. In practice that means a cycle that tumbles but never gets warm, or one that halts partway through drying, while washing on the same machine is often unaffected.

What E18 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, E18 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not drying
Blowing cold air
Clothes still damp at the end
Takes hours to dry
Not drying properly
Takes hours to dry a load
Getting hot but the clothes stay damp
No function at all

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

Faulty NTC temperature sensor on the drying circuit
Loose or corroded connector between the sensor and the control board
Damaged or chafed sensor wiring inside the machine
The machine standing in a garage or outbuilding cold enough to put the reading outside the expected range
Control board fault misreading an otherwise healthy sensor

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 restart a drying cycle — a one-off glitch will sometimes clear.
If the machine lives somewhere very cold, such as an unheated garage or outhouse, let the room and the machine warm up before trying again. A genuinely cold start can push the sensor reading outside the range the board accepts.
Clear the lint filter and make sure nothing is blocking airflow, so you can be sure the lack of heat isn't a separate airflow problem.

Which White Knight models show E18

E18 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 E18

What does E18 mean on a White Knight tumble dryer?

The temperature sensor on the drying side is giving a reading the control board doesn't believe, so the machine has stopped rather than heat blind. E18 on these White Knight machines is logged as a dryer NTC fault — the NTC is the thermistor that tells the board how hot the air in the drum is. The software expects it to report a sensible starting temperature (the fault works to a window of roughly 0°C to 50°C); if the value falls outside that, or drifts in a way that doesn't match what the heater is doing, the board treats the reading as untrustworthy, skips the heating stage and releases the error. In practice that means a cycle that tumbles but never gets warm, or one that halts partway through drying, while washing on the same machine is often unaffected.

Can I fix White Knight E18 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 restart a drying cycle — a one-off glitch will sometimes clear.
If the machine lives somewhere very cold, such as an unheated garage or outhouse, let the room and the machine warm up before trying again. A genuinely cold start can push the sensor reading outside the range the board accepts.
Clear the lint filter and make sure nothing is blocking airflow, so you can be sure the lack of heat isn't a separate airflow problem.

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

How much does it cost to repair White Knight E18?

£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 E18?

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 E18 error — tumble dryer