White Knight E50 tumble dryer: what it means & what to check

What E50 actually means

The control panel is running the wrong software for this machine, so it won't accept the program you've selected.

On these White Knight washer-dryers the display/control panel board holds its own software, and it has to match the model it is fitted to. E50 is the machine's way of reporting that the software on the LCD panel is not the correct version for the appliance, so the control system refuses to run a cycle. It is a control fault rather than anything mechanical — nothing is blocked, leaking or worn out.

What E50 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, E50 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 replacement display or control panel fitted with the wrong software version
A previous repair where the board was swapped but never reprogrammed for the model
Corrupted or incomplete software on the display board
A communication problem between the display board and the main control board being reported as a software mismatch

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 socket, leave it for a minute, then switch back on — an occasional glitch will clear on a full power-down
Check the program dial is properly on a program and not left between settings, then try starting again

Which White Knight models show E50

E50 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 E50

What does E50 mean on a White Knight tumble dryer?

The control panel is running the wrong software for this machine, so it won't accept the program you've selected. On these White Knight washer-dryers the display/control panel board holds its own software, and it has to match the model it is fitted to. E50 is the machine's way of reporting that the software on the LCD panel is not the correct version for the appliance, so the control system refuses to run a cycle. It is a control fault rather than anything mechanical — nothing is blocked, leaking or worn out.

Can I fix White Knight E50 myself?

There are 2 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall socket, leave it for a minute, then switch back on — an occasional glitch will clear on a full power-down.
Check the program dial is properly on a program and not left between settings, then try starting again.

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

How much does it cost to repair White Knight E50?

£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 E50?

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 E50 error — tumble dryer