What E03 actually means
The machine can't get the water out of the drum, so it has stopped and flagged a drain pump fault.
During the drain or spin part of the cycle the machine expects the water level to drop, and it hasn't. The control board reads that as a pump failure and halts the programme, usually leaving water sitting in the drum. It's a genuine drainage fault rather than a random glitch, and it won't clear until the water can get away properly.
What usually causes it
- Blocked pump filter — coins, hair grips, lint, fluff
- Kinked, trapped or blocked drain hose
- Blockage in the sink trap or standpipe the hose drains into
- Something jammed in the pump impeller, such as a bra wire
- Failed drain pump or its wiring
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 try a drain or spin cycle.
- Clean the pump filter at the front bottom of the machine — put a shallow tray and towels down first, as water will come out.
- Check the drain hose behind the machine isn't kinked, squashed against the wall or pushed too far down the standpipe.
- If the hose drains into a sink trap, check the trap isn't blocked with grease.
- Don't run a wash while there's standing water in the drum.
When to call someone
This sometimes clears with the checks above. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly. We cover Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, and it's £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it — £84 in total if it's repaired on the visit with no parts needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.
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 Willow washing machine codes
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