Willow E09 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 E09 actually means

The machine has decided the electricity reaching it is outside the range it will work with, so it has stopped rather than run on a bad supply.

Willow lists E09 as a voltage error, and it is one of the few codes the control board is designed to display to the owner rather than keep hidden for service use. The board monitors the incoming mains supply and halts the programme if it reads too high, too low or unstable. Because the fault is about the supply rather than a moving part, the drum and heater will normally be untouched and the machine usually restarts fine once the supply is steady again.

What E09 looks like on a Willow tumble dryer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Willow tumble dryer, E09 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not drying
Blowing cold air
Clothes still damp at the end
Takes hours to dry
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 weak or fluctuating mains supply in the house, often worse at certain times of day
Running the machine through an extension lead, multi-way adaptor or travel-type adaptor
A loose or worn socket, or a damaged plug connection
A generator, inverter or voltage-optimiser supply the board will not accept
A fault on the machine's own power input side of the control board

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 retry the programme.
Reset the machine as Willow intends: turn the programme knob to the off position and leave it there for about three seconds before selecting again.
Plug the machine straight into a wall socket on its own — no extension leads or adaptors.
Try a different wall socket if one is within reach of the cable without stretching it.
Note whether other appliances in the house flicker or trip at the same time; if they do, the problem is the supply, not the dryer, and it is an electrician's job.

Which Willow models show E09

E09 means the same thing on all 4 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.

W6120W · W7120W · WWM712BI · WWM814BI

Common questions about Willow E09

What does E09 mean on a Willow tumble dryer?

The machine has decided the electricity reaching it is outside the range it will work with, so it has stopped rather than run on a bad supply. Willow lists E09 as a voltage error, and it is one of the few codes the control board is designed to display to the owner rather than keep hidden for service use. The board monitors the incoming mains supply and halts the programme if it reads too high, too low or unstable. Because the fault is about the supply rather than a moving part, the drum and heater will normally be untouched and the machine usually restarts fine once the supply is steady again.

Can I fix Willow E09 myself?

There are 5 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then switch back on and retry the programme.
Reset the machine as Willow intends: turn the programme knob to the off position and leave it there for about three seconds before selecting again.
Plug the machine straight into a wall socket on its own — no extension leads or adaptors.
Try a different wall socket if one is within reach of the cable without stretching it.
Note whether other appliances in the house flicker or trip at the same time; if they do, the problem is the supply, not the dryer, and it is an electrician's job.

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

How much does it cost to repair Willow E09?

£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 E09?

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 Willow tumble dryer codes

All Willow 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.

Willow E09 error — tumble dryer