Willow E11 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 E11 actually means

The main control board has lost communication with the separate board that runs the drying side of the machine, so the dryer function won't start or continue.

On these Willow washer dryers the drying half of the machine has its own control card, and the two boards have to talk to each other constantly. E11 is logged when that conversation breaks down — the main board sends instructions and gets nothing sensible back, so it stops rather than run the heater blind. Willow classes this as a service code rather than a customer one, so it is normally read out by an engineer in the fault log; if it has appeared on your display, the washing side may still work while drying does nothing or halts early.

What E11 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, E11 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not drying
Blowing cold air
Clothes still damp at the end
Takes hours to dry
Stops after a few minutes
Finishes far too early
No function at all
Dead — nothing lights up

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 loose or corroded plug between the main board and the drying control board
Damaged or chafed wiring in the loom linking the two boards
A failed drying control card
A failed main control board
Moisture or heat damage on the connections behind the control panel

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 programme knob to the off position and leave it for three seconds — this resets the machine and clears a one-off glitch
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then restore power and try a drying programme again
If drying still fails, note whether washing completes normally — that tells the engineer the fault is on the drying board side

Which Willow models show E11

E11 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 E11

What does E11 mean on a Willow tumble dryer?

The main control board has lost communication with the separate board that runs the drying side of the machine, so the dryer function won't start or continue. On these Willow washer dryers the drying half of the machine has its own control card, and the two boards have to talk to each other constantly. E11 is logged when that conversation breaks down — the main board sends instructions and gets nothing sensible back, so it stops rather than run the heater blind. Willow classes this as a service code rather than a customer one, so it is normally read out by an engineer in the fault log; if it has appeared on your display, the washing side may still work while drying does nothing or halts early.

Can I fix Willow E11 myself?

There are 3 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the programme knob to the off position and leave it for three seconds — this resets the machine and clears a one-off glitch.
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then restore power and try a drying programme again.
If drying still fails, note whether washing completes normally — that tells the engineer the fault is on the drying board side.

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

How much does it cost to repair Willow E11?

£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 E11?

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 Willow tumble dryer codes

All Willow fault codes and repairs →

What this looks like when it happens

tumble dryer not heating

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 E11 error — tumble dryer