Willow E16 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 E16 actually means

The dryer has sensed the air inside it getting hotter than it should and has shut the cycle down to protect itself and your laundry.

E16 is a high temperature error. The control board watches the drying temperature and, if it climbs beyond the safe limit, it cuts the heat and stops the programme rather than carrying on. Nearly always the heat itself is fine — what has gone wrong is that hot air is not moving through the machine as quickly as it should, or the sensor reporting the temperature has drifted.

What E16 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, E16 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Machine door won't open
Door won't lock or click shut
Door lock light flashing
Door stuck shut with the load inside
Won't start even with the door closed
Not filling with water
No water going in
Takes for ever to fill

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 lint filter clogged with fluff, restricting airflow
A blocked condenser or air duct on the washer-dryer models
A crushed or kinked vent hose, or a blocked outside vent
Overloaded drum or heavily bunched-up washing trapping heat
A faulty temperature sensor or thermostat reporting falsely high readings

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.

Let the machine stand with the door open for half an hour so it can cool, then turn the knob to the off position and wait three seconds to reset it — that is the reset method Willow specifies.
Take the lint filter out and clear it thoroughly; fluff builds an invisible film that chokes airflow even when the filter looks clean.
If your model has a condenser filter at the bottom, rinse it under the tap and refit it once dry.
On a vented installation, check the hose is not kinked, squashed behind the machine or blocked at the outside grille.
Try a smaller load — a drum packed tight will trip the temperature limit on its own.

Which Willow models show E16

E16 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 E16

What does E16 mean on a Willow tumble dryer?

The dryer has sensed the air inside it getting hotter than it should and has shut the cycle down to protect itself and your laundry. E16 is a high temperature error. The control board watches the drying temperature and, if it climbs beyond the safe limit, it cuts the heat and stops the programme rather than carrying on. Nearly always the heat itself is fine — what has gone wrong is that hot air is not moving through the machine as quickly as it should, or the sensor reporting the temperature has drifted.

Can I fix Willow E16 myself?

There are 5 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Let the machine stand with the door open for half an hour so it can cool, then turn the knob to the off position and wait three seconds to reset it — that is the reset method Willow specifies.
Take the lint filter out and clear it thoroughly; fluff builds an invisible film that chokes airflow even when the filter looks clean.
If your model has a condenser filter at the bottom, rinse it under the tap and refit it once dry.
On a vented installation, check the hose is not kinked, squashed behind the machine or blocked at the outside grille.
Try a smaller load — a drum packed tight will trip the temperature limit on its own.

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

How much does it cost to repair Willow E16?

£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 E16?

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 E16 error — tumble dryer