Willow E18 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 E18 actually means

The machine has a problem with its brushless (BLDC) motor drive and has stopped rather than trying to turn the drum.

E18 is a BLDC failure — the electronics that drive and monitor the brushless motor have reported something they don't like, so the cycle is halted. In practice you'll see the drum stop turning, or refuse to start at all, with the programme abandoning partway through. On these washer-dryer models the same motor drives the wash and the drying rotation, so nothing useful happens until it's sorted.

What E18 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, E18 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Drum not turning
Won't spin
Hums or buzzes but nothing moves
Turns one way only
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 fault in the motor control electronics
A problem with the brushless motor itself
A loose or damaged connection between the control board and the motor
Something jamming the drum so the motor can't turn freely
Control board software mismatched to the motor card

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 off, leave it for about three seconds, then try a short cycle — this is Willow's own reset and will clear a one-off glitch
Switch off at the wall socket for a minute, then power back up and retry
Take some of the load out — a heavily overpacked drum can stall the motor
Turn the drum by hand with the machine off and check it moves freely, without anything trapped behind it

Which Willow models show E18

E18 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 E18

What does E18 mean on a Willow tumble dryer?

The machine has a problem with its brushless (BLDC) motor drive and has stopped rather than trying to turn the drum. E18 is a BLDC failure — the electronics that drive and monitor the brushless motor have reported something they don't like, so the cycle is halted. In practice you'll see the drum stop turning, or refuse to start at all, with the programme abandoning partway through. On these washer-dryer models the same motor drives the wash and the drying rotation, so nothing useful happens until it's sorted.

Can I fix Willow E18 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the programme knob to off, leave it for about three seconds, then try a short cycle — this is Willow's own reset and will clear a one-off glitch.
Switch off at the wall socket for a minute, then power back up and retry.
Take some of the load out — a heavily overpacked drum can stall the motor.
Turn the drum by hand with the machine off and check it moves freely, without anything trapped behind it.

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

How much does it cost to repair Willow E18?

£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 E18?

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 drum not turning

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 E18 error — tumble dryer