Zanussi E22 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 E22 actually means

The dryer's control board has lost confidence in the circuit that switches the pump moving condensed water up to the water container, and it has shut the cycle down.

On these Zanussi condenser dryers, water collected from the drum is pumped into the canister (the water container you empty). The board switches that pump through a component called a triac, and it also monitors that switching circuit to confirm it is behaving. E22 is raised when the monitoring side of that circuit reads wrong — the board is effectively saying it can no longer trust its own pump output — so it interrupts the cycle and shuts down rather than risk running the pump blind.

What E22 looks like on a Zanussi tumble dryer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Zanussi tumble dryer, E22 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
Machine not draining
Water left in the drum at the end of the cycle
Stops mid-cycle full of water

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 on the control board itself — this is what the listing gives as the cause
Damage to the board from water or condensate reaching it
Wiring or a poor connection between the board and the canister fill pump
A failing pump loading the switching circuit

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.

Empty the water container and push it fully home, so a genuinely full canister isn't part of the picture
Clean the door filter and the fluff filter and clear the condenser access as far as you can reach by hand
Turn the dryer off at the wall for a minute, then switch back on and try a short cycle — an isolated glitch will sometimes clear
Check the drum isn't overloaded and the door is closing and latching properly before restarting

Common questions about Zanussi E22

What does E22 mean on a Zanussi tumble dryer?

The dryer's control board has lost confidence in the circuit that switches the pump moving condensed water up to the water container, and it has shut the cycle down. On these Zanussi condenser dryers, water collected from the drum is pumped into the canister (the water container you empty). The board switches that pump through a component called a triac, and it also monitors that switching circuit to confirm it is behaving. E22 is raised when the monitoring side of that circuit reads wrong — the board is effectively saying it can no longer trust its own pump output — so it interrupts the cycle and shuts down rather than risk running the pump blind.

Can I fix Zanussi E22 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Empty the water container and push it fully home, so a genuinely full canister isn't part of the picture.
Clean the door filter and the fluff filter and clear the condenser access as far as you can reach by hand.
Turn the dryer off at the wall for a minute, then switch back on and try a short cycle — an isolated glitch will sometimes clear.
Check the drum isn't overloaded and the door is closing and latching properly before restarting.

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

How much does it cost to repair Zanussi E22?

£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 E22?

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 Zanussi tumble dryer codes

All Zanussi 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.

Zanussi E22 error — tumble dryer