Zanussi E51 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 E51 actually means

The dryer has shut the cycle down because the switch on the control board that feeds power to the drum motor has failed short-circuit — in effect it can no longer control the motor.

The motor on these dryers is switched by a triac on the electronic control board. When the board sees that triac stuck closed (or reads a fault in the motor circuit that it can't reconcile), it halts the cycle rather than run the motor uncontrolled. It's also the code the machine falls back on if the motor's overheat cut-out keeps tripping — the board first logs E52 and, if power to the motor keeps failing over roughly 35 minutes, it raises E51 instead.

What E51 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, E51 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not drying
Blowing cold air
Clothes still damp at the end
Takes hours to dry
Drum not turning
Won't spin
Hums or buzzes but nothing moves
Turns one way only

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

Failed triac on the electronic control board
Faulty drum motor, or a motor repeatedly tripping its own overheat cut-out
Failed motor start capacitor — usually gives a hum with little or no drum movement
Damaged or loose wiring between the board and the motor

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 dryer off at the wall for a minute, then power it back up and start a cycle — if the code returns straight away it's a genuine fault, not a glitch.
Clean the lint filter and the condenser filter if your model has one, and check the vent hose isn't kinked or blocked. A dryer struggling for airflow makes the motor run hot, and overheating is what leads to this code on some machines.
Don't overload the drum — a heavy, packed load loads the motor unnecessarily.

Common questions about Zanussi E51

What does E51 mean on a Zanussi tumble dryer?

The dryer has shut the cycle down because the switch on the control board that feeds power to the drum motor has failed short-circuit — in effect it can no longer control the motor. The motor on these dryers is switched by a triac on the electronic control board. When the board sees that triac stuck closed (or reads a fault in the motor circuit that it can't reconcile), it halts the cycle rather than run the motor uncontrolled. It's also the code the machine falls back on if the motor's overheat cut-out keeps tripping — the board first logs E52 and, if power to the motor keeps failing over roughly 35 minutes, it raises E51 instead.

Can I fix Zanussi E51 myself?

There are 3 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the dryer off at the wall for a minute, then power it back up and start a cycle — if the code returns straight away it's a genuine fault, not a glitch.
Clean the lint filter and the condenser filter if your model has one, and check the vent hose isn't kinked or blocked. A dryer struggling for airflow makes the motor run hot, and overheating is what leads to this code on some machines.
Don't overload the drum — a heavy, packed load loads the motor unnecessarily.

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

How much does it cost to repair Zanussi E51?

£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 E51?

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

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 E51 error — tumble dryer