What is actually happening
The door interlock is deliberately stubborn: it will not release while the machine believes there is water in the drum, and on most machines it holds for a minute or two after the end of a cycle. A door that never releases is either a machine that still thinks it is full, or an interlock that has failed — often with the handle mechanism broken separately.
The Candy fault codes that point at this
A Candy washing machine will usually tell you what it thinks is wrong before anyone opens it up. These are the codes we hold for this make that relate to door will not open:
- E00 — The machine's main control board has either failed or has never been programmed with the settings for your model, so it can't run a cycle.
- E02 — The machine hasn't taken in enough water in the time it allows, so it has stopped and flagged a filling fault.
- E03 — The machine tried to pump the water out, didn't manage it in the time allowed, and has stopped with a drum still holding water.
- E04 — The machine has taken on too much water and the anti-flood safety in the pressure switch has cut in three times, so it has locked itself out to avoid a flood.
- E07 — The machine can't get a proper reading from the door lock — the control board thinks the door interlock is stuck in the locked position.
- E18 — The machine's main control board isn't reading the mains electricity supply properly, so it shuts the cycle down.
- E20 — The machine can't get a reliable reading of how much water is inside it, so it halts rather than risk filling or draining blind.
If yours is showing one of those, that is a much shorter conversation than a general fault — tell us the code when you book and the engineer can often carry the part.
The usual causes on a Candy washing machine
- Water still in the drum from a drain fault, so the lock is doing its job
- A failed door interlock solenoid stuck in the locked position
- A broken door handle or catch mechanism
- A cycle interrupted by a power cut, leaving the machine mid-program
What you can safely check yourself
- Wait a full five minutes after the end of the cycle — many machines hold the lock deliberately
- Run a drain or spin-only cycle: if the drum has water in it the door will not release until it is gone
- Switch off at the wall for ten minutes, then power up — this clears an interrupted program on most machines
Still door will not open?
If the checks above have not sorted it, it needs looking at properly. £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 engineers work on Candy machines week in, week out, so they arrive knowing the machine rather than reading the back of it. Local engineers across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.
Call 0115 648 0929 Book online — postcode and number is all we need
Common questions
Why is my Candy washing machine door will not open?
The cycle has finished, or stopped, and the door stays locked shut. The door interlock is deliberately stubborn: it will not release while the machine believes there is water in the drum, and on most machines it holds for a minute or two after the end of a cycle. A door that never releases is either a machine that still thinks it is full, or an interlock that has failed — often with the handle mechanism broken separately.
Can I fix a Candy washing machine door will not open myself?
Wait a full five minutes after the end of the cycle — many machines hold the lock deliberately. Run a drain or spin-only cycle: if the drum has water in it the door will not release until it is gone. Switch off at the wall for ten minutes, then power up — this clears an interrupted program on most machines. Those checks fix it more often than not.
What Candy error codes mean door will not open?
Candy washing machines report this through their own fault codes. The ones that point at door will not open are E00, E02, E03, E04, E07, E18. If your machine is showing one of those, that narrows it down considerably — each has its own guide on this site.
How much does a Candy washing machine repair cost?
£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.
Other Candy washing machine faults
- washing machine not draining
- washing machine not spinning
- washing machine leaking water
- washing machine making a loud noise
- washing machine not heating the water
- washing machine will not turn on