Electrolux dishwasher not heating the water

What is actually happening

Dishwashers heat their own water, so a cold cycle usually means the element or its control has failed. It shows up as two complaints at once — dishes still greasy and dishes still wet — because both depend on the same heat. On many machines the cycle will still run to the end, which is why it can go unnoticed for weeks.

The Electrolux fault codes that point at this

A Electrolux dishwasher 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 not heating the water:

• E01 — The dishwasher hasn't taken in enough water in the time it expects, so it has abandoned the cycle.
• E03 — The water in the machine isn't reaching the temperature the programme asked for, so the dishwasher halts and flags a heating fault.
• E06 — The dishwasher has lost the signal from its temperature sensor, so it can't tell how hot the water is and shuts the cycle down.
• E07 — The dishwasher has lost a sensible reading from its water temperature sensor and has stopped the programme rather than heat the water blind.
• F04 — The dishwasher isn't seeing water flow into the machine, so it has halted rather than run a cycle dry.
• F06 — The dishwasher can no longer trust its water temperature reading, so it has stopped rather than risk heating the water uncontrolled.
• F07 — The dishwasher isn't heating the water the way it should, and the control board has stopped the cycle rather than carry on.

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 Electrolux dishwasher

• A failed heating element or flow-through heater
• A failed thermostat or NTC sensor
• A control board fault where the element itself is sound
• Limescale on the element in a hard-water area

What you can safely check yourself

1. Open the door partway through a hot cycle — the steam and warmth should be obvious
2. Note whether dishes are also coming out wet, which points the same way

Common questions

Why is my Electrolux dishwasher not heating the water?

The cycle runs but the water stays cold, so grease stays put and nothing dries. Dishwashers heat their own water, so a cold cycle usually means the element or its control has failed. It shows up as two complaints at once — dishes still greasy and dishes still wet — because both depend on the same heat. On many machines the cycle will still run to the end, which is why it can go unnoticed for weeks.

Can I fix a Electrolux dishwasher not heating the water myself?

Open the door partway through a hot cycle — the steam and warmth should be obvious. Note whether dishes are also coming out wet, which points the same way. Beyond those checks this one normally needs an engineer.

What Electrolux error codes mean not heating the water?

Electrolux dishwashers report this through their own fault codes. The ones that point at not heating the water are E01, E03, E06, E07, F04, F06. 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 Electrolux dishwasher 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 Electrolux dishwasher faults

• dishwasher not draining
• dishwasher will not switch on
• dishwasher not cleaning the dishes
• dishwasher not drying the dishes
• dishwasher leaking
• dishwasher lights flashing

Repairs we cover near you

• Dishwasher Repairs — what we charge and how it works
• Dishwasher Repairs in Nottingham
• Dishwasher Repairs in Arnold
• Dishwasher Repairs in Beeston
• Dishwasher Repairs in West Bridgford

Written by the engineers at ASAP Repairs from our own repair notes. See also our general guide to dishwashers not heating the water and our Electrolux repairs page.