What is actually happening
A motor that runs while the drum stands still is almost always a snapped drive belt — the belt is a thin band that wraps the whole drum, and when it goes the motor spins freely with nothing to drive. The easy confirmation is that the drum will turn far too freely by hand, with none of the usual resistance.
The Hoover fault codes that point at this
A Hoover tumble dryer 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 drum not turning:
- E04 — The dryer has lost a sensible signal from its programme selector dial, so it doesn't know which cycle you've asked for and stops.
- E05 — The dryer has lost a sensible reading from the temperature sensor at the front of the drum, so it has stopped the drying cycle rather than run blind.
- E06 — The dryer's main circuit board has failed its own internal memory check, so it has shut the cycle down rather than run blind.
- E07 — The dryer isn't getting enough air through it, and it's blaming a blocked fluff filter.
- E10 — The dryer has stopped because it isn't sensing a normal load of damp washing heating up as it should — on some Hoover models the same code means the display and main control board have stopped talking to each other.
- E11 — The dryer has detected that it's getting too hot at the back of the condenser and has stopped the cycle to protect itself.
- E14 — The dryer has lost a sensible reading from the temperature sensor at the back of the drum, so it has shut the drying cycle down.
- E22 — The dryer's control board cannot switch the compressor on and off properly, so it has shut the drying cycle down.
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 Hoover tumble dryer
- A snapped or slipped drive belt
- A failed drum bearing or worn support rollers, which can seize the drum
- A failed motor or motor capacitor
- An item jammed between the drum and the casing
What you can safely check yourself
- With the dryer off, turn the drum by hand — no resistance at all points at a broken belt
- Listen: a motor humming with no drum movement is the classic sign
- Check nothing is jammed at the edge of the drum
Still drum not turning?
Most of these need an engineer once the checks above are done. £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 Hoover 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 Hoover tumble dryer drum not turning?
The dryer starts and hums, but the drum does not turn. A motor that runs while the drum stands still is almost always a snapped drive belt — the belt is a thin band that wraps the whole drum, and when it goes the motor spins freely with nothing to drive. The easy confirmation is that the drum will turn far too freely by hand, with none of the usual resistance.
Can I fix a Hoover tumble dryer drum not turning myself?
With the dryer off, turn the drum by hand — no resistance at all points at a broken belt. Listen: a motor humming with no drum movement is the classic sign. Check nothing is jammed at the edge of the drum. Beyond those checks this one normally needs an engineer.
What Hoover error codes mean drum not turning?
Hoover tumble dryers report this through their own fault codes. The ones that point at drum not turning are E04, E05, E06, E07, E10, E11. 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 Hoover tumble dryer 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 Hoover tumble dryer faults
- tumble dryer not heating
- tumble dryer not drying the clothes
- tumble dryer making a noise
- tumble dryer will not start
- tumble dryer burning smell
- tumble dryer keeps stopping