What is actually happening
On a conventional dryer this is usually a failed element or a tripped thermal cut-out, and the cut-out normally trips because airflow was restricted — so replacing the part without clearing the fluff simply repeats the fault. On a heat pump dryer there is no element at all, and a dryer that runs a full cycle without heat and reports nothing is a different diagnosis entirely.
The White Knight fault codes that point at this
A White Knight 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 not heating:
- E00 — The touch control panel has lost contact with the dryer's main circuit board, so the two halves of the machine can no longer talk to each other.
- E02 — The machine isn't getting enough water in, so it has stopped and flagged a fill fault.
- E04 — The machine has lost sight of one of its main working parts and has stopped the cycle rather than carry on — on most of these White Knight dryers that means the heating side, and on the heat pump model it means the compressor.
- E05 — The dryer has lost a sensible reading from the temperature sensor on the heater, so it refuses to heat.
- E07 — The dryer has stopped because the control board isn't getting the drum turning as it should — on the heat pump models this points to a locked or disconnected drum motor.
- E08 — The dryer has decided the electricity reaching it isn't steady or strong enough to run safely, so it has stopped the cycle.
- E09 — The machine has measured the mains voltage reaching it and decided it is outside the range it is allowed to run on, so it has halted.
- E11 — The main control board has lost contact with the separate board that runs the drying side of the machine, so the dryer function stops.
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 White Knight tumble dryer
- A failed heating element
- A tripped thermal cut-out, usually caused by blocked airflow
- A blocked lint filter, condenser or vent hose restricting air
- On heat pump models, a refrigerant or compressor fault rather than an element
- A failed thermostat or sensor
What you can safely check yourself
- Clean the lint filter, and on a condenser model pull out and rinse the condenser block
- Check the vent hose is not crushed, kinked or full of fluff
- Note whether it is a heat pump model — the diagnosis and the cost are quite different
Still not heating?
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 White Knight 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 White Knight tumble dryer not heating?
The drum turns and the cycle runs, but the clothes come out cold and damp. On a conventional dryer this is usually a failed element or a tripped thermal cut-out, and the cut-out normally trips because airflow was restricted — so replacing the part without clearing the fluff simply repeats the fault. On a heat pump dryer there is no element at all, and a dryer that runs a full cycle without heat and reports nothing is a different diagnosis entirely.
Can I fix a White Knight tumble dryer not heating myself?
Clean the lint filter, and on a condenser model pull out and rinse the condenser block. Check the vent hose is not crushed, kinked or full of fluff. Note whether it is a heat pump model — the diagnosis and the cost are quite different. Beyond those checks this one normally needs an engineer.
What White Knight error codes mean not heating?
White Knight tumble dryers report this through their own fault codes. The ones that point at not heating are E00, E02, E04, E05, E07, E08. 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 White Knight 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 White Knight tumble dryer faults
- tumble dryer not drying the clothes
- tumble dryer drum not turning
- tumble dryer making a noise
- tumble dryer will not start
- tumble dryer burning smell
- tumble dryer keeps stopping