When you own a washing machine or other electrical appliance it’s important to be able to identify error codes and their meanings. The Candy washing machine error E03 means that there is a problem draining water from the tub. This stops the machine in the drain cycle and trips the warning so you know what to start troubleshooting.
Unfortunately, there could be a number of reasons for the malfunction. Some will luckily be easy to fix yourself and clear the error codes. Others will be more complex and require further assistance from a qualified technician. It will take a bit of time to go through all the possibilities, but through the process of elimination, the solution will be found.
In this article, I will give you all the information you need to determine how to fix the Candy washing machine error codes that are giving you problems.
Why am I getting the E03 error code?
Unfortunately, there is no easy way to answer this since the E03 error code only tells you that the Candy washing machine isn’t draining. It doesn’t actually tell you why. You could call a Hoover washing machine technician to do a service call right away, but you might spend money needlessly. There are a number of reasons that the warning is lit that you can troubleshoot yourself.
The best thing to do is to start looking for the cause where it is most likely to be and then move on to the next thing if the problem isn’t resolved. Let’s start with the drain pump filter.
Clogged drain pump filter
There is a pump that removes the water from the drum and feeds it to the hose to take it down the drain pipes. This pump has a filter that is also called a coin trap. Small objects such as coins, hair bands, and small socks can often get sucked through the drum and into the filter. When it gets clogged, it can’t pump the water through and the error code is tripped since there is a problem in the drain circuit. The first thing to do is manually drain the tub of water.
- Disconnect the washing machine from the power supply and get some towels and a shallow receptacle
- Locate the service panel at the bottom front of the washing machine
- Some Candy washing machines have a small drain hose so if yours has one then withdraw it and place the end over the receptacle
- Open the nozzle and let the water drain out until it stops and then replace the nozzle
- Locate the cover cap next to the hose and turn it counterclockwise letting the remaining water out slowly
- Pull out the filter and inspect it for any obstructions such as coins, small socks, or hair bands
- The housing for the filter also needs to be cleaned out as it can have sludge build-up collecting there
- Check the X-shaped impeller in the back of the housing to see if it moves freely by turning it with your finger
- Once everything has been inspected and cleaned you should replace everything and close it up
- Close the service flap and reconnect the washing machine to the mains power supply
Any obstructions found in the filter or housing means that are the likely cause of the E03 error codes and you can easily fix them yourself. If the impeller wouldn’t move on its own, you likely have a foreign object clogging it that will need to be removed professionally if you weren’t able to see anything blocking its movement. If it is clear then you need to run a test cycle and see if that clears the code and will drain properly once it gets to that phase.
Any sign of the E03 error code flashing again means that you have to continue the process of elimination to see why the washing machine isn’t draining. However, it is likely that there is a problem with the drain pump being faulty.
Use a multimeter to see if there is any current passing through it. When there is no signal then this means that the pump is faulty and a replacement is needed. When there is a reading, then the problem could rest with the circuit board either because of a poor connection, or there is a memory chip issue in which case a replacement pump is not needed.
Clogged drain hose
The hose that runs from the tub to the drain can easily get clogged and send water back into the machine which triggers the E03 error codes
. Once you have the machine drained and it is confirmed that there is not a problem with the drain filter, you should inspect the hose to see if there is anything clogging it.
The drain hose is susceptible to getting bent since it is flexible so the first thing to do is to check if there are any kinks that could block the flow of water. If you moved the washing machine recently, or it was shaking a lot from being off balance then this can cause it to bend and block the flow of water.
After having inspected it and confirmed that there are no kinks or bends you will need to see if it is clogged in any way.
- Disconnect the machine from the mains power and close the water inlet valve
- Turn the machine over onto its side so you can access the valve where the tub connects to the hose
- Have a towel ready to collect water when it comes out and unscrew the clamp that connects the hose
- Remove the hose from the washer end and see if there is an obstruction there
- If there is no obstruction at the end of the hose, take it outside and flush it with a garden hose to remove anything that might be stuck in there
- Take note if there was any sludge that came out as that can easily build up in the corrugated hose
- Replace the hose making sure that the end that goes into the pipe doesn’t go down more than four inches inside
- Turn the washer upright reconnect the power and turn the water supply on again
Hopefully, you found something clogging the hose since this would mean that your problem is solved. To be sure, you will need to do a test cycle again to see if it successfully drains. An unsuccessful test cycle that shows the E03 error code flash means that you still have some investigating to do.
Clogged drain pipe
Since the sump hose connects to the main drain either under the sink or at its own dedicated drain pipe, there is the possibility that there is a clog there somewhere. If you have the hose connected to the pipe under the sink then think about if the water has been clearing slowly there for a period of time. A slow-draining kitchen sink means that there is an obstruction in the pipe somewhere that is restricting the flow of water.
When the hose is attached to its own pipe then this will be less noticeable. In either case, you need to check the U-bend section of the pipe at the bottom. This collects debris and small objects and is usually what gets clogged.
If that section is clear then you should use a snake to clear any obstruction that may be further down the pipe.
Faulty door lock
On any side-loading washing machine, washer dryers, or even loading Candy washing machines if the door is open it will interrupt the wash cycle and not clear water before it hits the spin cycle. Hopefully, the error light came on because the door was slightly ajar when the water tub filled before the spin cycle began. This way you just need to give it a strong push to lock securely.
Barring this, you will need to manually remove the water as described earlier in the article, disconnect the washing machine from the power and inspect the door lock. There could be an obstruction in there from the build of lint that is common when dealing with washer dryers. Or, the latch for the door may be dirty and the sensor can’t tell when it connects. Take some rubbing alcohol and clean up the latch so the sensor can read it.
Check to see if the lock assembly is loose and tighten it up so the door closes firmly. After doing all of this, run a test cycle and see if the fault code clears. You may get a new error code if it was indeed the door. If it shows an E01 fault code then you know the issue is the door lock assembly and it needs to be replaced.
Heating element problem
Sometimes there is an issue with the heater element that causes the E03 error code on a Candy washing machine instead of the E05. This interrupts the cycle and can stop when there is water in the tub so it triggers the wrong code.
If you noticed recently that your clothes were either coming out of the wash too cold or too hot then there is likely a problem with the heater or the water temperature sensor. You’ll know that this is the case if you can set the machine to drain and it does clear some of the water before stopping again. At this point, it may even switch the code to E05 or another related to the control board or a drum sensor issue.
Final Word
Washing machines can be quite fickle and hard to understand. When you have an issue that needs to be fixed your first instinct is to call a Candy technician. However, before you pick up the phone make sure to follow the tips above to see about fixing the problem yourself to save time and money.
FAQ
How do I clear an error code on a Candy or Hoover washing machine?
You may need to do a reset on some washing machines to get the fault code to clear when you have fixed the cause of the problem. This can be as simple as pressing the Start button for 3 to 5 seconds to be able to switch cycles, or you may need to unplug the machine or shut it down from the fuse box for a few minutes. This will clear the memory chip reset the machine to the factory default settings and clear the fault code.
How do I clear a clog in the hose without detaching it?
There is a way to clear a sump hose if it is clogged without removing it. You can use a plumbing snake to clear it as you would do for any blocked pipe. However, be careful since the sump hose is flexible and can tear if you are too rough. Pull out the snake and any sludge should come out with it.
