When your tumble dryer breaks down all of a sudden, it can be tricky to figure out what’s going on.
If your Candy dryer is displaying an error code, it’s a great way to figure out what’s exactly wrong with your dryer.
We have put together a list of Candy tumble dryer error codes and what they mean. Read through our description of the errors and our repair advice to get your dryer back up and running again.
E3 Candy Tumble Dryer Error Code (water tank)
The water tank has indicated that it is full of water and needs to be emptied. If the E3 error code is displayed on the machine and the water tank is empty, it will be caused by a sensor or part failure.
Reasons for the E3 error code:
- The water tank is full
- The pump has failed and the water chamber at the bottom of the dryer is full of water
- The water tank sensor is faulty and will need to be replaced
- The water pump float has gotten jammed in the closed position
Most condenser dryers have a pump that pushes the water through to the water tank.
The pump will have a small float device that closes when the chamber is full of water which indicates that the water tank is full.
You should inspect the water chamber and remove any blockages and replace the pump if necessary.
E4 Candy Tumble Dryer Error Code (selector fault)
The program selector has indicated that is experiencing a fault. This can be a sign that the control board is faulty, or the control knob is incorrectly positioned.
Reasons for the E4 error code:
- The program selector knob is stuck between two positions
- The program selector switch is faulty
- The control board has an error.
The first thing you should do is make sure that the control knob is properly selected on a cycle.
If the knob has gotten wet or has any grease in the switch, it will feel stiff to turn. If this is the case, it can cause an E3 error.
If the program selector seems to be in working order, the control board will need to be replaced.
E5 Candy Tumble Dryer Error Code (NTC error)
The front NTC on the machine has failed and needs to be replaced. This error code is exclusive to the front drying sensors that measure the temperature during the cycle.
Cady tumble dryers will usually have multiple NTCs throughout the machine and 1 – 2 of them will be located in the front near the drum.
Before replacing the NTC, you should inspect the NTC and remove any lint or fluff that is covering the sensor.
If you don’t regularly clean out the lint filter on your dryer, the excess fluff will make its way through the dryer and cover the sensors which causes faults.
E6 Candy Tumble Dryer Error Code (control board)
The machine has indicated that the control module has failed and needs to be repaired or replaced.
Check the following:
- Make sure that the control board cables are properly plugged in
- Look for any evidence of burning or blow marks on the control board
Before replacing the printed circuit board, you should try isolating the machine from the electricity for 5 minutes as it might be a one-off occurrence.
E7 Candy Tumble Dryer Error Code (airflow)
The machine has indicated that there is poor airflow at the back of the machine. This fault can also cause overheating problems.
You should correctly position in an area that has good ventilation and make sure that the vent which is located at the back of the dryer is not covered.
Condenser tumble dryers need to be able to ventilate the warm air out into the open and if the ventilation is blocked, it can overheat and cause further problems.
If your dryer has good ventilation and you’re experiencing the E7 error code, then it might be caused by a faulty sensor which is reporting false temperature information to the control board.
E8 Candy Tumble Dryer Error Code (thermal fuse)
The thermal fuse has blown and needs to be replaced. The machine has overheated which causes the fuse to blow so the overheating fault will need to be addressed.
Although the E8 error code means the thermal fuse needs to be replaced, it’s usually caused by an overheating fault in the dryer.
What you should check:
- Make sure that the dryer has good ventilation
- Clean out the condenser unit – excess lint from the fluff filter makes its way through to the condenser
- Remove any lint from the air vents inside the machine
- Make sure that the heater doesn’t have lint near it – This can cause fires and excess heat
The thermal fuse on a tumble dryer is a one-shot device which protects the machine from overheating to the point it’s unsafe.
Before replacing the fuse, it’s important that you take care of the overheating in the machine.
E9 Candy Tumble Dryer Error Code (thermal cut-out)
The E9 fault code means that the thermal cut-out has been triggered and needs to be replaced.
The thermal cut-out is usually located on the heating element and on some dryers, the full heating element will need to be replaced.
This fault is caused by excessive heat inside the dryer, which is a separate fault that needs to be dealt with before a new thermal cut-out is fitted.
If you fit a new thermal cut-out without fixing the overheating problem, the cut-out will trigger again.
What you should do:
- Make sure the dryer is well ventilated and has good airflow
- Make sure the machine is not pushed up against a wall which blocks the vents
- Check the condenser for blockages and make sure the lint filter is regularly emptied
As mentioned, the full heating element might need to be replaced if you can’t source the thermal cut-out on its own. Replacing the heating element on a candy dryer is a fairly straightforward repair.
E10 Candy Tumble Dryer Error Code (load balance)
The dryer wash load sensor has indicated that there are not enough clothes in the drum.
The E10 error code will usually display when the drum is empty, and a cycle is started. This is to alert you to accidental use.
You should make sure that you have loaded the dryer drum properly and that you’re not trying to dry one or two items of clothing.
If your dryer is showing the E10 error and there are enough clothes inside the drum for a cycle, then the sensor will need to be replaced as it’s feeding bad information to the control board.
E14 Candy Tumble Dryer Error Code (NTC faulty)
The E14 error code indicates that one of the NTCs on the dryer has failed and needs to be replaced.
The location of the NTC can vary depending on the model. Here’s a list of common places to find the NTC:
- The front of the machine behind the cabinet – This can be accessed by removing the front panel
- At the top of the machine near the front of the machine – this is a rarer location to find an NTC
- Near the air exhaust vent which is behind the fan that circulates the air in the dryer
- Close to the heating element which is located at the rear of the machine
It can be difficult to diagnose which NTC has failed and it can help to use an electrical multimeter to check for any open circuits in the NTCs.
E15 Candy Tumble Dryer Error Code (heater relay)
The heater relay is faulty and needs to be replaced. The relay on a heater is usually located on the main circuit board and controls the power going to the heating element at the back of the machine.
What you should do:
- Make sure that the heating element is plugged into the control board. The plug is near the heating element at the back of the machine.
- Check that the control board wires are not damaged and are all securely fitted to the PCB.
Most of the time the E15 error code will result in you having to replace the printed circuit board. It’s important that you source the correct board for your dryer as you can’t interchange them like other parts.
E21 Candy Tumble Dryer Error Code (memory)
The control board has indicated that it is experiencing a memory parity error. This is actually a problem with the random access memory (RAM) on the control board.
What you should do:
- Disconnect the machine from the power – this will reset the control board and the RAM
- Remove all of the cables from the control board and then reconnect them – look for any loose or faulty wires
- Try avoiding the cycle that caused the error
If your dryer continues to experience an E21 error code, then you might need to replace the board.
It’s difficult to repair this fault on a control board because not every component of the PCB is available to buy and only parts like the relay or the capacitors and readily available.
E22 Candy Tumble Dryer Error Code (printed circuit board)
The E22 error code means that the printed circuit board has failed. The circuit board is usually located behind the display on Candy tumble dryers.
Possible reasons for this error code:
- The control board has failed and needs to be repaired
- The cables have come loose on the control board
- A part has failed on the machine and short circuited the control module
The first thing you should do is unplug the dryer for 5 – 10 minutes. This will clear the error code and it might have been a one-off occurrence.
If the error code persists, you will need to source and replace the control module. Replacing a tumble dryer circuit board is fairly straightforward.
We have a full guide on how to fix the E22 error code on a Candy dryer which goes into more detail on what causes this fault.
It’s important that you buy the correct board for your dryer as they are not interchangeable.
