The F01 error code on an Indesit washing machine means that the motor triac has a short circuit and has failed.
This usually indicates a problem with the motor or the printed circuit board. Sometimes it might be that the carbon brushes on the motor have worn down and need to be replaced.
Before you go ahead and start to inspect your washing machine or attempt to carry out any repairs it’s important that you isolate the machine from the electrical supply so that you can work safely.
This is what you should do if your washing machine has the F01 error code:
Try to perform a hard reset
Start off by trying a hard reset on your washing machine which will help to clear any error codes that might have been triggered by mistake.
Indesit washing machines don’t have a programmatic reset meaning that you will need to isolate the machine from the electrical supply to reset it.
You can do this by turning the knob to the off position and unplugging the machine for around 5 – 10 minutes.
You might even be able to hear the capacitors discharging and making a clicking sound which means that it has been reset.
After some time has passed you can reconnect the machine and set it to a short cycle to test it.
If the wash cycle makes it to the end and completes without the error code displaying on the front, then there’s a good chance that it won’t reoccur.
Inspect the motor wiring
If performing a reset on the machine doesn’t seem to help, then you should move on to inspecting the motor wiring.
Although the F01 error code indicates a motor triac fault which is located on the circuit board it can be caused by faulty wiring and a lack of communication from the motor to the circuit board.
You should remove the back cover of the machine and take a look at the motor which is located at the bottom of the drum.
Look out for any signs of failure like broken wires, burning or melting on the wires and any problems with the motor cable connector block.
If you find that a wire is broken near the end, then it’s possible to repair it by cutting back the broken wiring with wire cutters and then adding the relevant connector back on.
Another alternative is to order a wiring loom for your machine and then use the motor cables from the loom to replace all of the wiring from the control board down to the motor.
It might also be a good idea to check for continuity from the circuit board to the motor if you have an electrical multimeter which will help to rule out a lack of communication or power to the control board and motor.
Inspect the motor carbon brushes
When the carbon brushes are worn down on a washing machine it will stop turning the drum and can cause a range of error codes related to the motor.
One of the most common repairs that a washing machine will need in its lifetime is for the carbon brushes to be replaced.
You can check the carbon brushes by removing them from the motor to make sure that they have enough length on them.
Comparing the old carbon brushes to the length of a new set is a good way to figure out if they need to be replaced. If the carbon brushes seem to be very short in comparison, then there’s a good chance they have worn out.
It’s worth mentioning that not all Indesit washing machines have carbon brush powered motors and if your machine has a silent motor then it probably won’t have a set of carbon brushes.
You can often find the correct carbon brushes for your machine by using the model number on a spare parts website to get matched up with the right ones.
Check the control board
If you are sure that the motor wiring and the carbon brushes are functioning correctly then you should move on to inspecting the control board.
The F01 error code on an Indesit washing machine indicates a problem with the motor triac which is located on the control board.
The motor triac is responsible for the motor turning in each direction and allows the motor to turn the drum clockwise and counterclockwise to balance out the wash load.
If you have ever heard your washing machine making a clicking sound from the controls, then there’s a good chance that it’s the motor triac working away in the background.
When the triac fails it means that the control board can’t control the direction of the motor and balance out the wash load so it will stop the wash and display an error code.
It’s difficult to diagnose a faulty triac but sometimes you can see signs that the triac has failed such as burn marks or scorch marks.
It’s also possible that the electrical tracks on the control board have become damaged which means the triac can’t communicate with the rest of the circuit board which can be diagnosed by looking across all of the electrical tracks for scorch marks.
You should replace the control board on your washing machine with a new one which should clear the F01 error and allow you to use your washing machine.
You can often find new and used replacement control boards for Indesit washing machines online and you should make sure that it’s economical to repair your machine before going ahead and ordering the part.
Sometimes the cost of a new control board can outweigh the cost of replacing the machine because it’s often an expensive washing machine repair.
Summary
That pretty much sums up everything that you should be looking out for if your Indesit washing machine Is showing the F01 error code.
Here is a summary of everything:
- Start off by trying a hard reset on your machine – This will help to clear any errors that have been displayed when they shouldn’t have and will give the control board a chance to reset
- Move on to taking a look at the motor wiring – The F01 error code is related to a motor fault which can be caused by bad communication from the motor
- Remove the carbon brushes from the motor and make sure that they have a good amount of length left on them – Low carbon brushes on a washing machine motor can cause it not to spin and display error codes related to the motor
- Take a look at the control board for any signs of failure such as burn marks or scorch marks across the electrical connections – If you find any then you should replace the control board
If you are interested in other Indesit washing machine error codes, then you can take a look at our technical guide on what each of them means and how to fix them.
