If your Indesit washing machine is displaying the F06 error code on the display it means that it has detected a problem with the door interlock and the cycle can’t start.
Most of the time it’s because the door lock needs to be replaced but it can also mean that something is stopping the door from closing properly, the wiring has burned away or there is a problem with the printed circuit board.
It’s important to mention that before you start to inspect your washing machine or try to carry out any repairs you should isolate it from the electrical supply so that you can work safely.
This is what you should do if your Indesit washing machine has the F06 error:
Make sure the door is shut correctly
Start off by making sure that you’re shutting the door correctly on your washing machine.
It might seem obvious but if the door catch doesn’t make good contact with the door interlock, then it won’t be able to engage and start a wash cycle.
If something is blocking the door from shutting, you might not notice so you should look out for anything wedged in between the door seal and the door.
If an item of clothing or a towel is stuck in between the door and the drum, then you might still be able to close the door, but the door lock will have more pressure than usual which means it won’t lock.
It’s also common for older washing machines to have door interlock failure and this can mean that the lock is still able to engage but it takes better contact than on a newer washing machine.
Try closing the door with more force than you usually would but be careful not to damage the door when closing it.
If you find that slamming the door shut or giving it a bang whilst it’s closed helps the door lock and clears the F06 error code, then you should replace the door interlock.
Inspect the wires that power the door lock
It’s also common for the door lock wires to become damaged from burning or melting which you can usually diagnose by looking at them.
You will need to remove the front half of the door seal from your machine so you can gain access to the door interlock and the wires.
Once the door seal is removed you can then unscrew the door interlock and feed it through the front of the machine to get a better look at it.
If the electrical connection block that powers the door interlock has melted or looks like it’s crumbling away, then the wiring loom will need to be repaired or replaced.
You can also test for continuity through each of the wires by using an electrical multimeter from the control board to the door interlock connection block.
A lack of continuity would suggest that power can’t be sent to the door interlock from the printed circuit board which is an indication of faulty wiring.
You can usually find a replacement wiring loom for your washing machine by using the model number of your machine on a spare parts website.
It’s also possible to repair the wiring by cutting back any damaged wires and then reconnecting them to the connection block.
Depending on the model number of your washing machine the single cable might be available as opposed to a full wiring loom.
Replace the door interlock
If you have made sure that the door is being closed correctly and the wiring is in good condition, then you should move onto the door interlock.
It’s very common for a washing machine lock to fail and by replacing it you will usually fix the F06 error code.
Luckily the door interlock is one of the cheapest spare parts on a washing machine meaning that you can get your washer back up and running without breaking the bank.
Replacing the door interlock is fairly straightforward and if you followed the instructions above on how to inspect the wires then all you would have to do is swap over the cables to the new lock.
It is worth mentioning that in some rare cases, the door interlock may cause the printed circuit board to fail.
This is because the door interlock will cause an electrical short circuit across the electrical tracks on the printed circuit board when it fails.
This can usually be diagnosed by inspecting the circuit board and looking for any signs of burning across the electrical tracks.
It’s also common to see other symptoms when the control board fails such as the F18 error code or the machine will beep and not start the cycle intermittently.
Summary
That’s all the information that you need to fix the F06 error code on your Indesit washing machine.
Here is a short summary of everything we have discussed:
- Start off by making sure that the door is closed properly – It’s common for things to get caught in between the door and the drum and stop it from closing correctly
- Take the door seal off of the machine and make sure that the door lock wires are in good condition – Any signs of burning or melting would suggest that the wires need to be repaired or replaced
- If the door lock wires look like they are in good condition, then you should replace the door interlock – The F06 error code will usually be caused by a faulty door interlock which is an economical repair
If you’re still struggling with the F06 fault code, then the problem might be because the printed circuit board is faulty.
When an electrical part fails on a washing machine there is a chance that it causes an electrical short circuit on the control board which causes lasting damage.
This can usually be diagnosed by visually inspecting the circuit board and looking for any burn marks across the electrical tracks.
If it turns out that the circuit board has failed, then it might be cheaper to replace the machine depending on the model number because control board repairs or typically expensive on a washing machine.
If you need any more information on Indesit washing machine error codes, then you can go and check out our full technical guide which includes all the errors and what you can do to fix them.
