Washing machine not filling with water: causes and what to do
When a washing machine does not fill with water, the programme does not start or stops right at the beginning, and after a few minutes the display shows a water supply error: IE on LG, 4E/4C on Samsung, F17/E17 on Bosch and Siemens, E10 on Electrolux, E02 on Beko and Vestel.
The cause is usually outside the machine: the water is off, the tap is not fully open, the hose is kinked or the inlet mesh filter is blocked. You can check all of this in a few minutes without tools.
Likely causes
- the water supply is off, or the tap to the machine is closed (or not fully open);
- low mains water pressure;
- a kinked or squashed inlet hose — for example, the machine moved from vibration;
- blocked mesh filters at the inlet — in the hose fitting and at the inlet valve (rust, sand);
- a drain hose fitted too low or pushed deep into the drain — water runs out by itself while the machine fills;
- a frozen hose or tap (machine on a cold balcony);
- a faulty inlet valve, water level sensor or board.
Safe steps you can try
- Open the kitchen or bathroom tap and make sure there is water in the house.
- Check that the tap to the machine is fully open.
- Check the pressure: Electrolux suggests holding a bucket under the tap — about 10 litres should fill in roughly a minute.
- Check the inlet hose and straighten any kinks.
- Turn off the tap, unscrew the hose from the machine and rinse the mesh filters — in the hose fitting and at the valve inlet. Refit the filter, reconnect the hose and open the tap.
- Check the drain hose: it must not be pushed deep into the drain, and the drain point must be at the height given in the manual (60–100 cm for Electrolux and AEG).
- If the machine is on a cold balcony and the hose has frozen, thaw it with water no hotter than 50 °C — as LG advises.
- Unplug the machine for 30 seconds, switch it on and start the programme again.
When to call a technician
Call a technician if there is water in the house, the tap is open, the pressure is good and the filters are clean but the machine still does not fill — or the water comes in but the error returns. According to LG and Electrolux, the inlet valve is then the most likely fault, less often the water level sensor or the board.
A MasService technician will test the valve, the sensor and the wiring and replace the faulty part on site, naming the price before the repair.
Error codes for this fault
Frequently asked questions
Why does the machine fill and drain straight away?
Usually the drain hose is fitted wrongly: if it is too low or pushed deep into the drain, water siphons out by itself. Fix the hose at the height given in the manual. If that does not help, the level sensor needs checking.
What should I do if the water went off during a wash?
When the supply is back, open the tap and start the programme again. If the laundry is already wet, you can choose a rinse and spin.
When should I clean the inlet hose filter?
When the machine starts filling more slowly than before, and after plumbing work or water cuts: that is when rust and sand get stirred up in the pipes.
Other faults
Washing machine repair — Brands
Could not fix it yourself? A technician comes to your home in Baku, finds the cause on site and names the price before the repair: Washing machine repair