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Ariston F05 on a washer dryer

The machine could not drain, or the level sensor never saw the water leave.

The same code appears on Hotpoint, Indesit and Whirlpool machines — they share the same control platform.

Verdict

You can fix this yourself

No special tools or qualifications needed

Urgency
Fix soon

About 55 min to work through

Typical cost

Free to £130

DIY: Up to £40 in parts

What F05 actually means

The machine ran its drain pump, then checked the pressure switch to confirm the tub had emptied, and the confirmation never came. You are usually left with a drum full of water and a door that will not open. This is the most common Hotpoint and Indesit fault code by a wide margin, and it is very often a blocked filter that has never been cleaned.

Before you start

  • Electrical safety: Unplug the machine at the wall before opening the filter housing.

  • Water: The drum is still full. Several litres will come out when you open the filter — towels and a shallow tray first, always.

What causes it, most likely first

  1. Blocked pump filter

    Most likely

    The filter behind the flap at the bottom front traps coins, buttons, hair grips and underwires. Hotpoint filters clog particularly readily and most owners have never opened theirs.

    How to check: Open the bottom flap and unscrew the filter. If it is matted with debris, that was almost certainly the fault.

    Pump filter / trap£8–£20 for the partDIY

  2. Blocked or kinked drain hose

    Common

    The corrugated hose gets crushed against the wall when the machine is pushed back, or silts up with detergent scum along its length.

  3. Blocked sink trap or standpipe

    Common

    Where the machine shares a waste with the kitchen sink, a fat-blocked trap stops it draining even though the machine itself is clear.

    How to check: Run the kitchen tap hard — a slow-clearing sink tells you where to start.

  4. Blocked pressure switch hose

    Occasional

    The thin hose linking the tub to the level sensor silts up, so the board never sees the level drop and reports a drain fault even though the machine has emptied perfectly.

    Pressure switch / level sensor£12–£32 for the partEngineer

  5. Failed drain pump

    Occasional

    The pump seizes or goes open circuit. A pump that hums without moving water, or stays silent when it should run, has usually gone.

    Drain pump£15–£40 for the partDIY with care

How to fix it, step by step

  1. Isolate the machine and prepare for water

    Unplug at the wall. Lay towels across the front and have a shallow tray ready — Hotpoint filter housings dump their contents quickly.

    5 minTowels, Shallow tray

  2. Drain the machine down

    Open the flap at the bottom front. If there is a small emergency drain hose beside the filter, use it to empty the drum into your tray a few litres at a time. If there is not, unscrew the filter a quarter turn at a time and let it weep out slowly rather than pulling it straight out.

    15 minShallow tray

  3. Clean the filter and check the impeller

    Remove the filter completely and clear it under a tap, mesh included. Shine a torch into the housing and turn the pump impeller with a finger — it should rotate freely. Remove anything jamming it.

    10 minTorch

  4. Check the drain hose and waste

    Pull the machine out, straighten any kinks, and disconnect the drain hose at the waste to confirm water runs through it freely. Clean the sink trap while you are there.

    15 minBucket

  5. Refit and run a rinse and spin

    Screw the filter back in hand-tight and square. Restore power and run a rinse-and-spin, watching the front of the machine for the first minute to be sure the filter is sealing.

    10 min

Need an engineer for this F05?

We list 4 washer dryer repair businesses across the UK. Diagnostic callouts typically start around £55, and many will put that towards the repair if you go ahead.

Find washer dryer engineers near you

Parts you might need

Typical UK prices for the part alone, before fitting. Worth knowing before you accept a quote — the part is often a small share of what a repair is priced at.

  • Pump filter / trap

    A removable mesh trap in front of the pump that catches coins, hair grips and buttons before they reach the impeller.

    £8–£20

  • Pressure switch / level sensor

    Reads how much water is in the tub via a thin air hose. Blocked hoses and split diaphragms make the machine over- or under-fill.

    £12–£32

  • Drain pump

    The small electric pump that pushes waste water out of the drum and into your waste pipe at the end of a cycle.

    £15–£40

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