Electrolux E20 on a washer dryer
Drainage fault — the machine could not pump the water away.
The same code appears on Zanussi and AEG machines — they share the same control platform.
You can fix this yourself
No special tools or qualifications needed
About 1 hr to work through
Free to £150
DIY: Up to £40 in parts
What E20 actually means
The pump ran and the level did not fall in time. On washing machines you are left with a full drum and a locked door; on dishwashers, standing water in the base. Either way it is a blockage far more often than a failure.
Before you start
Electrical safety: Unplug the machine before opening the pump filter or reaching into a dishwasher sump.
Water: On a washing machine the drum is still full — several litres will come out of the filter housing.
Sharp objects: On a dishwasher, check for broken glass in the filter before reaching in.
What causes it, most likely first
Blocked filter
Most likelyOn a washing machine, the pump filter behind the bottom flap. On a dishwasher, the filter stack in the tub floor. Both clog with debris and grease.
Pump filter / trap£8–£20 for the partDIYKinked or silted drain hose
CommonCrushed behind the appliance or narrowed by scum along its length.
Blocked sink trap, standpipe or waste spigot
CommonA fat-blocked kitchen waste stops the appliance draining. On a newly installed dishwasher, check the blanking plug was removed from the waste spigot.
Jammed or failed drain pump
OccasionalAn object stalls the impeller or the motor fails outright.
Drain pump£15–£40 for the partDIY with care
How to fix it, step by step
Isolate and prepare for water
Unplug at the wall. Towels down and a shallow tray ready.
5 minTowels, Shallow trayDrain down and clean the filter
On a washing machine, empty the drum via the emergency hose then unscrew and clean the pump filter. On a dishwasher, bail out the sump and lift out the filter stack for a hot soapy scrub.
20 minTorch, Washing-up brushFree the pump impeller
With the filter out, turn the impeller with a finger. It should spin freely — remove anything jamming it.
10 minGlovesCheck the hose and waste connection
Straighten the drain hose and confirm it runs clear into a bucket. Clean the sink trap. On a new dishwasher, check the spigot blanking plug has been knocked out.
20 minBucketReassemble and run a rinse cycle
Refit the filter squarely and hand-tight, restore power, and run the shortest rinse programme while watching for leaks.
10 min
Need an engineer for this E20?
We list 4 washer dryer repair businesses across the UK, 3 of which are Electrolux-authorised. Diagnostic callouts typically start around £55, and many will put that towards the repair if you go ahead.
- 01463 791822Inverness
- 01823 669616Taunton
- 01903 779 334AngmeringSame day
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–£20Drain 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
Worth repairing, or replace it?
At the top of this range the repair costs a significant share of a graded replacement, which typically starts around £280. Worth getting the quote first, then deciding — on a machine under about five years old a repair usually still wins.