Indesit F06 on a washing machine
The control board is not getting the button or door signals it expects.
The same code appears on Hotpoint, Ariston and Whirlpool machines — they share the same control platform.
DIY-able with care
Involves dismantling or a part swap — confident DIYers only
About 30 min to work through
Free to £240
DIY: Up to £40 in parts
What F06 actually means
F06 covers a communication failure between the control board and either the door lock or the user interface. In practice it most often shows up as a machine that will not accept a programme, or one that stops immediately after starting. On some models it clears permanently after a power cycle, which makes it worth trying that before anything else.
Before you start
Electrical safety: If the fault persists past a power cycle, the remaining checks are inside the cabinet. Unplug before removing any panel.
What causes it, most likely first
Transient board glitch
Most likelyA power dip or a momentary loss of communication latches the fault. A full power cycle clears it and it never returns.
How to check: Switch off at the wall for five minutes, then restore power and try again.
Failed door interlock
CommonA lock that latches mechanically but never reports back leaves the board waiting for a signal that never arrives.
Door interlock£15–£40 for the partDIY with careFaulty selector or button panel
OccasionalWater ingress or a cracked track on the user-interface board stops programme selections registering.
Damaged wiring between boards
OccasionalThe ribbon or loom between the display board and the main board chafes with vibration.
Wiring loom / connector£10–£45 for the partEngineer
How to fix it, step by step
Power-cycle properly
Switch off at the wall — not just the machine's own button — and leave it for a full five minutes so the board fully discharges. Restore power and try a short programme.
10 minCheck the door closes and latches cleanly
Clear the seal of trapped laundry and close the door with a firm push until it clicks. A door that is not properly latched produces this code on some models.
5 minTry a different programme
If one programme fails and others work, the fault is more likely in the selector or the interface board than in the main board.
10 minBook an engineer if it keeps returning
A recurring F06 needs live testing to tell a failed lock from a failed board — and the difference between those two is the difference between a cheap repair and an uneconomic one. Get the diagnosis before agreeing to any part.
5 min
Need an engineer for this F06?
We list 83 washing machine repair businesses across the UK, 33 of which are Indesit-authorised. Diagnostic callouts typically start around £55, and many will put that towards the repair if you go ahead.
- 0115 8719265NottinghamSame day
- 0800 037 4915London
- 07407 734204Bonnybridge
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.
Wiring loom / connector
Chafed wires and corroded connectors mimic dead components. An engineer will always check continuity before condemning a part.
£10–£45Door interlock
The electrically operated latch that proves the door is shut before the machine will fill, and holds it shut until the drum stops.
£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 £200. Worth getting the quote first, then deciding — on a machine under about five years old a repair usually still wins.
Related problems
Other Indesit washing machines codes
- F02The motor speed sensor is not reporting back to the control board
- F03The water temperature sensor has failed or its circuit is broken
- F05The machine could not drain, or the level sensor never saw the water leave
- F08Heating fault — the heater relay or the element circuit has failed
- H20The machine is not filling with water, or not filling fast enough