If your washing machine will not finish a wash cycle but is rinsing, spinning and draining correctly the fault is usually linked to a defective heater element. If you’ve also noticed an E16 error code on the digital display then it’s a telltale sign the heating element is damaged.
If you’ve never replaced a heating element on your washing machine and are feeling a little lost, don’t panic. Our article below is sure to give you the courage to tackle the repair yourself without damaging your appliance.
This video shows an example on how to remove or replace the part on a typical machine, some models may be different but the procedure should be similar.
What You Will Need
Step 1 - Safety Advice
Safety First! Please make sure that you have switched off or disconnected the appliance from the mains before beginning any repair.
Step 2 - Remove The Back Panel
Remove the rear panel by removing the six nuts found at the back.
Step 3 - Remove The Faulty Heating Element
With the panel out of the way you should see the heater at the bottom and we will need to remove the electrical connectors. As you can see there are a few electrical connectors here, so it would be helpful to take a picture as a visual reference for later when you’re reconnecting the connectors back.
Use a flat headed screwdriver to remove the wires from the electrical connectors.
You’ll also need to remove the nut on the back of the element right to the end of the shaft. Place a box driver on the end of the shaft and give it a strike, which should release the clamp to free the heater element. With the clamp released use a flat head screwdriver to slowly release the element, taking care not to damage the machine.
Step 4 - Fit The New Heater Element
Before replacing the faulty element, we can see the old element is coated with a thick layer of limescale, which may be the cause of it going faulty. If your washing machine is suffering from a limescale problem, we have a separate article called “How To Clean A Smelly Washing Machine”.
Before fitting the new heater element into the drum, we will lubricate the rubber seal around the heater using fairy liquid, to help it slide in easily. Just make sure the element lines up with the bracket inside the drum and it should fit right in. All you need to do is tighten the bolt and fit the electrical connectors using your photo from before.
The final step is to reattach the screws on the back panel are you’re all done.
Now if you're feeling super productive why not give the insides of your washing machine a thorough clean? Our very own eSpares Dishwasher & Washing Machine Cleaner comes highly recommended by our customers and is designed to remove limescale and detergent build up.
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