Ideal PCB Replaced Incorrectly
A first-generation Vogue message: the new primary board has the wrong Boiler Chip Card, or none. Ideal's two checks are that the card is fitted correctly and that it is the right one.
Take care
Get a Gas Safe registered engineer to look at your Ideal boiler
We do not pass enquiries to a repair firm, so there is no form here. Find a Gas Safe registered engineer through the Gas Safe Register, and ask to see their registration card when they arrive — it is the register, not the van, that tells you they are qualified.
What this means
The Vogue sold from 2013 to 2017 carried its identity on a Boiler Chip Card, a small plug-in card on the primary PCB that tells the board which output it is driving. Ideal's parts list is explicit that a spare PCB does not know what it is: "when ordering Primary PCB as a spare, an additional Boiler Chip Card (BCC) MUST also be purchased for your specific boiler range and output", checked against the serial letter code on the data plate, and fitted TOP side up.
PCB Replaced Incorrectly is the board reporting that the card it finds does not add up — absent, upside down, or for a 26, 32 or 40 kW model it is not. The remedy in Ideal's chart is two lines: ensure the BCC is fitted correctly, ensure the correct BCC.
The Gen2 and Max abolished the card and program the board from an on-screen list, so they cannot show this message; on a Logic the same idea appears as the C0 and C2 codes. The screen offers no reset because there is nothing to reset — the card has to be put right by the person who fitted the board.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| Card not fitted, or fitted upside down | Ideal's first check. The BCC has a marked TOP side and a board fitted in a hurry can leave it out or reversed; the message is immediate and does not clear with a restart. | Common |
| Card for the wrong output | A 26 kW card in a 32 kW boiler is the same physical card with the wrong contents. Only the serial letter code on the data plate tells the engineer which to order. | Common |
| Card or board fault | A correct card seated correctly that still produces the message. Ideal's chart stops at the two checks; in practice the next step is a replacement card, then the PCB. | Rare |
Can you fix it yourself?
Stop — this needs an engineer
What it costs to fix
Typical repair cost
£60–£120
Time on site
20 minutes
A return visit to fit or swap the card, which the engineer who left it wrong should make at no charge. Booked separately it is a short call, £60–£120 including the card.
Typical UK prices including parts and labour, updated September 2026. Your quote may differ.
Parts you may need
We may earn a commission if you buy a part through one of these links. It does not change what you pay, and it does not affect which parts we list.
Ideal Logic primary PCB
£150–£320Authorised Ideal parts distributor
Price checked 28 September 2026
Own this appliance and had this code? . Nothing is published until a person has read it.
Related Ideal fault codes
- F9Get it checkedThe control board has not been told what boiler it is in, or has failed. L9 is the same fault locked out. The 2011 Logic Combi row also covers a gas valve short circuit.Related: electronics and power
- dUUsually simple to fixNot a fault. The diverter valve has been parked in its mid-position for servicing and the boiler is waiting to be told the service is over. Ideal publish the way out.Related: electronics and power
- Blank displayGet it checkedNothing on the screen at all. Ideal's user guides send you to the boiler's switch and the consumer unit first; the installer charts then work from the terminal block to the board.Related: electronics and power
- F7Get it checkedThe mains voltage reaching the boiler has dropped below what the board will run on. Ideal's advice is an electrician or your electricity supplier, not a heating engineer.Related: electronics and power
- C0Get it checkedThe board cannot activate the Boiler Chip Card that tells it what model it is fitted to. Ideal's engineer check is whether the small plastic card is in its slot at all.Related: electronics and power
- L9Get it checkedOn a Logic, L9 is the locked-out form of the unconfigured-board fault F9. On an Isar HE it is something else entirely: a heat exchanger overheat read by the dry-fire thermistor.Related: electronics and power
Own an Ideal boiler? Save it and its codes come first next time.
Related guides
Common questions
Can I take the card out and re-seat it myself?
No. It sits on the primary PCB inside the controls housing, behind the casing, and getting to it means opening a gas appliance. This is a return visit for the engineer who changed the board, and it should not cost you anything.
Will the boiler run in the meantime?
Not until the board knows what it is. The card sets the output the board is allowed to fire at, so the software refuses to run without a valid one rather than guess.
My Vogue Max says PCB Replaced. Is that the same?
No, and the missing word matters. PCB Replaced on a Gen2 or Max is a success message that wants a press of RESTART. PCB Replaced Incorrectly is only shown by the 2013–2017 Vogue and means the chip card is wrong.
Technical review
Not reviewed by an engineer
No engineer has read this page. Severity follows what the manufacturer publishes, and we would rather tell you that than let a byline imply a sign-off.
Sources and how we verified this
We establish the facts from the sources below and then write the explanation ourselves. We do not copy manufacturer wording and we do not host their manuals.
- Manufacturer technical and service documentation
This page has not been reviewed by an engineer, and we would rather tell you that than imply otherwise. The severity rating follows what the manufacturer publishes: where they say isolate the appliance and call someone, so do we.