Vaillant F.73 fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
The pressure sensor signal is out of range at the low end. Usually the sensor or its wiring, rather than the pressure itself.
Take care
Get a Gas Safe registered engineer to look at your Vaillant F.73
Gas Safe Register engineers only. No obligation.
What F.73 means
F.73 and F.22 are easily confused and the difference is worth getting right. F.22 means the appliance has read the pressure and found it too low. F.73 means the appliance cannot get a sensible reading from the sensor at all — Vaillant describe it as the water pressure sensor signal being out of range at the low end, caused by a broken cable, a short circuit to 0V, or a defective sensor. In other words, F.22 is about the water and F.73 is about the measurement. That distinction has a practical consequence: on an F.73 the pressure gauge will very often read perfectly normally, and topping the system up will change nothing at all. People frequently refill two or three times before working that out. The good news is that a pressure sensor and its wiring are among the cheaper repairs on a Vaillant, and the fault is straightforward for an engineer to confirm with a multimeter.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| Pressure sensor failed | Gone open circuit or drifted outside the range the board will accept. The most likely explanation and a modest part cost. | Common |
| Cable to the sensor broken or shorted | Vaillant name a broken cable and a short to 0V specifically. A wiring fault is cheaper than a sensor and worth eliminating first. | Common |
| Connector corroded or unseated | Frequently follows previous work on the appliance, or damp inside the case. Costs nothing but the call-out if that is all it is. | Occasional |
| Control board input fault | The board cannot read a healthy sensor. Considered only after the sensor and its wiring have been measured. | Rare |
Can you fix it yourself?
Stop — this needs an engineer
What it costs to fix
Typical repair cost
£90–£260
A wiring or connector repair is a call-out charge of £80 to £150. A pressure sensor is £130 to £240 fitted.
Typical UK prices including parts and labour, updated August 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.
Vaillant ecoTEC water pressure sensor
0020059717£26–£54Authorised Vaillant parts distributor
Price checked 5 August 2026
What other owners found
Nobody has shared what worked for them on this code yet. If you have had it, you would be the first — and it genuinely helps the next person.
Related Vaillant fault codes
- F.22Get it checkedThe boiler has shut down because there is not enough water in the system. Pressure has dropped below roughly 0.5 bar and it will not fire until you top it up.Related: water pressure
- F.75Get it checkedThe boiler cannot detect a rise in pressure when the pump starts, so it has locked out. Usually a failed pressure sensor or a pump that is not moving water.Related: water pressure
- F1Get it checkedSystem pressure has dropped below the minimum the boiler will run at. Topping it back up to 1.2 bar usually clears it straight away.Related: water pressure
- CE 207Get it checkedSystem water pressure has dropped too low for the boiler to run safely. Topping the system back up to 1.2 bar usually clears it in five minutes.Related: water pressure
- E10Usually simple to fixSystem water pressure has fallen too low for the appliance to fire. Top the system back up to 1.2 bar and it will restart.Related: water pressure
- 108Usually simple to fixThe heating circuit does not contain enough water to run safely. Refill through the filling loop to about 1.2 bar and the code clears.Related: water pressure
Related guides
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
Checked by Technical reviewer (Gas Safe registration to be displayed on appointment) on 5 August 2026.