Candy E21 fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
Water is coming in when it should not be — the solenoid valve is stuck open. Candy say to close the tap immediately and disconnect the power.
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What E21 means
E21 is uncontrolled water supply with an open solenoid valve, and it carries the strongest instruction in the whole of Candy’s dishwasher documentation: close the water tap immediately and disconnect the appliance from the power supply. It is the only place they use the word immediately, which is worth respecting. This is a different problem from a leak, and the distinction matters. E4 means water is escaping from inside the machine. E21 means the valve that admits water from your mains has stopped closing, so the machine is filling when it has not asked to. The failure mode is silent and it does not need the machine to be running — an appliance that is switched off, or finished, or that you left before going to bed, can keep taking water because the valve is not shutting. Where the water goes next depends on the machine. It may drain out through the waste, in which case the first sign is a water bill. It may overflow the tub, at which point the anti-flood device becomes the only thing between you and a flooded kitchen. Neither is something to observe for a few days to see whether it settles. Close the tap.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| Inlet solenoid valve stuck open | What the code names. Grit or scale holding the valve off its seat so it cannot close fully when de-energised. | Common |
| Debris on the valve seat | Particles from the mains supply preventing a clean seal. The same cause as above with a cheaper remedy if caught early. | Common |
| Control board holding the valve energised | The board rather than the valve, keeping it open when it should have been switched off. Less common and more expensive. | Occasional |
Can you fix it yourself?
Stop — this needs an engineer
What it costs to fix
Typical repair cost
£80–£180
A replacement inlet solenoid valve is typically £80 to £150 fitted. If the fault turns out to be the control board rather than the valve, it is considerably more and worth weighing against the machine’s age.
Typical UK prices including parts and labour, updated August 2026. Your quote may differ.
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 Candy fault codes
- E4Stop — call an engineerA water leak. Candy specifically warn against tilting or moving the machine, which rules out the fix most often recommended online.Related: flood protection
- E15Stop — call an engineerThe water protection system has activated — there is water in the base of the machine. Turn the tap off and call service. Do not tilt it, whatever else you read.Related: flood protection
- i30Stop — call an engineerThe anti-flood device has triggered — water has collected in the base of the machine. AEG say to close the water tap and call service.Related: flood protection
- F01Stop — call an engineerAnti-flooding overflow. The one code in the Hotpoint list that offers no owner check at all — it goes straight to an engineer.Related: flood protection
- F70Stop — call an engineerThe Waterproof System has activated. Miele give the clearest emergency instruction of any dishwasher manufacturer — close the stopcock, switch off, unplug, call.Related: flood protection
- AEStop — call an engineerLG’s leak code. LG tell you to call for service if it happens again — we think that is the wrong advice and explain why.Related: flood protection
Common questions about Candy E21
What do I do right now?
Close the tap that feeds the machine, then unplug it. Those are Candy’s own words for this code, including "immediately", which they do not use anywhere else in the dishwasher documentation.
How is this different from a leak?
A leak is water escaping from inside the machine. E21 is water arriving that nobody asked for, because the inlet valve is not closing. The machine does not have to be running, or even switched on, for it to keep happening — which is precisely what makes it worth acting on tonight rather than at the weekend.
Can I keep using it if I turn the tap off between washes?
That is safer than leaving the tap on, but it is a workaround rather than a fix, and it relies on nobody forgetting. The valve is a routine part and this is a normal repair — it is not worth living with.
Is my machine likely to be one that shows this?
E21 appears in the current generation of Candy manuals rather than the older ones. If your machine is a few years old and shows something else, look that code up instead — the older manuals use a different and shorter list.
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 Appliance technical reviewer (Qualifications to be displayed on appointment) on 5 August 2026.