AEG PYR status codewhat it means
A reminder to run a self-clean, not a fault. The important part: the oven is counting hours rather than detecting dirt, so a spotless oven will still ask.
Before you start
What PYR means
PYR is AEG’s cleaning reminder on ovens with a pyrolytic function, and their article answers the question owners actually have with one bullet point. The message appears based on the oven’s operating time and on which functions and temperatures have been used recently — and then, explicitly, that the actual degree of soiling is not a factor. The oven has no idea whether it is dirty. It is running a timer weighted by how hard it has been worked. That single fact converts a puzzling message into a reasonable one, and it also explains why cleaning the oven by hand does not make PYR go away.
There is a useful side effect of this message that AEG do not draw attention to. PYR and CATA are mutually exclusive, and which one your oven shows tells you which cleaning system it has: PYR for pyrolytic, CATA for catalytic liners. That matters beyond this page, because AEG’s F1 code means two entirely different things depending on which type of oven you own.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| The oven has accumulated enough running hours | AEG name operating time as the first factor. It is a usage counter, so a heavily used oven will ask sooner than a lightly used one regardless of condition. | Common |
| The functions and temperatures used have weighted the counter | AEG list the most recently used functions and the selected temperature as the second factor, so high-temperature roasting brings the reminder round faster. | Common |
What to try yourself
To dismiss it for now, press the plus and minus buttons together while the message is on the display. AEG say this buys a period of time before it appears again.
To clear it properly, run the pyrolytic cycle. AEG are direct that starting the self-clean is the only way to remove the message permanently.
Empty the cavity first, as your manual directs — AEG’s pyrolytic-cleaning guide asks for accessories and removable shelf supports out, and a food probe must always come out. A probe left in produces C2; telescopic rails left in produce C1 on the models that need them removed, and the cycle will not start until the code is cleared.
AEG note that on some models the message reappearing a third time means the pyrolysis genuinely needs performing. Dismissing it indefinitely is not the intent.
Get a qualified appliance engineer to look at your AEG PYR
We do not pass enquiries to a repair firm, so there is no form here. When you book a qualified appliance engineer, tell them the make, the model and the exact code or message on the display, and ask whether they carry parts for this make — that is what turns one visit into a repair rather than a quote.
What it costs to fix
Typical repair cost
Depends on the cause
Time on site
5 minutes
Nothing to fix. A pyrolytic cycle uses between one and three hours of electricity at full heat, depending on the programme, which is the only real cost involved.
Typical UK prices including parts and labour, updated September 2026. Your quote may differ.
Own this appliance and had this code? . Nothing is published until a person has read it.
Related AEG fault codes
- C3Usually simple to fixTwo different things share this label. Selected from the cleaning menu it is a three-hour clean. Shown on the display as Err C3, it means the door is not closed.Related: pyrolytic cleaning
- C1Usually simple to fixCheck first whether you picked C1 off the cleaning menu, where it is the one-hour light clean. As a fault it means the telescopic rails are still in the oven.Related: pyrolytic cleaning
- C2Usually simple to fixAs a fault, the food probe is still in the oven and the pyrolytic cycle will not run. As a menu choice, C2 is simply the 90-minute normal clean.Related: pyrolytic cleaning
- C4Usually simple to fixA steam function is switched on and it blocks the pyrolytic cycle. The catch is that AEG give the button two different names on the same support page.Related: pyrolytic cleaning
- F1Get it checkedOne code, two published meanings. On a pyrolytic AEG oven it is about the door not closing. On a non-pyrolytic one AEG call it an electronic fault and send you straight to service.Related: same brand
- DemoUsually simple to fixThe oven lights up, accepts settings and never heats. AEG admit demo mode can switch itself on after a power cut, and the code to switch it off is 2 4 6 8.Related: same brand
Own an AEG oven? Save it and its codes come first next time.
Related guides
Common questions about AEG PYR
I have just cleaned the oven by hand. Why is it still asking?
Because it cannot tell. AEG state outright that the actual degree of soiling is not a factor in when PYR appears — the trigger is operating time and the functions used. A visually spotless oven will show the reminder on exactly the same schedule as a filthy one.
My oven shows CATA instead. Is that the same message?
It is the same kind of message for a different cleaning system. CATA appears on ovens with catalytic liners and is dismissed the same way, with the plus and minus buttons together. The two never appear on the same appliance, so which one you see identifies which oven you have.
I have a steam-cleaning oven and see neither. Is something wrong?
No. AEG publish no equivalent reminder for their steam-clean and AquaClean systems, so an oven with one of those will show neither PYR nor CATA. That is an absence by design rather than a missing feature.
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 support portal
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.