Neff E5116 fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
A steam oven code, not a conventional oven one. Neff say it can occur on first use because there is still air in the system, and publish a full owner procedure.
Take care
What E5116 means
Before anything else: this code cannot appear on a conventional built-in oven, because it concerns a steam system that a conventional oven does not have. Neff file it under Ovens anyway, which is a quirk of how their support categories are organised rather than a claim about your appliance. If you have a steam or added-steam oven, the answer is unusually generous by BSH standards.
They title the entry as something to rectify yourself, give the cause as air still being in the systems on initial start-up, and then publish a five-step purge procedure: acknowledge the fault with the on/off button if the code is still shown, switch the appliance on, select top and bottom heating at 80°C with low added steam, end after roughly five to ten minutes, then select steam mode at 100°C or reheat at 120°C depending on the appliance and end that after five to ten minutes as well. If it happens again, they say to repeat the whole thing once more. That is a genuine owner remedy for a code most manufacturers would route straight to an engineer.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| Air remaining in the steam system after installation | Neff name this directly, noting the fault may occur on initial start-up. It is a commissioning condition rather than a failure of any component. | Common |
| Air drawn in after the water system has been emptied or serviced | The same mechanism arriving later. Anything that lets the water circuit run dry can reintroduce the condition the purge procedure is designed to clear. | Occasional |
What to try yourself
If E5116 is still on the display, acknowledge the fault using the on/off button before you start.
Switch the appliance on and select top and bottom heating at 80°C with low added steam. End the process after approximately five to ten minutes.
Now select steam mode at 100°C, or reheat at 120°C if that is what your appliance offers, and again end after approximately five to ten minutes.
If E5116 comes back, Neff say to repeat the whole procedure once more before escalating.
Get a qualified appliance engineer to look at your Neff E5116
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
25 minutes
Nothing. The published remedy uses the oven’s own cooking functions and involves no parts.
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 Neff fault codes
- E845Get it checkedThe pump has drawn air repeatedly, which on a steam oven means the water tank. Four codes share this one answer, and none of them applies to a conventional oven.Related: heating and elements
- E8Get it checkedThe steam-supporting function has failed. Neff tell you to press the clock button and carry on, because everything that does not need steam still works.Related: heating and elements
- Door lockedGet it checkedThree reasons a Neff oven door will not open, and for the worst of them the published fix is the opposite of what everybody tells you. Do not cut the power.Related: same brand
- E05-32Get it checkedA button is stuck or has been held down too long. This is the only current oven code BSH explain on their website and also print in their manuals, and the fix is free.Related: same brand
- E0111Get it checkedThe honest catch-all. BSH confirm their ovens display codes, give the format and tell you to quote it to the engineer, then decline to publish what any of them mean.Related: same brand
- Er3Usually simple to fixNot a fault, and Neff say so outright. The electronics have got warm, the cooling fan is dealing with it, and the oven resumes heating on its own.Related: same brand
Own a Neff oven? Save it and its codes come first next time.
Related guides
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.