AEG C6 fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
The moisture sensor is not reporting properly, and AEG give a specific symptom: the cycle runs on past four and a half hours instead of finishing.
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What C6 means
AEG’s description is unusually concrete for this range. C6 means "there is a problem with the moisture sensor. The cycle takes longer than normal, more than 4.5 hours." That figure is worth holding onto, because it separates a real fault from the commonest complaint about modern dryers. A sensor-dried programme does not run for a set time. It runs until the machine decides the washing is dry, and it decides that by measuring the electrical resistance across two metal strips inside the drum that the tumbling load brushes against.
Wet fabric conducts; dry fabric does not. When those strips are coated — with fabric conditioner residue, most often, or limescale in a hard water area — they read wet cloth as drier than it is, or dry cloth as still wet, and the machine either stops early or runs on indefinitely. The strips are visible in the drum and can be cleaned, which is the part worth knowing.
AEG’s own published remedy for this code is oddly narrow: check the machine is connected to an earthed socket, then call the service centre. The earthing point is not as strange as it looks, because the sensor measures resistance and a poorly earthed machine can give it a reference it cannot trust. But they omit cleaning the sensor strips entirely, which is the first thing anyone in the trade would do.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| The sensor strips are coated with conditioner residue | The commonest cause and the one AEG do not mention. Fabric conditioner leaves a waxy film on the metal strips in the drum, which insulates them and makes the machine misjudge how wet the load is. | Common |
| Limescale on the sensor strips | The same effect from a different deposit, and much more likely in a hard water area. Scale builds slowly, which is why this fault tends to arrive gradually as cycles get longer over months. | Common |
| The machine is not properly earthed | AEG’s own and only published check. Because the sensor works by measuring resistance through the load, a machine without a sound earth reference can produce readings the board cannot make sense of. | Occasional |
| The sensor or its wiring has failed | A broken connection to one of the strips leaves the board permanently reading an open circuit, which looks like a load that never gets dry. This is the version cleaning will not help. | Occasional |
What to try yourself
Find the sensor: two thin metal strips inside the drum, usually near the front opening or on the lower lip. Look for a dull or filmy coating rather than bright metal.
Clean them with a cloth and a little white vinegar, then wipe dry. This removes both conditioner film and light scale, and it is the step AEG leave out of their own advice.
Do the machine off and unplugged, and do not use anything abrasive — scratching the strips gives the residue more to hold onto next time.Cut back on fabric conditioner, or stop using it in loads destined for the dryer. It is the usual source of the coating and it will return otherwise.
Check the machine is plugged into a properly earthed wall socket rather than an adapter, which is AEG’s published check for this code.
Run a sensor programme with a normal load and time it. Under about three hours on a heat pump machine is not a fault; past four and a half is the figure AEG themselves treat as abnormal.
If cycles still run past that with clean strips, book an engineer — the sensor or its wiring is the remaining candidate.
Get a qualified appliance engineer to look at your AEG C6
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
£0–£180
Time on site
20 minutes
Free if it is residue on the sensor strips, which it usually is. A sensor or wiring repair is the upper end. AEG publish no call-out charge for any of these brands, so treat figures as independent market estimates.
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
- E70Stop — call an engineerThe dryer has lost the ability to measure its own temperature. AEG tell you to unplug it for two hours and not to use it until it is fixed.Related: sensors and control
- EH0Usually simple to fixNot a fault in the dryer at all. AEG are reporting that the electricity reaching the machine is unstable, or the voltage is outside what it will accept.Related: sensors and control
- E80Get it checkedThe machine cannot tell which programme you have chosen. AEG’s first suggestion is the one worth trying: check the dial is not parked between two settings.Related: sensors and control
- E90Get it checkedAn internal communication failure between the machine’s electronic parts. Notable because AEG print this code in the manual and their own support site has never heard of it.Related: sensors and control
- CEStop — call an engineerA fault in the electronics. AEG tell you to unplug the machine and not to plug it back in until you are sure it is safe, and they publish no owner checks at all.Related: sensors and control
- E50Get it checkedAEG’s support site calls this a motor or software fault and sends you to an engineer. AEG’s own manual says it is usually just too much washing in the drum.Related: same brand
Own an AEG tumble dryer? Save it and its codes come first next time.
Related guides
Common questions about AEG C6
My cycles are long but there is no code. Is the sensor faulty?
Probably not. AEG are clear in writing that heat pump dryers "give very gentle and energy-efficient drying at low temperatures, but the drying time will be somewhat longer. This is normal and not a malfunction in any way." Three hours on a heat pump machine is ordinary. Four and a half with a C6 showing is not.
Why does opening the door make it worse?
Because it genuinely does. AEG state that opening the door mid-cycle "will extend the cycle by at least half an hour each time", since the heat pump takes a long time to get back to working temperature. Checking on the washing is self-defeating on these machines.
Does the spin speed matter?
Considerably. AEG ask for a minimum of 800 rpm in the washing machine before drying, and they also specify the dryer’s room temperature should be above 5°C and below 35°C, with 19 to 24°C as the optimum. A cold garage and a slow spin together will add hours without anything being broken.
My machine shows E70 rather than C6.
Different sensor and a much more serious matter. C6 is the moisture sensor, which decides when your washing is dry. E70 is the temperature sensor, which is what stops the machine overheating, and AEG tell you not to use the machine at all until that one is fixed.
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.