AEG EH0 fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
Not 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.
Before you start
What EH0 means
This is the one code in the AEG range that is not about the appliance. Their wording covers "EHO (EH0) or any code beginning with EH.. (i.e. EH1, EH2)" and attributes all of them to "a possible problem with the power supply, such as too low/too high voltage, unstable power supply".
The manual’s remedy is not to call anyone but to wait: "When the appliance is showing EH0, please wait until main supply is stable than press start" — their phrasing, complete with the slip. Within the family, the distinctions are mains frequency being out of limits, voltage too high, and voltage too low. What makes this worth understanding rather than dismissing is that the machine is usually right. A heat pump dryer draws a substantial surge when the compressor starts, and a supply that is marginal — a long extension lead, an overloaded socket circuit, an older installation, or a genuinely unstable rural supply — can sag enough at that moment for the board to see a voltage it will not work with.
AEG attach a warning to this code they attach to no other: "Never use an extension cable to connect appliances. This can cause a short-circuit or fire hazard." Their manual puts it more broadly still — do not use multi-plug adapters or extension leads at all.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| The machine is on an extension lead or a multi-way adapter | AEG prohibit both outright, and this code is where the consequence shows up. A dryer drawing its starting surge through a thin extension lead sees a voltage drop the board reads as an unstable supply. | Common |
| The socket or its circuit is marginal | A worn socket, a loose connection in a spur, or too much else on the same circuit will all sag under load. The machine is reporting what it measures at its own terminals, which is not the same as what the meter says. | Occasional |
| The incoming mains supply is genuinely unstable | More common on rural supplies, at the end of a long run, or where nearby heavy equipment cycles on and off. In this case nothing about the machine or your wiring is wrong and the code will come and go with the supply. | Occasional |
| A damaged mains cable or plug | A cable pinched behind the machine or a plug that has been running warm makes a poor connection under load. AEG require a damaged mains cable to be replaced by the manufacturer or an authorised centre rather than by the owner. | Occasional |
What to try yourself
Wait, and then press start again. This is genuinely AEG’s first instruction, and if the supply has dipped momentarily it is all that is needed.
If the machine is plugged into an extension lead or a multi-way adapter, take it off and plug it straight into a wall socket.
AEG prohibit both in their manual and warn specifically that an extension cable on this appliance can cause a short circuit or a fire. This is not a formality.Test the socket with something else that draws real current — a kettle rather than a phone charger — and see whether it behaves normally.
Look at what else is on the same circuit. A dryer sharing a spur with another high-draw appliance can drop the voltage at the moment its compressor starts.
Check the plug and the length of cable behind the machine for damage or heat marks, without pulling anything apart.
If the code persists on a known good socket with nothing else running, the next call is an electrician rather than an appliance engineer, because the machine is reporting your supply rather than itself.
Get a qualified appliance engineer to look at your AEG EH0
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–£120
Time on site
15 minutes
Usually nothing, because it is not the appliance. If the socket or the circuit turns out to be at fault, that is an electrician’s visit rather than an appliance repair, and it is charged accordingly.
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
- C6Get it checkedThe 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.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 EH0
Is EH0 the same as EHO with a letter O?
Yes. AEG themselves write it both ways in the same sentence, which tells you they know the display is ambiguous. It is a zero, and any code starting with EH belongs to this same power supply group.
Do I need an appliance engineer?
Probably not, and this is the one code where calling one is likely to waste your money. The machine is reporting the electricity coming into it. If a good socket with nothing else on the circuit produces the same result, an electrician is the right trade.
It only happens when the washing machine is running.
Then you have your answer: the two together are pulling the circuit down far enough at the moment the dryer’s compressor starts. Running them at different times is a legitimate fix, though it is worth mentioning to an electrician, because a circuit that sags that much is worth a look.
Why does my vented dryer not show this code?
AEG list this code as applying to condenser and heat pump machines and do not list vented ones — they do not say vented machines are excluded, just leave them off. That fits: it is the compressor start-up surge on a heat pump machine that makes a marginal supply show itself.
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
- Manufacturer technical and service documentation
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.