Candy F7 fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
The motor has faulted, and Candy narrow it usefully: the driver board has either overloaded or overheated.
Take care
Get a qualified appliance engineer to look at your Candy F7
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 F7 means
Candy’s wording here is more informative than anywhere else in their table. Most of their entries name a component and stop; this one says "The motor malfunction (the motor driver board overload or overheating.)" — and the bracket is the useful part. It tells you the fault is not necessarily the motor at all.
The driver board is the electronics that feed and control the motor, and Candy are naming two specific ways it fails: drawing more current than it should, or getting too hot. Both of those have causes outside the board. A motor working against a drum that will not turn freely draws more current, so an obstruction or a failing bearing shows up here as an electrical fault. And a board getting too hot is often a board in a machine that is not shedding heat properly, which brings you back to airflow again.
So while Candy give no owner check and refer you to customer service, there is something worth knowing before the engineer arrives: whether the drum turns freely by hand, and whether the machine sounds like it is trying. That costs nothing and it changes what the engineer is looking for.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| Something is obstructing the drum | A garment or a wire wedged between the drum and the casing makes the motor work far harder than designed. The driver board sees an overload and shuts down, which is it protecting itself correctly. | Common |
| The motor driver board has overheated | Candy name this specifically. Power electronics need to shed heat, and a board in a machine with restricted airflow, or in a hot unventilated space, runs closer to its limit than it should. | Common |
| A worn drum bearing or support | A drum that has become stiff to turn loads the motor continuously rather than momentarily. It usually announces itself with noise long before it produces a code. | Occasional |
| The motor or the driver board has failed outright | The straightforward version, where nothing is jammed and nothing is overheating and the part has simply come to the end of its life. This is the most expensive of the four. | Occasional |
Can you fix it yourself?
Stop — this needs an engineer
What it costs to fix
Typical repair cost
£90–£280
A visit that finds an obstruction is the cheap outcome. A motor or driver board with labour is the expensive one and on an older machine may not be worth doing. Candy publish no repair prices.
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 Candy fault codes
- Safety noticeStop — call an engineerA live UK fire recall covers built-in heat pump dryers under eight badges including Candy and Hoover. Machines modified before August 2025 are still at risk, and the manufacturers do not say so.Related: same brand
- F4Stop — call an engineerCandy word this one as "Abnormal heating" and give no owner check at all. On a dryer that is the code least worth ignoring.Related: same brand
- F2Get it checkedThe drain pump or the water level switch. Before you assume the worst, note that a full tank is a separate message on these machines and not this code.Related: same brand
- F32Get it checkedThe temperature sensor at the condenser outlet has failed. Worth getting right, because F33 is one digit away and is a different sensor in a different place.Related: same brand
- E7Get it checkedFilters clogged, on the Hoover-badged models that use E codes. One of only two codes in that system with an owner fix — and it names a filter most people miss.Related: same brand
- FHUsually simple to fixNot an appliance fault at all — the dryer failed to join your wi-fi. Candy tell you to ring customer service for it, which you almost certainly do not need to do.Related: same brand
Own a Candy tumble dryer? Save it and its codes come first next time.
Related guides
Common questions about Candy F7
Is there anything useful I can check first?
Two things, and neither involves opening anything. With the machine off, turn the drum by hand — it should move freely with light resistance. And note whether the machine hums or makes any attempt to run when you start it. Tell the engineer both. Candy publish no checks, but those two observations narrow the diagnosis considerably.
Why does Candy mention the driver board rather than the motor?
Because that is where the fault is detected, and often where it actually is. Their wording gives two mechanisms, overload and overheating, and both can be caused by something other than the board — a stiff drum in the first case, poor airflow in the second.
Is it worth repairing?
Depends entirely on which of the causes it turns out to be. Clearing an obstruction costs a visit; a motor and driver board on an older machine can approach the price of replacing it. Get the diagnosis before authorising the work.
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 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.