Miele F138 fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
The Waterproof system has found water in the floor tray. Close the stopcock and unplug — the drain pump keeps running until you do.
Take care
What F138 means
F138 is the Miele Waterproof system reporting that it has detected water inside the machine, in the floor tray at the base of the cabinet. Miele’s own words are that water has been detected due to a leak inside the washing machine, and their instruction is to close the water inlet and disconnect the machine from the mains, noting plainly that the drain pump will stop running once you do.
That is worth reading twice, because a pump running with no obvious reason is alarming and people reach for the plug in a panic; here it is the designed behaviour and pulling the plug is genuinely the right move.
Miele’s operating instructions treat this as a service call rather than an owner fix, and the website agrees — the machine has found water where none should be, and finding out why means getting behind the cabinet. What you can do is stop it getting worse and get your washing out. Miele attach a specific safety warning to that last part: reaching into a moving drum is extremely dangerous, and you must make sure the drum is stationary before reaching in.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| A leak somewhere inside the cabinet | The reason the tray has water in it. Could be a hose, a seal, the sump or the pump housing — the tray does not tell you which. | Common |
| Drain filter left loose after cleaning | Miele give this its own code, F373, but a slow weep from the same place can fill the tray and trigger the Waterproof system instead. | Occasional |
| Sensor fault with no actual leak | Miele acknowledge false reporting on the closely related F220, where they say the fault may be displayed erroneously when the machine is not leaking. They say nothing of the kind for F138. | Rare |
What to try yourself
Close the water inlet stopcock. Miele’s first instruction and the one that stops the situation getting worse.
Disconnect the machine from the mains. The drain pump will stop running once you do — that is expected rather than a further fault.
To get the laundry out, use the emergency release Miele describe on the F138 page: open the access panel for the drain pump, unlock the door with a screwdriver, and pull the door open.
Miele print this warning themselves: reaching into a moving drum is extremely dangerous. Always make sure the drum has stopped before reaching in.Look underneath and around the base for water, and check whether the drain filters are fully screwed home — a filter not screwed tight is the one cause Miele publish for the neighbouring leak code F373.
Book a Miele engineer rather than running it again. Miele’s own line is that removing the water and fixing the leak is a Customer Service job.
Get a qualified appliance engineer to look at your Miele F138
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
£110–£300
Time on site
15 minutes
Depends entirely on what is leaking. A hose or a clip is at the low end; a sump or tub seal at the high end. A Miele diagnostic visit is typically £110 to £140 and is usually offset against the repair.
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 Miele fault codes
- Three dashes on displayGet it checkedMiele publish two completely different meanings for three dashes. On the website it is a water leak; in the manual it is the wifi being off. The indicator lights tell you which.Related: leaks and overflow
- F373Get it checkedA leak at the drain filter. Miele give one cause and one remedy: the filter has not been screwed tight. Usually seen the day after cleaning it.Related: leaks and overflow
- F220Get it checkedMiele say the machine is leaking — and then say the fault may be displayed erroneously when it is not. Check before you panic.Related: leaks and overflow
- F11Get it checkedThe drain is restricted. Miele publish a maximum drain height of one metre, and they warn that straightening a kinked hose can weaken it enough to split later.Related: same brand
- F10Get it checkedWater is not getting in. Miele point at the stopcock and the inlet filter, and both are owner jobs on their own guidance.Related: same brand
- F34Get it checkedThe door could not be locked. Miele’s manual says close the door again and restart; their website adds an overloaded drum and a two-minute power-off. Try those before calling.Related: same brand
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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
- 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.