AEG Washing Machine E20 Error: Meaning, Causes & Safe Checks

E20 Check carefully Safe checks first

Quick answer

AEG E20 (also E21 to E24 or C2, or 2 beeps or flashes) means the machine can’t drain in time. The usual causes are a blocked pump filter, a kinked or badly positioned drain hose, a blocked sink trap or too much foam. Check those, then contact AEG service if it still won’t drain.

Also shown as E21 E22 E23 E24 C2

What E20 means on a AEG washing machine

The washing machine can’t pump the water out within the time it expects.

Applies to: AEG washing machines. Models without a display signal it with 2 beeps or 2 flashes.

About AEG E20

AEG washing machines group codes into families (E10, E20, E40 and so on), and models without a display signal the same fault with beeps or flashes. AEG asks you to note the full code before switching off, because a reset clears it. AEG dishwashers use i-codes such as i20.

This page follows AEG UK’s own article, Washing machine does not drain, displays error code E20, E21 or C2. AEG shares this code family with Zanussi E20, but each page follows its own brand’s wording, figures and service route.

What you might notice

Likely causes

What you can safely check yourself

Stop and call a qualified engineer if:
  • The code or problem comes back after you’ve done the safe checks on this page.
  • The next step would mean removing a cover or panel, or working on the pump, valves, heater, motor, door lock or wiring. That is a job for a qualified engineer.
  • Water is leaking from inside the appliance or is near the plug or socket. Don’t touch the plug with wet hands or while standing in water. Switch off at the consumer unit instead.
  • The appliance is still under warranty. Contact the manufacturer first, because DIY work can affect your cover.

Work through these in order. Stop as soon as one of the signs above applies.

Check the drain hose position and for kinks Take care

Before you start
  • Switch off and unplug the appliance at the wall socket before you touch hoses, filters or the back of the machine. Make sure your hands and the plug area are dry.
  • The appliance is heavy. Pull it out slowly, ideally with help, and don’t strain the hoses or the cable.
Drain hose height and standpipe Outlet height min–max: see your manual Don’t push the hose in too far it can siphon or block No kinks or loops
Drain hose height and standpipe. Positions vary by model — check your manual.
  1. Check the drain hose behind the machine is not kinked, twisted or squashed against the wall.
  2. Check how far the hose goes into the standpipe or sink trap. Pushed in too far, it can siphon or block.
  3. Check the height of the hose outlet against your manual. Manufacturers give a minimum and maximum height above the floor or the machine base.
  4. If the hose has been extended, check the joint. Extensions narrow the flow and make blockages more likely.

For this fault: AEG: the hose should go no more than 10 cm into the drain, and the outlet should be 60 to 100 cm above the base of the machine (or as your manual says).

Clean the drain pump filter Take care

Before you start
  • Switch off and unplug the appliance at the wall socket before you touch hoses, filters or the back of the machine. Make sure your hands and the plug area are dry.
  • Water inside can be hot after a hot wash. Wait for it to cool before opening a filter.
  • Expect water to come out. Put towels and a shallow tray or baking dish down first.
  • Never force a locked door, a stuck filter cap or a seized part. Forcing it usually causes more damage.
Where the drain pump filter usually is Filter flap bottom front, one side Shallow tray + towels drain slowly, a bit at a time Filter cap turn anticlockwise slowly Some models have a small emergency drain hose here too
Where the drain pump filter usually is. Positions vary by model — check your manual.
  1. Find the small flap at the bottom front of the machine. Your manual shows the exact location and whether there is a small emergency drain hose.
  2. With towels and a tray in place, release the water slowly, using the emergency hose if there is one, or by turning the filter cap a little at a time. Expect more water than you think, and empty the tray as often as you need to.
  3. When the water has stopped, unscrew the filter fully and remove fluff, coins, hair grips and other debris. Rinse it under the tap.
  4. Look into the opening to check the pump blade can turn freely. If you can see it, manufacturers suggest turning it gently with a pencil, never with your fingers.
  5. Refit the filter firmly in its locked position and close the flap. Check for drips the next time the machine runs.

Don’t reach in with fingers past the filter opening.

Don’t open the filter while the machine is running or the water is hot.

Check the sink trap, spigot or standpipe isn’t blocked

  1. If the machine drains into the sink waste, run the sink tap and check the sink empties normally.
  2. Food debris often builds up where the machine’s drain hose joins the sink pipework. With the machine unplugged, you can undo that connection and clear it.
  3. If the machine was just installed, or the sink waste was replaced, check the blanking cap or bung has been removed from the spigot the hose connects to.
  4. If the sink itself drains slowly, the household drain is blocked rather than the machine. Clear it as you would any blocked sink.

Clear excess foam and use less detergent

  1. If you can see a lot of foam in the drum, too much detergent may be confusing the water-level system.
  2. Use the dose on the detergent pack for your load size and water hardness. Use less for small or lightly soiled loads and soft water, and use a detergent made for automatic machines.
  3. Let the foam settle, then run a hot rinse or empty wash without detergent to flush the residue out.

Switch off at the wall and let it rest

  1. If the display shows a code, write it down first.
  2. Switch the appliance off and turn it off at the wall socket.
  3. Leave it off for the time your manual or the manufacturer suggests (see the note below if there is one), then switch on and try again.

For this fault: AEG suggests leaving the machine off for about 1 to 2 hours. If the pump has been working against a blockage, a thermal cut-out can switch it off until it cools.

Don’t repeat this over and over if the code keeps returning. That means there is a fault to diagnose.

When to call an engineer

If the checks above don’t clear E20, or any of the stop signs apply, contact AEG or a qualified appliance engineer. Have the model and serial number from the rating label ready, and start with AEG UK support.

Repair or replace?

Most E20 cases are cleared by the safe checks above. If they don’t help, the remaining causes are parts an engineer has to diagnose. We don’t publish repair prices because they vary by area, part and model.

Related problems

Related codes

Questions people ask

Is E21 different from E20 on an AEG?

AEG’s UK support groups E20, E21, E22, E23, E24 and C2 together as drain faults with the same checks.

Different code or symptom? Use the fault finder, see all AEG washing machine codes, or read how AEG codes work. Not sure it’s safe? Read our safety information.

Sources

Last checked against these sources: .

We write every page in our own words from manufacturer guidance and check it against the sources above. If your manual says something different, follow your manual. How we check.