Appliance Spares
Quick answer: Stirling (ALDI) washing machines document four codes. On the top loaders E1 means no water coming in, E2 means the water did not drain, E3 means the machine could not spin (unbalanced load or not level) and E4 means the lid is open. On the Stirling front loaders E4 is the door switch, and E1 and E2 keep the same fill and drain meanings. Check the tap, the drain hose and the lid first; a code that returns after a restart points at the inlet valve, the drain pump or the lid switch.
Every brand’s error codes in one index · Find your exact part
Last updated September 2026
Stirling (ALDI) washing machines keep their fault codes simple. Rather than the forty-code lists of a European front loader, the manuals for the top loaders document four: one each for filling, draining, spinning and the lid. That makes the codes easy to act on, because each one names a system you can check in a few minutes with the machine unplugged.
This guide covers the Stirling (ALDI) top loaders (STR-TLW70, STR-TLW85 and STR-TLW10) and the front loaders (STR-FL80, STR-FLW7 and STR-FLW8) sold in Australia. For each code you get the plain meaning, the likely cause and the part or check that clears it, followed by the faults these machines show without a code. Stirling (ALDI) machines are built on common platforms shared with several other budget brands, so the parts that fail are standard and inexpensive, and most repairs are a plug-in swap.
Stirling washing machine error codes: quick-reference table
The codes below are the ones documented in the Stirling (ALDI) manuals. If your display shows a code that is not listed, note it and check your model’s manual; other codes on these platforms are generally electronics faults that need a service agent.
| Code | What it means | Most likely cause | What to do / the part |
|---|---|---|---|
 E1 | No water coming in (top loaders) | Tap off or not fully open, inlet hose kinked, inlet screen blocked, low pressure, inlet valve failed | Open the tap fully, straighten the hose and clean the screen in the hose end; if it still will not fill, replace the inlet valve — fit the Stirling Washing Machine Dual Inlet Valve STR-FLW80W STR-FLW80C STR-FLW10W 0034 |
 E2 | Water did not drain (top loaders) | Drain hose kinked, too high or blocked, drain pump filter clogged, drain pump failed | Straighten the hose and keep the outlet below one metre; clean the pump filter; replace the drain pump if it hums without moving water — fit the Stirling washing Machine Drain pump STR-FLW75 |
| E3 | Cannot spin: load unbalanced or machine not level | Washing bunched on one side, machine rocking on its feet | Redistribute the load and level the feet; if every load does it, check the suspension rods |
| E4 | Lid open (top loaders) / door not locked (front loaders) | Lid not closed, lid switch or door lock failed | Close the lid firmly and press Start; if the code returns with the lid closed, replace the lid switch or door lock |
| EA / EC / other | Electronics or sensor fault | Control board, water level sensor, wiring | Turn off at the wall for a few minutes and retry; a repeat needs a service agent |
| Unbalance flashing / UE | Load out of balance during spin | Single heavy item, load bunched | Redistribute the load and restart the spin |
| Won’t start, lights on | Lid or door not registering closed | Lid switch, door lock | Close firmly; replace the switch or lock if it never registers |
 Leaking from the door (front loaders) | Door seal split or hardened | Age, mould, trapped item | Replace the door seal — fit the Stirling 10 KG Front Load Washing Machine Door Seal SFLW10 SFLW10S SFLW10W2 |
| Water left in the drum, no code | Pump filter blocked or pump failed | Coins, lint, hair | Clean the filter; replace the drain pump |
 Loud rumble on spin | Drum bearings worn | Age, overloading | Replace the bearing and seal kit — fit the Stirling 10 KG Washing Machine Lip Seal & Bearings Kit SFLW10S SFLW10W2 |
| Lint on clothes (top loaders) | Lint filter torn or missing | Wear | Fit a new lint filter |
E1 and E2: fill and drain, fixed at the tap and the hose
E1 says the machine waited for water and not enough arrived. In most homes that is the tap not fully open or a kinked inlet hose, and after that the small screen in the end of the hose where it meets the machine, which silts up over the years. Clean the screen under a running tap. If the machine still will not fill with the tap wide open and a clean screen, the inlet valve has failed, and that is a plug-in part on every Stirling (ALDI) model.
E2 is the same logic on the way out. Check the drain hose is not kinked behind the machine and its outlet is no higher than about a metre off the floor, then clean the pump filter. Only when the hose is clear, the filter is clean and the pump hums without moving water is the drain pump itself finished.
E3 and E4: balance and the lid
E3 is the machine protecting itself from a spin it cannot control: the load has bunched on one side or the machine is rocking on its feet. Redistribute the load, level the feet, and try again. If every load triggers it, the suspension rods that hold the tub have lost their damping. E4 is the lid switch on a top loader or the door lock on a front loader; close firmly, and if the code returns with the lid closed, the switch has failed. On the Stirling (ALDI) front loaders, E4 with the door firmly shut is the door lock, a twenty-minute job behind the seal clamp.
The faults a Stirling (ALDI) shows without a code
Not everything shows as a code. A front loader leaking from the door is the door seal, split at the bottom or hardened by mould. A drum that rumbles like a jet on spin is the bearings. A top loader leaving lint on clothes has a torn lint filter. A machine that hums and will not start is usually the lid switch or the door lock. All of these are covered in the parts list below and in the related guides.
Stirling washing machine parts in stock in Sydney
These are the parts behind the codes above that we hold in stock and ship Australia-wide. Match the model number on your model sticker before ordering, or run it through the Part Finder and let it match for you. Every part we hold for the brand is listed on the Stirling parts page, and by model on the model pages; the wider range is in the washing machine parts store.
- Stirling Washing Machine Dual Inlet Valve STR-FLW80W STR-FLW80C STR-FLW10W 0034
- Stirling washing Machine Drain pump STR-FLW75
- Stirling 10 KG Front Load Washing Machine Door Seal SFLW10 SFLW10S SFLW10W2
- Stirling 10 KG Washing Machine Lip Seal & Bearings Kit SFLW10S SFLW10W2
- Stirling Front Load Washing Machine Door Seal STR-FLW80W STR-FLW80C
- Stirling Washing Machine Drum Drive Belt STR-FLW8WW1
- STIRLING WASHING MACHINE WATER DRAIN HOSE OUTLET 90 Deg 22mm 0785
- Stirling Esatto Front Load Washing Machine Drum Drive Belt SFLW75 EFL800
Is it safe to fix an error code yourself?
Most of the codes above are cleared with a filter clean, a hose check or a plug-in part swap, and those are ordinary DIY jobs: unplug the machine, photograph the wiring before you unplug anything, and never bypass a door lock or a thermal cut-out. Anything involving the sealed refrigerant circuit, gas, or a mains-side repair belongs with a licensed repairer.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I reset a Stirling (ALDI) washing machine error code?
Press Power to switch off, turn the machine off at the wall for a few minutes, then back on and restart the program. If the same code returns immediately, the fault is real: check the tap, the hoses and the lid, then the part in the table.
What does E1 mean on a Stirling (ALDI) washing machine?
No water came in within the time limit. Open the tap fully, straighten the inlet hose, clean the screen in the hose end. If it still will not fill, replace the inlet valve.
What does E2 mean on a Stirling (ALDI) washing machine?
The water did not drain. Straighten the drain hose, keep its outlet under one metre high, clean the pump filter. If the pump hums without moving water, replace the drain pump.
What does E3 mean on a Stirling (ALDI) washing machine?
The machine could not spin because the load is unbalanced or the machine is not level. Redistribute the load and level the feet.
What does E4 mean on a Stirling (ALDI) washing machine?
The lid is open on a top loader, or the door is not locked on a front loader. Close it firmly; if the code returns with the lid closed, replace the lid switch or door lock.
Where is the model number on a Stirling (ALDI) washing machine?
On the sticker on the back panel, inside the lid or door rim, or on the frame behind the door. Use it to match parts or run it through our Part Finder.
Read the code, then fit the part
Tap, hoses, lid, then the code again. A Stirling (ALDI) that repeats the same code after a restart needs the valve, the pump or the switch in the table, and every one is a plug-in part. Find your Stirling part now
Disclaimer: this article is general information only and is provided without warranty of any kind. Appliance designs vary between models and production runs — always follow the manufacturer’s instructions, switch off and unplug the appliance before starting any work, and confirm parts against the model number on your appliance’s model sticker. Any repair is undertaken at your own risk and Oz Appliance Spares accepts no liability for injury, loss or damage arising from work performed after reading this guide, to the maximum extent permitted by law. If in doubt, use a qualified technician.
