Indesit Washer H20 (H2O) Error: Not Filling With Water (Tap, Hose, Pressure or Inlet Filter)

What the code means

Indesit instruction booklets list H2O in their troubleshooting tables under "The machine does not fill with water or 'H2O' will flash on the display" (Indesit IWD and IWSD 61251 booklets) and "The washing machine does not fill with water (the text 'H2O' flashes on the display)" (PWE 91273). The possible causes they list are: the water inlet hose is kinked or bent; the hose isn't connected to the water supply; the water pressure is too low; the water tap hasn't been turned on; there is no water supply to the house; the inlet valve filter is blocked (IWD and IWSD booklets); and the START/PAUSE button hasn't been pressed, so the cycle never actually started. The PWE booklet adds that if the problem persists after these checks, you should turn off the water tap, switch the machine off and contact Indesit's service. H20 doesn't appear on Indesit Service UK's list of digital display fault codes (F01 to F18), because the machine is reporting a missing water supply rather than a failed part. If the tap, hose, pressure and filter are all fine and H20 keeps coming back, the inlet (fill) valve or its wiring is the usual next suspect, which is an engineer's job. Hotpoint machines share Indesit's electronics and use H20 the same way.

Likely causes

• Cold water tap turned off or only partly open (common after plumbing work or a new install)
• Inlet hose kinked or crushed behind the machine, or not connected to the tap
• Blocked inlet valve filter (the small mesh where the fill hose screws onto the back of the machine)
• Low water pressure or no water supply to the house
• START/PAUSE not pressed, so the programme never actually started
• Faulty water inlet valve or its wiring (only once the supply, hose and filter are proven fine)

Safe DIY checks

1. Check that the tap feeding the washer is turned fully on, and run a nearby cold tap to confirm the house has water and normal pressure.
2. Pull the machine out a little and check the inlet hose along its length for kinks, and that it's screwed firmly onto the tap.
3. Clean the inlet filter: turn the tap off, unplug the machine, put a towel down, unscrew the fill hose from the back of the machine, and rinse the small mesh filter in the inlet under running water. Refit it, reconnect the hose hand-tight and turn the tap back on.
4. Check for leaks at both ends of the hose once the tap is back on.
5. Plug back in, select a programme and press START/PAUSE firmly. Listen for water entering the drum within a minute.
6. If the house had a water outage or very low pressure, wait until the supply is back to normal and restart the programme.

Parts that commonly fix it

Always match the part number to your exact model.

Related codes

• F01 Indesit Washer F01
• F05 Indesit Washer F05
• F06 Indesit Washer F06
• F12 Indesit Washer F12
• F13 Indesit Washer F13

All Indesit codes →

Sources

1. Indesit IWD instruction booklet, Troubleshooting (machine does not fill with water or H2O flashes: kinked hose, hose not connected, low pressure, tap not on, no water to house, inlet valve filter blocked, START/PAUSE not pressed)
2. Indesit IWSD 61251 instruction booklet, Troubleshooting (H2O flashes: low pressure, tap not on, no water supply, inlet valve filter blocked)
3. Indesit PWE 91273 user manual, Troubleshooting (H2O flashes: hose not connected or bent, tap not open, no water supply, pressure too low; if it persists turn off tap and contact service)
4. Indesit Service UK: Washing Machine Error Codes (official F01 to F18 fault list; H20 is not among them)