E11 is E10’s close cousin — where E10 means no water at all, E11 means water is arriving but not fast enough. The machine started filling, detected that the rate was too slow, and stopped the cycle before wasting time on a wash that would take forever. The good news: slow fill problems almost always have a physical cause you can find and fix.
Quick Reference Table
| Code | Meaning | Severity | DIY? |
|---|---|---|---|
| E11 | Water fill rate too slow | Low–Medium | Yes |
The Difference Between E10 and E11
- E10 — The fill timer expires with no (or almost no) water entering the tub.
- E11 — Water is entering the tub, but the fill timer expires before the required level is reached.
E11 often points to a partial restriction rather than a complete blockage. The water is getting through — just not enough of it.
Step-by-Step Fix
Step 1 — Confirm Both Supply Valves Are Fully Open
Check behind the washer. Both hot and cold shutoff valves need to be wide open. A valve that’s 75% open can cause exactly the kind of slow fill that triggers E11. Turn each valve counterclockwise until it stops.
Step 2 — Clean the Inlet Hose Screens
This is the most common cause of E11. Tiny sediment particles from your water supply slowly accumulate on the small mesh screens inside the hose-to-machine connections.
- Shut off both supply valves.
- Disconnect the hoses at the back of the washer.
- Pull the mesh screens out of the inlet ports with needle-nose pliers.
- Hold them under running water and use a toothbrush to scrub both sides.
- Inspect for tears — a damaged screen should be replaced, not cleaned.
- Reinstall, reconnect, open valves, and run a short cycle.
Step 3 — Check for Kinked or Collapsed Hoses
Inspect the full length of both inlet hoses. A hose that’s bent at a sharp angle behind the machine can restrict flow by 50% or more. Braided stainless steel hoses are more kink-resistant than plain rubber and are a worthwhile upgrade if your hoses are old.
Step 4 — Test Home Water Pressure
Low house pressure can cause E11 even when nothing is wrong with the washer. Use a pressure gauge on an outdoor spigot (they’re inexpensive) — you need 20–80 PSI. If your home runs below 20 PSI, a pressure booster or a call to your utility is the fix, not a washer repair.
Step 5 — Inspect the Inlet Valve
The water inlet valve has two solenoid coils — one for hot, one for cold. If one coil is failing, it might allow some flow but not full flow. This produces exactly the symptom E11 describes: some water, not enough water.
- Unplug the machine before inspecting.
- Remove the access panel to locate the inlet valve.
- Test each coil with a multimeter (200–500 ohms expected). A reading significantly outside this range or an open circuit means the coil is failing.
- Replace the full inlet valve assembly if one coil fails.
Parts you may need:
- Electrolux Washer Water Inlet Valve
- Braided Stainless Steel Washer Hoses
- Water Pressure Gauge
- Inlet Hose Filter Screen Replacement
After the Fix
Reset the error:
- Turn the selector dial to Off and wait 30 seconds.
- Restart a cycle.
Or unplug the washer for a full minute, plug back in, and select a new cycle.
If E11 Returns Intermittently
Intermittent E11 errors — appearing sometimes but not always — often point to fluctuating house water pressure rather than a steady restriction. Watch whether the error appears more often when other water-using appliances run simultaneously (dishwasher, irrigation system, shower). If so, home water pressure is the culprit.