What C AND S Means
WHY MOST OWNERS OF THESE MACHINES NEVER REALIZE THEY HAVE FAULT CODES: the W600 and W620 have no display at all. They report problems by where the program control knob comes to rest, and Asko is explicit about it - "The Program Control knobs on the W600/W620 have two error codes: C and S. If the knob stops on one of these, the machine detected a problem." Three Asko documents carry this: the Use and Care Guide for the W600, W620, W640 and W660, the separate W600 quick guide, and the W600-series service manual. There are exactly two positions and nothing else to look for.
POSITION C - A PROBLEM YOU CAN PROBABLY DEAL WITH YOURSELF: the user manual reads "This indicates a problem that can probably be taken care of without calling a service technician. Here are some possible problems: Power interruption. / Water not draining out. / Water not filling machine. / The machine didn't spin."
WHAT POSITION C COVERS AT SERVICE LEVEL: the service manual expands the same position into five named problems, with its own wording. "Thermistor problem - The washing program has finished without heating. 1. Check the fuses. 2. Measure the Ohms." "Heating element problem - The washing program has finished without heating. 1. Check the fuses. 2. Measure the thermistor Ohms. 3. Measure the heater relay Ohms." "Programmer problem - The washing program has been interrupted. Check the fuses." "Water inlet problem - Indicates a problem in the water supply. 1. Make sure the water supply to the machine has been turned on (cold fill only). 2. Check that the filter in the machine water inlet is not blocked." "Draining problem - Draining has taken too long. Check the drain hose and the drain pump." with the closing step "After solving the problem, run program 10 (Drain)."
POSITION S - A MECHANICAL PROBLEM: the user manual reads "If the knob stops on S, this indicates a mechanical problem and you will probably need to call a service technician." The quick guide puts it as "This usually indicates a mechanical problem and a service call will be required." The service manual is more specific: "If the program knob stops in position 'S' after the program has finished or been interrupted, this indicates that a motor problem, a level sensor problem, or a program problem has occurred during the program cycle."
HOW TO READ THE TWO TOGETHER: C is the machine saying the problem is probably in the supply, the water path or the heating, and those have owner checks. S is the machine saying the problem is in the motor, the level sensing or the programmer, and those do not.
CLASSIFICATION: a genuine problem indication in both cases, on a machine that has no other way of telling you.
Common Causes of C AND S
- Position C: supply interrupted during the program, or a breaker tripped
- Position C: water tap closed, or the filter screen in the inlet hose coupling blocked
- Position C: drain hose kinked or blocked, or the pump filter clogged
- Position C: thermistor, heating element or heater relay problem, so the program finished without heating
- Position C: programmer problem interrupting the program
- Position S: motor problem, level sensor problem or programmer problem
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
If the knob has stopped on C, work through Asko's own list in order, because all of it is outside or at the edge of the machine. Check the breaker for the washer at the panel and whether the supply was interrupted during the cycle; reset a tripped breaker once and leave it off if it goes again. Check the water tap to the machine is fully open - these machines are cold fill only, so it is one tap. Then check the filter screen in the inlet hose coupling: close the tap first, let the pressure off, put a towel and a bowl underneath because the hose holds water, unscrew the coupling at the machine end by hand, rinse the small mesh disc, refit it the way it came out and hand-tighten the hose. For the draining side, switch the machine off at the outlet or the breaker, put towels and a shallow tray down, release the pump filter slowly in stages so the water comes out at a rate you can catch, clean it, check the pump housing for coins and clips, and follow the drain hose for kinks and a blocked waste connection. Then run the drain program, which Asko numbers as program 10 on these machines. If the knob has stopped on S, none of that applies: the motor, the level sensor and the programmer are all inside the cabinet, and the manual's own conclusion is that a service call will be needed.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- The water tap is closed and the pressure let off before any hose coupling is unscrewed, and a towel and bowl go underneath because the hose stays full.
- The pump filter is opened only with the machine switched off at the outlet or the breaker, in stages over a tray, and after a hot wash only once the water has cooled.
- The resistance measurements the service manual lists are taken with the machine isolated and connectors off; they are technician steps and there is no safe way to reproduce them on a connected machine.
- The motor, the level sensor and the programmer behind position S are inside the cabinet around a suspended drum, which is why Asko sends that position straight to a service call.
Opening a panel to inspect or repair something yourself doesn't automatically cancel your manufacturer's warranty — but it can risk accidental damage, and some manufacturers do have specific service conditions. Check your product's warranty terms, or ask us, before deciding.