What E3 Means
WHICH MACHINES THIS APPLIES TO: the E-series belongs to the Asko Logic and heat-pump tumble dryers - the T408HD, T410HD, T608HX and their siblings. On these the display shows "Error" and a number together with a short line of text, and holding the INFO button brings up the description. The older TD60-generation condenser dryers do not use E-codes at all; the TD60.1 panel shows F1 and F2, which are separate entries here, and the TD60.2, TD60.3, TD70 and TDC44 machines show plain-language messages instead of codes.
WHAT E3 MEANS: the line on the display is "E3 - Pump failure. Please check user manuals or call service." Asko's description is precise about which pump: "Failure on the pump for pumping the condensate into the condensate tank." The published action is "Call service centre."
WHAT THAT PUMP DOES: a condenser or heat-pump dryer does not vent moisture outside. It pulls the water out of the air inside the machine, collects it, and pumps it up into the tank you empty - or, on some installations, into a drain hose. E3 says that transfer is not happening. The dryer cannot keep drying if the water it removes has nowhere to go.
WHAT YOU MIGHT SEE ALONGSIDE IT: a tank that stays empty when it should be filling, or water collecting somewhere it should not.
CLASSIFICATION: fault. Asko publishes no owner check, only the service instruction.
Common Causes of E3
- Condensate pump failed or seized
- Pump or its hose blocked with lint sludge
- Water tank not seated correctly
- Drain hose kinked or blocked, where the machine is plumbed out
- Wiring or connector to the pump damaged
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
There is no published owner procedure for the pump itself, and it is inside the machine, so keep to what is documented for owners and observe carefully. Let the dryer cool, then empty the water tank and refit it squarely - a tank that is not seated fully is a separate and much simpler problem, and these machines show a plain-language prompt for it rather than a code. Clean the door lint filter and, on models where Asko documents it as an owner task, clean the condenser unit, because a restricted machine works its water handling harder. If the dryer is plumbed to a drain rather than using the tank, check that hose for kinks and that its discharge point is clear. Note whether the tank has been filling at all over recent cycles, because a tank that stopped filling before the code appeared is a useful fact. Then call - that is Asko's instruction.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- Asko publishes no owner procedure for the condensate pump on these machines, only an instruction to call the service centre.
- The pump sits inside the cabinet with mains wiring and, on a heat-pump machine, alongside a sealed refrigerant circuit that must not be disturbed.
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.