Miele washing machine F10: water inlet fault
Does your Miele washing machine stop mid-programme with F10 on the display? Most of the time you can fix this yourself in a few minutes.
Error code F10
What does F10 mean on a Miele washing machine?
F10 means too little water, or none at all, is getting into the machine. Your Miele measures how much water flows in. If it is not enough after a set time, the programme stops, the machine closes the supply and drains for two minutes. Then F10 appears, or on newer models the message Water inlet fault.
That is annoying with the laundry half-washed in the drum. The good news: in most cases it is not the machine itself but the tap, the hose or a blocked filter. Check those three first. If that does not help, a technician comes to your home. The diagnosis costs €69, the repair a maximum of €179 in total, parts extra.
How it works, in 3 steps
Prices
How much does Miele washing machine repair cost?
Whether your Miele washing machine won't drain, leaks or shows an error code: you pay the same fixed price, just like for any other brand.
A technician finds out at your home why your Miele washing machine isn't working properly. If you don't go ahead with the repair, you only pay for the diagnosis.
If the technician can repair your Miele washing machine, you pay €110. No time limit: even if it takes long or a second visit is needed.
Spare parts are not included. The technician tells you in advance if a part is needed and what it costs.
Chrono surcharge for a visit in the evening, at the weekend or just a few hours after your request.
Second appliance during the same visit? The technician can check and repair it too for €80.
Maintenance as well? The technician can also clean and check your appliance thoroughly, for €50 per appliance on top of the diagnosis and repair.
Prefer remote help first? A video repair costs €49. See all our prices →
How to fix F10 yourself
Switch the machine off before you start. Follow the steps in this order: the first causes are the most common.
Is the tap fully open?
It sounds obvious, but a tap left half closed after a plumber’s visit or a move is the cause found most often. Open it all the way.
Is the inlet hose kinked or squashed?
Pull the machine forward a little and check the hose is not kinked or squashed against the wall anywhere. One kink is enough to cause F10.
How do I clean the water inlet filter?
Where the inlet hose screws onto the tap, and in the plastic block on the hose, there are small filters. Limescale and sand block them after a few years.
- Turn off the tap.
- Unscrew the inlet hose from the tap. Keep a towel handy, some water will run out.
- Carefully take the filter out of the connector with pliers and rinse it under the tap.
- Put the filter back, screw the hose back on and open the tap.
- Check the connection does not leak.
How do I check the water pressure is high enough?
Hold a bucket under the fully open tap and count 15 seconds. It should hold at least 5 litres. If it is less, the water pressure is too low (below 1 bar) and the problem is the pipework or the tap, not your Miele.
How do I reset my Miele after F10?
Unplug the machine, wait at least 2 minutes, plug it back in and start a new programme. More on our page reset a Miele washing machine.
When is F10 a fault in the machine?
The tap is open, the hose is clear, the filter is clean and the pressure is fine, and F10 still comes back? Then the cause is inside the machine. According to Miele’s service documentation, these are the possibilities:
- A leak in the supply. Your Miele has a safety device in the inlet hose that shuts off the water if there is a leak.
- A faulty inlet valve. The valve gets the signal to open but does not open.
- A blocked pressure switch. The machine misreads the water level and thinks no water is coming in.
- A vent valve that does not open in the non-return housing.
These are live parts and part of the water circuit. Working on them yourself is dangerous. If the water pressure in your home is permanently low, the technician can activate a low-pressure setting so the machine waits longer before showing F10.
F10, F15 or Water inlet fault: what is the difference?
Miele uses different messages for the same kind of problem, depending on the model.
| Message | What is going on | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| F10 | Too little or no water within the set time. | Check the tap, hose, filter and water pressure. |
| F15 | Water inlet fault. | Same steps as for F10. |
| Water inlet fault | The text version of F10 on models with a display. | Same steps as for F10. |
| Check water intake indicator flashing | The same, on models without a text display. | Same steps as for F10. |
| Water inlet fault on a new machine | Spinning is blocked until water has come in for the first time. | Run a programme without laundry, for example Cottons 60 °C. |
| F138 or Waterproof system activated | Not an inlet problem but a leak: there is water in the base tray. | Turn off the tap, unplug, call a technician. |
Where do we repair Miele washing machines at home?
Our technicians work in Antwerp, the Brussels-Capital Region, East Flanders, West Flanders, Flemish Brabant, Limburg, Liège, Namur, Hainaut and Walloon Brabant.
Do your technicians have to travel from Vilvoorde every morning?
No. Our technicians live all over Belgium and set off every morning from their own municipality. The parts they need are delivered straight to their homes. That way we get to you quickly, without long drives and often as soon as the next working day.
Another error code on your Miele washing machine?
The full list of all F codes and display messages is on our page Miele washing machine repair. Detailed explanations are also available for F10, F11 and F20. ADD, Ctr or 888 on the display? Read reset a Miele washing machine.
Frequently asked questions about F10 on a Miele washing machine
As long as the cause is there, every programme will stop again with F10. If you have checked the tap, hose and filter and it works again, you can use the machine as normal. If F10 comes back, have it checked.
A reset clears the message but does not remove the cause. If F10 returns on the next programme, there is still not enough water coming in. Check the filter and the pressure. If everything is fine, the inlet valve or the pressure switch is probably faulty.
F10 is about water not coming in, F11 about water not draining away. For F11 you clean the lint filter and the drain pump, see our page on Miele washing machine F11.
In hard water areas, once a year is a good habit. Especially after work on the water pipes, sand and limescale come loose and block the filter.
The diagnosis at home costs €69. If the technician can repair it, you pay a maximum of €179 in total, however long it takes. Parts are extra and you hear the price beforehand. If you decide not to repair, you only pay the €69.
Yes, 3 months on the repair. If the same fault comes back within that period, we come back at no extra cost.
No. We are an independent repair service, not an official Miele service partner. Our technicians do repair Miele appliances every week, at a fixed price you know in advance. If your appliance is still under the manufacturer’s warranty, contact Miele directly.