Zanussi problems AL5 error on DES959

Zanussi washing machines can sometimes display error code E50. As John Lewis washing machines are currently also made by Zanussi some John Lewis washing machines can also display error E50.

Unfortunately this is not a "proper" error code and is not listed in error code lists. It's part of the motor fault error code group and is apparently displayed to customers but when an engineer enters a special diagnostic display the "proper" error code will be displayed giving more information.

However, there are usually only two error codes beginning with E5 which are E51 and E52, which are "motor power triac short circuited" and "no signal from the motor tachometric generator" respectively.

So if you have E50 displayed on a Zanussi or John Lewis washing machine it looks like a problem with the motor. However, the E51 "motor power triac short circuited" could be a fault on one of the PC boards as triacs are usually on printed circuit boards. This could have blown due to a short circuit somewhere else (like the motor for example) - I would advise that an engineer is required if you can't see anything obvious with the motor.