Hobart dishwasher error codes: what they mean and what to do
The same Hobart error number can mean different things on different machines, so start by finding which range yours belongs to. Hobart Ecomax dishwashers and glasswashers show Er with a two-digit code, Profi and Premax machines show a three-digit code such as 021 or 033, and older AM900 hood machines show F01 to F04. This guide from LE Company, commercial dishwasher engineers in London, lists the codes from Hobart’s own operating instructions, what you can check yourself and when to call an engineer. For repairs, see our Hobart dishwasher repair page.
How to tell which Hobart you have
Ecomax (for example the 404, 504, G404, F504, Ecomax+ 415 / 515 and the H604, H614 and H615 hood machines): Er appears on the top display with a two-digit code underneath, and the On/Off button lights red. Notices use letters: SA Lt, Door or Hood, and HY.
Profi and Premax (Profi FX, GX and GC, Premax FP, GP and GCP, Profi AMX / AMXX hoods and Premax AUP): three-digit codes from 001 to 071, in two classes. An information message makes the button flash green and red; the machine still works and you acknowledge it with the tick. A fault keeps the button red, and the machine switches off when you acknowledge it.
Ecomax Plus C815 rack conveyor: Er01 to Er29, with meanings different from the hood and undercounter machines. AM900 (older hood): F01 to F04 and letter codes.
Hobart Ecomax error codes
Ecomax code | Meaning | What Hobart tells you to do |
Er 01 / 02 | Boiler temperature sensor reading too high / too low | Call service |
Er 03 | Boiler thermostop during the wash programme | Call service |
Er 05 / 06 | Tank temperature sensor reading too high / too low | Call service |
Er 07 / 08 | Boiler pressure sensor reading too high / too low | Call service |
Er 09 / 10 | Tank pressure sensor reading too high / too low | Call service |
Er 12 | Water level regulation in the wash tank failed | Call service |
Er 13 | Filling not completed (tank pressure sensor) | Drain the machine |
Er 14 | Wash tank did not drain in the pump-out programme | Clean the drain hose and pump out again |
Er 17 | Filling monitoring by impeller sensor | Check the water supply |
Er 18 | Filling monitoring by boiler water level | Check the water supply |
Er 28 | Wash tank level too low at programme start | Refills automatically; if it stays, call service |
Er 29 | External water treatment cartridge used up | Replace the cartridge |
Er 31 | Filling monitoring | Check the water supply, then call service |
SA Lt | Salt for the built-in softener has run out | Top up with granular regenerating salt |
HY | Hygiene programme due | Run the HY programme with hygiene tabs |
Door / Hood | Door or hood open | Close it |
Hobart Profi and Premax error codes
Profi / Premax code | Meaning | What Hobart tells you to do |
001 / 002, 006 / 007, 011 / 012 | Temperature sensor fault: boiler, wash tank or wash chamber | Call service |
003, 004, 008, 009 | Temperature not reached (information) | Call service |
013 | Disinfection not guaranteed | Call service |
014 to 017 | Pressure sensor fault: boiler or wash tank | Call service |
018 | Water level regulation in the wash tank | Acknowledge; the machine pumps out automatically |
020 | Wash tank pressure sensor fault | Pump out the machine and restart |
021 / 022 | Fault in the drain system (information) | Clean the drain hose and pump out again |
029 / 039 | Programme or filling programme stopped | Close the door or hood |
031 / 032 | Water supply | Check that the water tap is open |
033 | Fault in the filling system | Call service |
034 | Service interval due | Call service |
035 | Tank cover strainer not fitted correctly | Refit the strainer |
036 / 037 | Detergent / rinse aid low | Refill |
038 | Mains voltage too high: machine switched off | Have an electrician check the supply |
040 | Hygiene programme due | Run the hygiene programme |
041 / 042 | Water treatment cartridge / osmosis pre-filter used up | Replace it |
043 / 044 | Salt low (information) / salt empty (fault) | Refill regenerating salt |
045 | Too many rinses without regenerating salt | Call service |
052 | Fault in the filling or drain system | Disconnect water and power, call service |
060 to 069 | Osmosis system or drying function fault | Call service |
070 / 071 | Wash / rinse temperature too low | Call service |
What does Hobart error code 033 mean?
On Hobart Profi and Premax dishwashers and glasswashers, 033 is a fault in the filling system. The machine switches off when you acknowledge it, and Hobart's instructions say to contact service. Check first that the water tap is open; 031 and 032 are the codes that ask you to check the water supply. A filling fault often comes back to the site supply: the water pressure, a partly closed valve or a blocked inlet strainer. If the supply is fine, the inlet valve, the pressure sensor or the controls need testing.
What does Hobart error code 020 or 021 mean?
On Profi and Premax machines, 020 is a wash tank pressure sensor fault: pump out the machine and restart it. 021 is a fault in the drain system: clean the drain hose if necessary and pump out again; on hood machines, hold the On/Off button for 3 seconds to restart the pump-out. If either code comes back, call service. A drain fault that keeps returning usually means a blocked or kinked drain hose, a blocked drain on site or a failing drain pump. See why a dishwasher is not draining.
What do Hobart error codes 07, 08, 17 and 18 mean?
This is where most confusion comes from. The same number means different things on different Hobart ranges:
Number | Ecomax | Profi / Premax | Ecomax Plus C815 conveyor |
07 | Boiler pressure sensor too high | Temperature sensor fault | Door or cover open |
17 | Not filling (impeller sensor) | Pressure sensor fault | Emergency stop pressed |
18 | Not filling (boiler level) | Wash tank water level | Display communication error |
21 | Filling stopped (2017 models) | Drain fault | Boiler temperature sensor |
So always give the engineer the full model name from the rating plate together with the code.
What does HY mean on a Hobart dishwasher?
On Hobart Ecomax machines HY means the hygiene programme is due. Put in the HOBART hygiene tabs (2, or 1 on the Ecomax 404), select programme HY and close the door; it runs for about 10 minutes, drains and switches off. On Profi and Premax machines the same reminder is code 040.
Hobart salt and water softener messages
SA Lt means the salt for the built-in water softener has run out. Top up with about 1 kg of granular regenerating salt (2 to 8 mm grains), never salt tablets; the message clears a few minutes later. Never put detergent in the salt container, because it damages the softener. Salt spilled on the tank floor causes corrosion: wipe it out and run a wash programme. On Profi and Premax machines, 043 means the salt is low, 044 that it has run out, and 045 that too many rinses have run without salt, which needs service. Hobart recommends water of 0 to 3 °dH total hardness, and London water is hard, so a working softener matters.
The Ecomax and Profi instructions we checked do not include a descaling programme. Where rinse nozzles are clogged, usually by lime, Hobart says to remove the rinse arms, descale them in a separate container and check the softener. A fine strainer blocked by lime can be soaked in a vinegar solution and brushed; clean it daily.
Does Hobart use error codes F03, F04, E2 or E5?
F01 to F04 appear on the older Hobart AM900 hood dishwasher, where F03 is a rinse booster pressure transmitter fault and F04 a tank pressure transmitter fault; both need service. E-codes such as E2 and E5 belong to Hobart's US machines (for example the LXi, where E5 means will not drain), not to the Ecomax, Profi or Premax machines sold in the UK. We could not confirm an AL code on any current UK Hobart model, so if your machine shows AL, send us a photo of the display and the rating plate.
When to call a Hobart engineer
Call an engineer for any fault that tells you to contact service, if a code returns after you have checked the water tap, the drain hose and the strainers, or if the machine is not reaching temperature (070, 071) or shows that disinfection is not guaranteed (013). For other makes, see our guide to Winterhalter error codes. Planned servicing prevents many of these faults: see commercial catering equipment maintenance.
Book a Hobart repair in London
LE Company’s call-out is from £175 + VAT and includes the first 30 minutes on site, when the engineer reads the codes and finds the cause. The cost of the repair is agreed with you before any work starts. See our Hobart dishwasher repair, Hobart repair in London and commercial dishwasher repair pages, read our frequently asked questions, or call +44 20 3603 7172, Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm.