Candy dishwasher error code 18

Use only checks that match the exact appliance or system and its official guide.

1. Check 1

   From a dry, safe position, photograph the complete display or count the repeating LED pattern exactly as the appliance shows it. Record whether the text is E18, 18, E3, E4, E21, another code, or only a different flash count, and read the full Candy model and serial plate inside the door or from the warranty paperwork without moving the machine.

   Expected result: The display clearly shows E18 and the model is known, the machine has no display and shows a repeating flash pattern, or the code/model/market is incomplete or uncertain.

   Next step: If the model or display format is uncertain, obtain the exact Candy manual or contact Technical Assistance with a photo and model/serial information. Do not use a generic Candy code list or assume that 18 flashes and E18 always share the same remedy.

   Stop if: Do not move a full or built-in dishwasher to expose a label, reach behind wet plumbing, or keep restarting it while water is present.

   Why this matters

   Why: Candy's opened manual uses E-prefixed codes for display models and a flash count for models without a display. Its E18 definition is tied to the documented CF 5C7F0W-80 manual, so a different code or unknown model cannot safely inherit the same water-level interpretation.

2. Check 2

   Before any filter or sump-area cleaning, press the normal off control, unplug the dishwasher from a safe dry position, and turn off the water tap. Let hot water and the tub cool, protect the floor from residual water, and look only for an immediate leak or electrical warning.

   Expected result: The appliance is safely isolated with no visible hazard, or water is leaking toward electrical parts, the cord/plug is hot or damaged, smoke or burning odor is present, or the supply protection has tripped.

   Next step: For a leak or electrical hazard, keep the tap and appliance off, isolate power only if safe, and contact qualified appliance or electrical service. If the machine is safely isolated, continue only with the exact manual's permitted filter check.

   Stop if: Do not work with power connected, touch a wet plug or waterblock electrical box, reset protection repeatedly, or continue if smoke, arcing, burning, or water reaches electrical parts.

   Why this matters

   Why: Candy's manual makes power and water isolation a prerequisite for cleaning and says a malfunctioning appliance should be switched off and have its water supply turned off. A leak or electrical warning takes priority over interpreting or clearing E18.

3. Check 3

   For a model whose exact manual defines E18 as a water-level problem with a filter-plate check, remove only the lower basket and the user-removable filter parts shown in that manual. Rinse and clean the filter plate, inspect the visible sump area for a loose obstruction without reaching into the pump, then seat the filter assembly fully and correctly.

   Expected result: The filter plate is visibly clogged or incorrectly seated, a loose visible residue is present, the filter is clear, or the suspected obstruction is sharp, deep, or inaccessible.

   Next step: If the filter was clogged or mis-seated, reinstall it and make at most one supervised normal restart after restoring water and power safely. If it was clear, damaged, or cannot be cleaned without deeper access, leave the dishwasher off and arrange service.

   Stop if: Do not remove a pump cover unless the exact manual explicitly permits it, reach into an inaccessible sump, handle broken glass bare-handed, run without filters, or use drain chemicals.

   Why this matters

   Why: On the matched Candy manual, E18 directly calls for checking a clogged filter plate. A clear filter or inaccessible obstruction does not prove a pump, water-level sensor, valve, hose, or control fault; it means the user-level filter correction has not explained the code.

4. Check 4

   After the permitted filter check, inspect only the accessible drain hose route and visible sink or siphon connection for a kink, crushing, blockage, immersion, or recent installation change. Do not disconnect an inaccessible hose or move a built-in appliance; keep the power and water isolated during this inspection.

   Expected result: The hose or visible connection is clearly kinked or blocked, the hose is immersed or incorrectly routed, the accessible route is normal, or inspection would require moving the appliance or disconnecting plumbing.

   Next step: Correct only a clearly accessible hose position or normal sink-side blockage described by the exact manual, then retest once if no safety warning is present. If the route is normal or inaccessible, stop and arrange service instead of dismantling the drain path.

   Stop if: Do not cut a hose, pour drain chemicals into the dishwasher, disconnect pressurized plumbing, move a full built-in machine, or work around wet electrical connections.

   Why this matters

   Why: The Candy manual distinguishes E18's water-level/filter-plate entry from E3's no-drain entry, but a blocked or returning drain path can still leave water in the tub and complicate the level condition. A normal visible path shifts the unresolved cause toward an internal pump, hose, valve, sensor, or control.

5. Check 5

   Restore water and power only after the permitted filter or accessible hose correction is complete and the area is dry. Make at most one supervised normal programme or drain attempt, and stop immediately if E18 returns, water leaks, the pump hums or grinds without flow, the breaker trips, or another warning appears.

   Expected result: The tub drains and the programme completes normally, E18 returns, water remains or returns, the pump makes abnormal noise, or a leak or electrical warning appears.

   Next step: For any recurrence or abnormal result, switch off, unplug when safe, turn off the water supply, and contact Candy Technical Assistance or an authorized service provider with the model, exact code/flash pattern, filter result, hose observations, and water state.

   Stop if: Do not run repeated programmes with standing water, dismantle the pump, bypass leak protection, perform an energized test, or keep using the appliance with a recurring fault.

   Why this matters

   Why: A stable cycle after a clogged filter or accessible hose correction supports that visible restriction as the immediate cause, but it does not prove the underlying level-sensing or pump system is healthy. Recurrence, standing water, abnormal pump sound, leak, or protection operation exceeds the user checks.