Vaillant ecoMAX 618 Fault codes & diagnostics

21 fault codes with plain-English explanations, severity ratings, DIY guidance, and repair cost estimates.

System Natural Gas 18 kW 2000-2005 Discontinued

Replaced by: ecoTEC plus 618

Download the Vaillant ecoMAX 618 manual The official installation & service manual (PDF) — the exact document these fault codes were verified against. PDF

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Severity at a glance

Each cell = one fault code. Hover to identify.
1 Emergency 20 High

All 21 documented codes

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F.0

Your boiler has lost connection with its main internal temperature sensor, meaning it cannot safely tell how hot the water is and has shut down as a precaution.

High Engineer only £90-160

Parts commonly replaced

  • Flow NTC Thermistor
  • Sensor wiring harness

Related codes

F.1

Your boiler has stopped working because it cannot correctly measure the temperature of the water returning to the unit due to a faulty sensor or connection.

High Engineer only £90-160

Parts commonly replaced

  • Return NTC thermistor
  • Wiring harness

Related codes

F.10

Your boiler has stopped working because a sensor that monitors water temperature has developed an electrical fault.

High Engineer only £120-£190

Parts commonly replaced

  • Flow NTC thermistor
  • NTC sensor wiring harness

Related codes

F.11

Your boiler has stopped working because one of its internal temperature sensors has developed an electrical fault and is giving an incorrect reading.

High Engineer only £90-160

Parts commonly replaced

  • Return NTC thermistor
  • Wiring harness/connector

Related codes

F.13

Your boiler has lost connection to the hot water cylinder sensor, meaning it cannot tell how hot your water is or when to heat it.

High Engineer only £110-190

Parts commonly replaced

  • NTC Cylinder Sensor
  • Wiring Loom/Harness

Related codes

F.20

Your boiler has switched itself off because it has reached an unsafe temperature and needs to cool down before it can restart.

High DIY-safe £100-£350

What to check first

  1. Check that your radiator valves are fully open to allow water to flow.
  2. Ensure there is enough water pressure in the system (typically 1.0 to 1.5 bar).
  3. Press the 'Reset' button (flame symbol with a cross) once the boiler has cooled down.

Parts commonly replaced

  • Circulation Pump
  • Overheat Thermostat
  • NTC Temperature Sensor

Related codes

F.22

Your boiler has detected that there is not enough water pressure in the system to operate safely.

High DIY-safe £0-280

What to check first

  1. Check the pressure gauge on the front of the boiler or under the casing.
  2. Locate the external filling loop (braided silver hose) usually found beneath the boiler.
  3. Slowly open the valves until the pressure gauge reaches between 1.0 and 1.5 bar, then close them tightly.

Parts commonly replaced

  • Circulation Pump
  • Pressure Sensor
  • Pump Lead

Related codes

F.23

Your boiler is struggling to circulate water properly, often because the system pressure is too low or there is trapped air preventing the heat from moving away from the boiler.

High DIY-safe £100-300

What to check first

  1. Check the pressure gauge and top up to 1.5 bar using the filling loop if it is too low
  2. Bleed your radiators to remove any trapped air from the system
  3. Ensure all radiator valves are fully open and not stuck

Parts commonly replaced

  • Circulation pump
  • NTC Temperature Sensors
  • Automatic air vent

Related codes

F.24

Your boiler is overheating because water isn't moving through the system quickly enough to take the heat away.

High DIY-safe £100-£350

What to check first

  1. Check the pressure gauge and top up the system to 1.5 bar if it is too low
  2. Ensure all radiator valves are fully open
  3. Bleed your radiators and the pump to remove trapped air

Parts commonly replaced

  • Circulation Pump
  • Flow/Return NTC Thermistor
  • System Pressure Sensor

Related codes

F.25

Your boiler has detected that the water pressure has dropped too low or there is a problem with the internal sensor that monitors it, causing the system to shut down for safety.

High DIY-safe £90-180

What to check first

  1. Check the central heating pressure gauge; it should ideally be between 1.0 and 1.5 bar.
  2. If the pressure is below 1.0 bar, use the external filling loop to top up the system until the gauge reaches the correct level.
  3. Restart the boiler to see if the fault clears.

Parts commonly replaced

  • Water pressure switch
  • Wiring harness / plug connector

Related codes

Showing 11–20 of 21
F.27

Your boiler has detected a signal error between its control system and gas supply, preventing it from lighting safely.

High Engineer only £250-£550

Parts commonly replaced

  • Main PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
  • Gas Valve
  • Ignition Electrodes

Related codes

F.28

Your boiler has failed to ignite, which means it cannot light the gas flame required to provide heat or hot water.

High DIY-safe £120-280

What to check first

  1. Check if other gas appliances in your home, such as a hob, are working to ensure gas is reaching the property.
  2. If you have a pre-payment meter, check that you have remaining credit.
  3. Ensure your gas stopcock is fully open.
  4. Press the reset button (indicated by a flame with a line through it) for one second.

Parts commonly replaced

  • Ignition Electrode
  • Gas Valve
  • Ignition Lead
  • Spark Generator

Related codes

F.29

Your boiler has lost its gas supply or the flame has gone out and it cannot restart itself.

High DIY-safe £100-£350

What to check first

  1. Check if other gas appliances in your home, like a hob, are working correctly.
  2. If you have a prepayment meter, ensure you have sufficient credit topped up.
  3. Check if the gas emergency control valve near your meter has been accidentally turned off.
  4. Press the 'Reset' button (flame symbol with a cross) for one second to see if the boiler restarts.

Parts commonly replaced

  • Gas Valve
  • Ignition Electrode
  • Ignition Lead
  • PCB

Related codes

F.32

Your boiler's fan is struggling to spin at the correct speed, which prevents the unit from starting up safely to heat your home.

High Engineer only £180-350

Parts commonly replaced

  • Fan assembly
  • Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
  • Wiring harness
F.60

Your boiler has detected an electrical fault with the part that controls the gas supply, meaning it cannot ignite safely for heating or hot water.

High Engineer only £180-£450

Parts commonly replaced

  • Gas valve assembly
  • Main PCB (Printed Circuit Board)
  • Wiring harness

Related codes

F.61

Your boiler has detected an electrical problem with the system that controls the gas flow, meaning it cannot light safely for heating or hot water.

High Engineer only £180-£450

Parts commonly replaced

  • Gas valve assembly
  • PCB (Main control board)
  • Wiring harness

Related codes

F.62

Your boiler has detected that the gas valve is not closing properly or there is a communication error between the gas valve and the control board.

Emergency Engineer only £250-£450

Parts commonly replaced

  • Gas valve assembly
  • Printed Circuit Board (PCB)

Related codes

F.64

Your boiler has detected an electrical issue with its internal heat sensors or the main control board, preventing it from heating your home safely.

High Engineer only £120-£450

Parts commonly replaced

  • Flow NTC sensor
  • Return NTC sensor
  • Main PCB (Printed Circuit Board)

Related codes

F.65

Your boiler's internal control board has become too hot to operate safely and has shut down to prevent damage.

High Engineer only £220-450

Parts commonly replaced

  • Main Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
  • Internal Heat Shield

Related codes

Showing 21–21 of 21
F.67

Your boiler has detected a flame when there shouldn't be one, or has a confusion in its internal electronics, causing it to shut down for safety.

High Engineer only £280-550

Parts commonly replaced

  • Printed Circuit Board (PCB)
  • Ignition Electrode
  • Flame Sensing Electrode

Related codes

67 operating states & engineer diagnostics

Not faults — these are normal operating states. Tap to expand.

d.0 Diagnostic Your boiler is currently operating normally and is simply indicating that it is running at a lower workload to maintain your desired temperature. d.1 Diagnostic Your boiler is currently running its internal pump to move leftover warm water away from the heat exchanger to prevent overheating, which is a normal part of its cooling cycle. d.2 Diagnostic Your boiler is currently in a forced waiting period to prevent it from cycling on and off too frequently, which is usually a normal part of its operation. d.5 Diagnostic Your boiler is currently reporting that the temperature setting for the water flowing through your heating system is outside of the expected range. d.7 Diagnostic Your boiler is displaying a status code relating to the hot water pre-heat settings, which is not a functional fault but an indicator of the current configuration. d.8 Diagnostic Your boiler is currently receiving a signal from your thermostat or programmer asking for heat, so it is functioning exactly as it should. d.10 Diagnostic Your boiler is struggling to detect or circulate water properly, which means it has stopped providing heating and hot water to protect itself from overheating. d.11 Diagnostic Your boiler is struggling to detect or communicate with the pump responsible for moving water through your heating system, which means it may fail to heat your home properly. d.13 Diagnostic Your boiler is struggling to communicate with an external water pump that is typically used in larger heating systems, preventing the warm water from moving around your home correctly. d.14 Diagnostic Your boiler is struggling to circulate water effectively because the internal pump is not running at the speed it needs to. d.16 Diagnostic Your boiler is struggling to signal the external pump responsible for circulating warmth to your radiators, meaning your heating system may stop working properly. d.22 Diagnostic Your boiler is simply letting you know that it has received a request to heat your hot water and is currently working to provide it. d.23 Diagnostic Your boiler is struggling to register the position of the temperature control dial, meaning it may not correctly switch between heating and hot water modes. d.24 Diagnostic Your boiler is struggling to increase its temperature fast enough, which usually suggests a problem with the internal water flow or a sensor that isn't reading the heat levels correctly. d.25 Diagnostic Your boiler is currently performing a routine internal check or is activating its pre-heat feature to keep water ready for your taps. d.34 Diagnostic Your boiler is simply reporting the current operating speed of its internal fan, which is a normal part of the system's status monitoring rather than a fault. d.35 Diagnostic Your boiler is struggling to switch between providing hot water for your taps and heating your radiators, meaning one or both may not work as expected. d.40 Diagnostic This code is simply a status message showing the current water temperature inside your boiler and does not indicate a fault. d.41 Diagnostic Your boiler is simply reporting the current temperature of the water returning to the system, which is a normal status check rather than a system failure. d.44 Diagnostic Your boiler is struggling to detect the flame correctly, so it has shut down as a precaution to prevent unburnt gas from building up. d.46 Diagnostic Your boiler is struggling to communicate with the weather sensor installed outside your home, which means it cannot automatically adjust your heating based on the outdoor temperature. d.47 Diagnostic Your boiler's outdoor sensor, which helps it adjust your heating based on the weather, is not sending a proper signal to the system. d.60 Diagnostic Your boiler has detected that it has shut itself down due to overheating multiple times, which means it is struggling to circulate heat correctly. d.61 Diagnostic Your boiler has recorded several failed attempts to start up recently and has locked itself for safety reasons. d.67 Diagnostic Your boiler is intentionally resting for a few minutes to prevent frequent switching on and off, which is a normal protective feature. d.68 Diagnostic Your boiler has failed to complete its initial setup process, meaning it cannot begin operating to provide you with heating or hot water. d.69 Diagnostic Your boiler has failed to fire up on its second attempt to ignite, meaning it is currently unable to provide heating or hot water. d.71 Diagnostic Your boiler is limiting the maximum temperature it allows for the water circulating through your radiators to prevent the system from getting too hot. d.72 Diagnostic Your boiler is struggling to circulate water correctly after it has finished heating your water or home, which can often be caused by a sensor misreading or a temporary blockage. d.73 Diagnostic Your boiler is struggling to accurately measure or maintain the temperature of the water used for your taps. d.80 Diagnostic This code is simply an information display showing the total number of hours your boiler has been running since it was installed; it is not a fault. d.81 Diagnostic This code is simply an information display showing how many total hours your boiler has been working to provide hot water, rather than an indication of a fault. d.82 Diagnostic This code is simply an information display showing the total number of times your boiler has turned its heating cycle on and off, rather than an indication of a fault. d.83 Diagnostic This code is simply an information display showing the total number of times your hot water system has cycled on and off, rather than an indication of a fault. P.1 Diagnostic Your boiler is currently performing a self-test at full power, which is a standard procedure rather than a fault. P.2 Diagnostic Your boiler is currently running a brief internal self-test mode and should return to normal operation automatically shortly. P.5 Diagnostic Your boiler is currently running a brief, automated safety test to ensure the high-temperature cut-off switch is working correctly. S.0 Status Your boiler is working correctly but is currently idle because it hasn't been told to turn on by your thermostat or timer. S.1 Status Your boiler is currently working as normal to pump heat through your radiators and does not have a fault. S.2 Status Your boiler is preparing to heat your home and is checking that water is moving through the pipes before it lights the burner. S.3 Status Your boiler is currently trying to start the ignition process to provide heating, which is a normal part of the startup sequence and not necessarily a fault unless it remains stuck on this screen. S.4 Status Your boiler is operating normally and is currently in the process of heating your radiators. S.5 Status Your boiler is currently cooling itself down after a heating cycle and will resume normal operation shortly. S.6 Status Your boiler is trapped in a cooling-down cycle where the fan keeps running longer than necessary, preventing it from starting a new heating cycle. S.7 Status Your boiler is temporarily keeping the internal pump running to safely cool down the heat exchanger after a period of heating. S.8 Status Your boiler is taking a short rest to prevent it from switching on and off too frequently, which helps save energy and protect its internal components. S.10 Status Your boiler is simply indicating that it is currently working to heat your hot water tank as requested. S.11 Status Your boiler is currently working as it should to heat up your hot water tank. S.13 Status Your boiler is currently going through the normal steps to start the ignition process for your hot water. S.14 Status Your boiler is currently working correctly and is providing heat to your hot water tank as intended. S.16 Status Your boiler's fan is staying on for longer than usual to cool the internal components after providing hot water. S.17 Status Your boiler is briefly keeping the pump running to dissipate excess heat after heating your hot water, which is a normal operational status rather than a breakdown. S.20 Status Your boiler is simply indicating that it is currently pre-heating itself to ensure hot water is available quickly when you need it. S.21 Status Your boiler is currently preparing itself to provide hot water quickly and is not actually reporting a fault. S.23 Status Your boiler is currently preparing to fire up the burners to heat your water or radiators after a brief pause. S.24 Status Your boiler is performing a routine start-up process to keep its internal water warm and is not actually experiencing a fault. S.26 Status Your boiler is staying in a cooling-down mode because the internal fan is running for longer than it should after heating your water. S.27 Status Your boiler is briefly running its internal pump to circulate water and manage heat after it has been turned off, which is a normal operating state rather than a breakdown. S.28 Status Your boiler is taking a short, planned break to prevent it from turning on and off too frequently, which helps protect the internal components and improve efficiency. S.30 Status Your boiler is working fine, but it is currently waiting for your thermostat or programmer to tell it to turn on. S.32 Status Your boiler is pausing because its internal fan is not reaching the correct speed required to safely start the heating process. S.34 Status Your boiler is not broken; it has simply noticed the temperature is very cold and is running the pump or burner automatically to prevent the internal pipes from freezing. S.36 Status Your boiler is working fine but it is not receiving a signal from your thermostat or timer to turn the heating on. S.37 Status Your boiler is temporarily pausing because the fan speed is not within the required range for a safe startup. S.39 Status Your boiler has paused because it detected that the water temperature is too high for your underfloor heating system, triggered by a safety safety switch to protect your floors. S.53 Status Your boiler has temporarily paused its operation because it senses there is not enough water flowing through the system to heat your home safely. S.54 Status Your boiler has paused because it cannot detect enough water flow or pressure to operate safely without overheating.