High
F.23 on Vaillant ecoMAX

Your boiler has stopped working because the water isn't circulating properly between the pipes, causing a sudden and unsafe temperature gap.

Call an engineer soon

Book a Gas Safe engineer within 24 to 48 hours. Your boiler may be unsafe or could break down completely if left.

What the manual says

Manufacturer manual

Water shortage, temperature spread between flow and return probe too large, Pump blocked or defective, pump output too low

From this model's manual
Verified against the Vaillant Ecomax installation & service manual, page 49.
Plain-English guidance below. Severity, DIY steps, costs and parts are our interpretation to help you act, not text from the manual.

What causes this fault?

This fault occurs when the water inside your boiler heats up too quickly because it isn't moving around the system fast enough. The most common reason is a failing pump that can no longer push the water through the pipes, or a blockage in the heat exchanger that is restricting flow. When the boiler detects such a large temperature difference between the water going out and the water coming back, it shuts down to prevent internal damage.

This issue often comes to light during the first cold spell of autumn, when a pump that has been idle all summer has seized up or struggled to restart.

Engineer required

This is a high severity fault. Stop using the boiler and call a Gas Safe registered engineer. Do not attempt gas-related repairs yourself.

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