Resetting a Siemens WM16S series machine after F43 error / Nulstilling af Siemens vaskemaskine efter F43 fejl

OK, I could actually google this, but it took two hours, and the solution was in Dutch, on a German webpage, so I am writing this down in English and Danish in the hope that others may benefit from it in the future.

I have a Siemens washing machine from the 16S series (WM16S – there may be a sister series in Bosch). These machines may fail with an F43 error in the display. This is related to the motor, and may be that the motor needs new brushes (kul in danish), the Tacho (feedback mecanism) is broken, wiring or the motor control board. Most likely for a 6-7 year old washing machine is the brushes. They are relatively cheap, and how to change them is well known on the internet. (Do a youtube search : Biggest challenge is getting the electrical clips off, they are tiny to my clumsy fingers!).

However, after changing them, you still need to reset the machine. Various methods exists to do this, depending on the machine. Here are the exact steps needed to reset this particular model series (the WM16S series):

1. Turn off the machine (dial to 0)
2. Open the door
3. Turn on the machine on first program
4. Close the door
5. Turn off the machine
6. Turn on the machine on the “six-o-clock” program, which is centrifuge
7. Press the “option down” button and keep it pressed (This is the button left of the display)
8. Turn the dial to “seven-o-clock” (empty/pump out program)
9. Release the “option down” button
10. Turn of the machine

This should reset the machine, and if everything is allright, it should work. If it does not work after changing the brushes and resetting it, something else is wrong, most likely the motor control board, or if the motor it very scarred, the motor it self.

Here is the same steps in danish, in the hope that this may benefit some danes.

Det er om Siemens vaskemaskiner mere specifikt dem fra WM16S serien, og det handler om at nulstille efter en F43 motorfejl, hvor man f.eks. har skiftet kul. Her er de skridt man skal igennem:

1. Sluk maskinen (programvælgeren til 0)
2. Åben døren
3. Tænd maskinen, f.eks. på program 1
4. Luk døren
5. Sluk maskinen
6. Tænd maskinen på programmet kl. 6 (centrifugering)
7. Tryk på “option ned” pilen, lige til venstre for displayet, og hold den inde
8. Drej programvælger til kl. 7 (et skridt med uret, til udpumpning)
9. Slip “option ned” pilen
10. Sluk maskinen

Jeg håber det virker for dig!

And, in dutch and german -i Think:

… Machine uit – Maschine aus
Deur open – Tür auf
Machine aan – Maschine an – “hab einfach das erste Programm genommen”
Deur dicht – Tür zu
Machine uit – Maschine aus
Draaiknop op 6 uur zetten – “Programm 6 Uhr” auswählen
Optieknop pijltje naar beneden indrukken en ingedrukt houden – Pfeil Taste “nach unten” links vom Display drücken und halten
Draaiknop naar 7 uur zetten ( 1 stand verder dus) – Programm 7 Uhr wählen – also einfach ein Programm weiter drehen
Loslaten – die Pfeil Taste wieder loslassen
Draaiknop op machine uit – Maschine ausschalten