Braun Coffee Maker Error Codes: E01 to E21, Lid and Flashing Lights

Braun Error Codes Come in Groups, Not Single Meanings

Braun coffee maker error codes aren't defined one by one. On a MultiServe, Braun sorts E02 to E18 into two groups with one remedy each: unplug for 5 minutes and descale, or unplug for 5 minutes and retry. E21 means water. On a BrewSense, E01, E02 and E03 have no home fix at all. Braun's answer is to contact Customer Service.

So if a website tells you that E05 is a "leak sensor" or E02 is a "flow meter", it didn't get that from Braun. In the troubleshooting tables of Braun's instruction books, the cause column next to every E code is empty or a dash, and the PureFlavor book says only "Error messages". Only the remedy is printed.

This guide covers the display messages and lights in Braun's North American books for the MultiServe (KF 9050, KF 9070, KF 9150, KF 9170), the BrewSense (KF 7150, KF 7170, KF6050, KF7000, KF7030, KF7070, and the thermal KF 7155 and KF 7175) and the PureFlavor (KF 5650), plus Braun's US support FAQs.

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Braun Code and Message Table

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Try This First

• Read the whole code. E02 on a MultiServe and E02 on a BrewSense lead to different answers, and E21 is a water message, not a fault.
• MultiServe: check the water tank. Low water or a tank that isn't pushed fully in is Braun's explanation for E21.
• MultiServe: check the lever. If the On/Off button flashes when you switch on, the lever is at "Drip Stop". Move it to "Coffee".
• Close the reservoir lid. An open lid shows "Lid" and stops the brew.
• Is the display just flashing a time? 2:00 AM (or 12:00 AM on a PureFlavor) means the clock lost power. It isn't an error.

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Fix 1: Unplug for 5 Minutes (MultiServe E02 to E18)

Braun's first step for every numbered MultiServe code from E02 to E18 is the same: unplug the appliance, wait 5 minutes and plug it in again. What you do next depends on which group the code is in. This is the only reset Braun documents for these machines.

Group one: E02, E05, E08, E09, E16, E18

1. Unplug the coffee maker and wait 5 minutes.
2. Plug it in again.
3. "Perform a decalcification", in the words of the instruction book. Run the full descaling program with a descaler. The steps for the MultiServe, including the second press of CLEAN for the rinse, are in our Braun clean light guide.
4. If the error persists, contact Braun customer service.

Group two: E03, E04, E06, E07, E10, E11, E12, E13, E14, E15, E17

1. Unplug the coffee maker and wait 5 minutes.
2. Plug it in again and retry the brew.
3. If the error occurs again, contact Braun customer service.

Time: 5 minutes, plus a full descaling program for group one
Cost: Free, or the price of a descaler
Success Rate: About 40%
Difficulty: Easy

Why the split matters: Braun doesn't say what any of these codes detect. But it sends the first group, and only the first group, to a descale. If your code is in that group, the 5-minute unplug on its own is only half of Braun's fix.

The E13 note: the instruction book lists E13 in group two. Braun's US support FAQ treats it separately. For E13, it says to make sure the "over ice" function is selected when you make iced coffee, then clear the error. If E13 appeared during an iced brew, press Over Ice before choosing the brew mode next time.

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Fix 2: Fill and Reseat the Water Tank (MultiServe E21)

E21 is the one MultiServe code with a published explanation. Braun's US FAQ says it means there isn't enough water in the tank for the drink size you picked, or the tank isn't seated properly and there's air in the circuit. The instruction book's remedy is short: fill the water reservoir, then switch off and on again.

Signs it's this one: E21 right after choosing a carafe size with little water in the tank, or after putting the removable tank back.

1. Lift the water tank completely out of the machine.
2. Put it back, pushing it firmly into place.
3. Fill it with at least 50 ounces of water. That's the figure in Braun's FAQ.
4. Switch the machine off with the On/Off button, then on again.
5. If E21 is still there, take the tank out and reseat it again. Braun says it may take a few tries to clear air from the line.

Time: 2-5 minutes
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 30%
Difficulty: Easy

H2O instead of E21: Braun's US FAQs give the same explanation and the same steps for an "H2O" message. The message isn't in the KF 9050 to KF 9170 instruction book, which shows E21 for this.

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Fix 3: Clear "Lid" and the Flashing Buttons

Three MultiServe signals look like faults and are really positions. Each one tells you a part isn't where the machine needs it.

• "Lid" on the display: the lid of the water reservoir is open. Close it. Braun also lists an open reservoir cover as a reason coffee isn't brewing.
• On/Off button flashing when you switch on: the lever is at "Drip Stop". Move it to "Coffee".
• Brew mode button flashing during a brew: the brew is paused, because the lever was moved to "Drip Stop". Move it back to "Coffee" within 2 minutes. After 2 minutes the brew ends with a beep.

Time: Under a minute
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 15%
Difficulty: Easy

One more MultiServe habit gets mistaken for a dead panel. If you press On/Off and don't choose anything within 60 seconds, the machine drops back to stand-by, and the On/Off light and the last brew mode go dark. Press On/Off again to wake it.

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Fix 4: Stop the 2:00 AM Flash and Unlock the Settings

A flashing clock is the Braun message people most often take for an error. The display flashes 2:00 AM on a BrewSense or MultiServe, and 12:00 AM on a PureFlavor, when the machine is first plugged in or when power returns after an interruption. The BrewSense and MultiServe books describe a 60-second power loss back-up that keeps the clock and programmed times through a shorter interruption.

BrewSense:

1. Press and hold CLOCK for at least 3 seconds until the display flashes.
2. Hold SET to run through the hours, and release at the right one.
3. Press CLOCK, then hold SET for the minutes.
4. Press CLOCK again to save.

MultiServe: switch on, hold CLOCK for 2 seconds, set the hours with SET, press CLOCK, set the minutes with SET, then press CLOCK to save.

Time: 1 minute
Cost: Free
Success Rate: About 10%
Difficulty: Easy

A reset clock has a knock-on effect. Braun's tables say the AUTO ON time can't be set until the clock is set, and on a MultiServe the lever also has to be at "Coffee". On a PureFlavor it works the other way round: with Auto On active you can't open any of the set-up functions, including water hardness. Press Auto On twice to switch it off first.

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BrewSense: E01, E02 and E03

All three BrewSense books (KF 7150 and KF 7170; KF6050, KF7000, KF7030 and KF7070; KF 7155 and KF 7175) end their troubleshooting tables with the same row: display shows E01, E02 or E03, cause left blank, solution "Contact Braun Customer Service". Braun's US support FAQ is blunter. It says a unit showing E01, E02 or E03 "needs to be repaired".

Braun documents no unplug routine, button hold or descale for these three codes. The documented route is the phone: 1-888-977-3578, Braun's US support line.

The BrewSense books list no other error messages. Its remaining signals are lights:

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PureFlavor (KF 5650): E1 and E2

The PureFlavor uses shorter codes. Its book lists "E1" or "E2" as "Error messages" with one instruction: contact Braun Customer Service. Two other PureFlavor signals are worth knowing because they come before any code:

• CLEAN lit solid: the machine is calcified. Descale soon.
• The acoustic signal sounds before the water tank is empty, or brewing takes too long: Braun lists both as signs of a calcified machine. Descale, and check that the water hardness setting matches your water.

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When DIY Won't Work

• A MultiServe code returns after the 5-minute unplug (and after a descale, for group one). Braun's instruction is to contact customer service.
• Any E01, E02 or E03 on a BrewSense, or E1 or E2 on a PureFlavor.
• A code Braun doesn't list. Don't trust a decoded meaning from elsewhere. Call Braun with the model number and the exact code.
• A burning smell, a tripped breaker or water under the base: unplug the machine and stop using it.

Braun's US support line is 1-888-977-3578. Braun's FAQs give the hours as 9 am to 8 pm Eastern on weekdays, and one of them adds Saturday, 9 am to 5 pm.

Don't take the base off to look for a sensor. Every book says, "Do not remove the base panel. No user serviceable parts are inside." None of the books we read prints a warranty length, so check the warranty leaflet from the box, or braunhousehold.com, before you pay for a repair.

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Prevention

• Descale when CLEAN first signals. One whole group of MultiServe codes is sent to a descale, so scale is the one cause you can head off.
• Set the water hardness level (h1 soft, h2 normal, h3 hard) so the reminder matches your water. The machines ship on h3.
• Push the MultiServe tank fully home after every refill, and fill for the size you select.
• Leave the lever on "Coffee" between brews if the flashing On/Off button catches you out.
• Press Over Ice before the brew mode when you make iced coffee on a MultiServe.
• Reset the clock after a power cut. The back-up lasts 60 seconds, and Braun's tables say AUTO ON can't be set until the clock is.

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FAQ

What does E05 mean on a Braun MultiServe?

Braun doesn't publish a meaning for E05. It lists E05 with E02, E08, E09, E16 and E18 and gives one remedy for the group: unplug the coffee maker, wait 5 minutes, plug it in again and run a descaling cycle. If the code is still there afterwards, contact Braun customer service.

How do I reset a Braun coffee maker?

The only reset in Braun's books is for MultiServe error codes: unplug the machine, wait 5 minutes and plug it in again. There's no reset button and no documented button combination on the BrewSense, MultiServe or PureFlavor. After any long unplug you'll need to set the clock again.

Why is my Braun coffee maker flashing 2:00 AM?

Because it lost power. The display flashes 2:00 AM when the machine is first plugged in or when power is restored after an interruption longer than its 60-second back-up. Set the clock with CLOCK and SET. A timed AUTO ON brew can't be set until you do.

Is E01 on a Braun BrewSense something I can fix?

Not by any step Braun documents. The BrewSense books list E01, E02 and E03 with the single instruction to contact Braun Customer Service, and Braun's US FAQ says the unit needs to be repaired. Call 1-888-977-3578 with your model number.

What is the difference between E21 and H2O on a MultiServe?

Braun describes them the same way: too little water for the selected size, or a tank that isn't seated, with air in the circuit. The KF 9050 to KF 9170 instruction book shows E21. Braun's US FAQs also mention H2O, with the same remedy for both.

Why won't my Braun MultiServe start brewing when there is no error code?

Braun lists eight causes: unplugged, a power outage, no brew mode selected, no water, stand-by mode, AUTO ON not activated, the lever at "Drip Stop" and the reservoir cover not closed. Pressing Light, Gold or Bold is what starts the brew. Selecting a size alone doesn't.

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Related Guides

• Braun clean light won't turn off: the descaling program for each model, step by step
• Coffee maker descaling guide: what each brand asks for
• Descale light won't turn off (all brands)
• Coffee maker thermal fuse guide: fuses and thermostats in drip machines, explained

Sources: Braun instruction books for the MultiServe KF 9050/KF 9070/KF 9150/KF 9170, the BrewSense KF 7150/KF 7170, KF6050/KF7000/KF7030/KF7070 and KF 7155/KF 7175, and the PureFlavor KF 5650 (North American editions); Braun US support FAQs on MultiServe E codes, E21, H2O and E01-E03.