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Brother sewing machines are famous across the world for their reliability and variety of functions.
If you use a brother sewing machine user, you must be aware of all the error codes of your machine and their solutions. This way you can solve any problem you face at any time.
In this article, we are going to share all the error codes of the brother sewing machine along with tips to fix them.
Error codes of brother sewing machine [E-series]
Here is a detailed list of all the error codes that you might encounter while using a brother sewing machine:
Brother sewing machine error code E1 (presser foot error)
Cause of error:
The error code E1 appears when you press any button like Start/Stop while the presser foot of the sewing machine is raised.
Solution:
You will have to lower the presser foot of your sewing machine before doing any operation and the error will go away.
Brother sewing machine error code E2 (buttonhole stitch error)
Cause of error:
The error code E2 appears when the buttonhole lever of the sewing machine is down, and the operator of the sewing machine selects another stitch instead of the buttonhole and also pressed the foot controller or Start/Stop button.
Solution:
Raise the buttonhole lever of the sewing machine. Otherwise, select the correct type of stitch.
Brother sewing machine error code E3 (buttonhole lever error)
Cause of error:
The error code E3 happens when the buttonhole lever of the sewing machine is up, butthole stitch is selected, and the machine operator presses the foot controller or Start/Stop button.
Solution:
This error can be solved by lowering the buttonhole lever of the sewing machine.
Brother sewing machine error code E4 (bobbin winder shaft error)
Cause of error:
This type of error occurs when the bobbin winder shaft is moved to the right and someone presses the reinforcement/reverse stitch button.
Solution:
Disengage the bobbin winder shaft of your sewing machine by moving it to the left side.
Brother sewing machine error code E5 (start/stop button error)
Cause of error:
This error code appears when you try to operate the sewing machine with the start/stop button and the foot controller is connected to the machine at the same time.
Solution:
There are two ways to fix this error:
- You can disconnect the foot controller and run the machine with the start/stop button.
- Do not try to operate the machine with the stop/start button while the foot controller is connected.
Brother sewing machine error code E6 (motor locked)
Cause of error:
The error code E6 occurs when the motor of your sewing machine gets locked due to tangled threads or a bent needle.
Solution:
First, you need to inspect your machine. If the problem is due to thread or fabric tangled inside the motor, you need to remove them.
If the problem is due to a bent needle, you need to replace it and thread the sewing machine again to resume working.
Brother sewing machine error code E7 (stitch deleted)
Cause of error:
The error E7 appears when the machine operator presses the start/stop button after a stitch was deleted.
Solution:
Select a pattern before continuing any operation.
Brother sewing machine error code E8 (width control error)
Cause of error:
You get this error code when you set the sewing speed controller to control the width of zigzag stitches and then press the stop/start button.
Solution:
There are two solutions to this:
- Turn off the width control of your sewing machine.
- Connect a foot controller and use it for running the sewing machine.
Brother sewing machine error code E9 (twin needle)
Cause of error:
You will see this error code when you turn on the twin needle mode but you have selected a stitch pattern that cannot be performed when the twin needle mode is on.
Solution:
First, switch back to the single needle mode. After that, remove the twin needle and replace it with a single one.
Brother sewing machine error code E10 (wrong stitch mode)
Cause of error:
Error E10 occurs when you have installed a straight stitch needle plate on your sewing machine but you are trying to make stitches other than the straight stitch.
Solution:
Turn off your sewing machine and replace the straight stitch needle plate.
Brother sewing machine error code E11 (needle plate cover removed)
Cause of error:
If you remove the needle plate cover while the sewing machine is on, you will get error code E11.
Solution:
To fix this, you need to turn off the sewing machine, put the needle plate cover back in its place, and then continue working.
Brother sewing machine error code E12
The E12 error happens when the stitch mode was changed or when the current pattern in use has to be deleted.
Brother sewing machine error code E13 (settings can’t be changed)
Error code E13 means that you cannot change the current settings while the current pattern is selected.
Brother sewing machine error code E14 (settings or pattern being saved)
If you are getting error code E14 on your sewing machine, it means that the sewing machine is saving the current stitch settings or pattern.
Brother sewing machine error code E15 (air pressure error)
Causes of the error:
This error occurs whenever there is a drop in the air pressure of your sewing machine.
Solution:
To solve this, you need to turn off your sewing machine and check the reason behind the drop in the machine’s air pressure.
If nothing is detected, then erase all the memory settings and turn off the memo-1d switch.
Brother sewing machine error code E17 (machine head position)
Cause of error:
When the sewing machine head is tilted backward and someone presses the foot switch or uses the operational panel, then error code E17 occurs.
It can also happen when the sewing machine is operating and you tilt its head back.
Solution:
Turn off your sewing machine and then restore the machine head to its default position. It will fix the error.
Brother sewing machine error code E20 (motor or connection problem)
Cause of error:
Error E20 is caused when there is something wrong with the synchronizer connection, motor, or thermostat of the sewing machine.
Solution:
Turn off the sewing machine.
Move the pulley of the machine to check if it has locked or not. Then, check the connection of the synchronizer. Make sure that the P11, P12, and P13 connectors are not connected. See if the combination of PROM and motor has been correctly installed. Also, check if the motor of the sewing machine has overheated or not.
Brother sewing machine error code E21 (motor stops working)
Cause of error:
You will face error code E21 when the motor of your sewing machine stops operating.
Solution:
Turn off the sewing machine and check if the ground wire connection is fine. Also, check other wires providing power to the sewing machine and ensure nothing is broken or damaged.
Brother sewing machine error code E30 (enlargement ratio setting)
Cause of error:
Error E30 occurs when the data is not within the sewing area because of enlargement ratio settings.
Solution:
Press the reset button on your sewing machine and then select the enlargement ratio settings once again.
Brother sewing machine error code E31 (data overlap)
Cause of error:
This error code appears when the area limiting is active and the data of the stitch pattern overlaps the sewing area.
Solution:
Error E31 can be solved by pressing the reset button and by resetting the memory and enlargement ratio.
Brother sewing machine error code E32 (settings or data format do not match)
Cause of error:
This type of error usually occurs when the settings of the DIP switch in the sewing machine do not match the data format of the user program.
Solution:
You will have to change the A-6 DIP switch settings and then erase the memory settings to fix this error.
Brother sewing machine error code E40 (stitch length exceeded)
Cause of error:
If the length of the stitch is above 10mm, error code E40 will appear.
Solution:
Hit the reset button and try setting the enlargement ratio once again.
Brother sewing machine error code E41 (error in sewing data)
Cause of error:
This error occurs when there is an error in the sewing data. It usually happens when you are trying to program new sewing data in your machine.
Solution:
If you are programming new sewing data in the machine, try restarting from the beginning to fix the error.
Brother sewing machine error code E42 (incorrect program number)
Cause of error:
E42 error code appears when you specify an incorrect program number.
Solution:
Hit reset and enter the correct value to fix error code E42.
Brother sewing machine error code E50 (needle bar did not stop)
Cause of error:
When the needle is raised but the needle bar does not stop, then it leads to error code E50.
Solution:
You can turn the pulley of the sewing machine and align the needle up stop position with the index mark.
Brother sewing machine error code E60 (presser foot not lowered)
Cause of error:
The error code E60 appears when the presser foot of the sewing machine has not been lowered.
Solution:
Turn off the sewing machine and then inspect the connection of the P1 sensor connector.
Brother sewing machine error code E61 (presser foot couldn’t be raised)
Cause of error:
It occurs when the sewing machine fails to raise the presser foot.
Solution:
The solution is to shut down the sewing machine and check the connection powering the P1 presser connector sensor.
Brother sewing machine error code E63 (presser foot couldn’t be lowered)
Cause of error:
Error E63 happens when the presser foot of the sewing machine cannot be lowered.
Solution:
Power off the sewing machine and check the connection of the P1 presser sensor connector.
Brother sewing machine error code E64 (work clamp sensor problem)
Cause of error:
This error will occur when the work clamp sensor is not connected well OR when the sensor of the closed work clamp remains on.
Solution:
Checking the connection of the P1 work clamp connector can help diagnose and solve the problem.
Brother sewing machine error code E65 (work clamp failed to close)
Cause of error:
If the work clamp of the sewing machine fails to close, error code E65 appears.
Solution:
The problem can be diagnosed and solved by checking the connection of the P1 work clamp connector.
Brother sewing machine error code E66 (thread trimmer cylinder failure)
Cause of error:
If the thread trimmer cylinder of the sewing machine fails to operate, error E66 appears.
Solution:
You will have to turn off the power and check the cylinder of the machine.
Brother sewing machine error code E67 (thread wiper cylinder failure)
Cause of error:
This error is caused when the thread wiper cylinder of the sewing machine stops working.
Solution:
Power off the sewing machine and check if there are any threads entangled inside the thread wiper cylinder. If there are, remove them to fix the problem.
Brother sewing machine error code E70 (cooling fan failure)
Cause of error:
The error code E70 occurs when the cooling fan of your sewing machine does not work.
Solution:
Turn off the machine and examine the cooling fan of your sewing machine. If there are threads entangled inside the fan, remove them so the fan can work again.
Brother sewing machine error code E80 (motor PROM error)
Cause of error:
When the motor PROM of the sewing machine is incorrectly inserted, it results in error code E80.
Solution:
Shut down the machine and inspect the motor PROM to diagnose and solve the problem.
Brother sewing machine error code E90 (fluctuations in voltage)
Cause of error:
Whenever there is an unusual drop in the voltage supply to the sewing machine, error code E90 occurs. It can also happen when you turn off a sewing machine and then quickly turn it on again.
Solution:
Turn off the sewing machine and inspect the input voltage. Whenever you turn off the sewing machine, wait at least 5 seconds to power it on again.
Brother sewing machine error code E91 (excess voltage supply)
Cause of error:
When your sewing machine is getting more voltage than what it needs then error code E91 appears.
Solution:
You will have to check the input voltage and power supply to the sewing machine to find out what’s wrong.
Brother sewing machine error code E-A0 (home position not detected)
Cause of error:
This error is caused when there is something wrong with the power supply circuit board or home position sensor. The sewing machine fails to detect the home position.
Solution:
The problem can be diagnosed and solved by inspecting the connection of the P1 home position sensor connector.
Brother sewing machine error code E-BO
Cause of error:
If you try to change the program number while the A-8 DIP switch was ON, the error code E-BO will occur.
Solution:
First, press the reset button. Turn off the A-8 DIP switch and then try to change the program number.
Brother sewing machine error code E-B1 (no sewing data)
Cause of error:
The error E-B1 occurs when there is no sewing data available to the machine.
Solution:
Turn off the sewing machine and try checking the input voltage.
Brother sewing machine error code E-DO (overheating of heat sink)
Cause of error:
When the heat sink of your sewing machine’s control circuit board becomes extremely hot, it leads to the error code E-DO.
Solution:
Power off the sewing machine and clean its intake port thoroughly.
Brother sewing machine error code E-EO (main circuit board failure)
Cause of error:
When the main circuit board or EEPROM of your sewing machine starts malfunctioning, it causes an E-EO error.
Solution:
Try restarting your sewing machine. If the error persists, visit a nearby technician.
Brother sewing machine error code E-E1
Cause of error:
If the main PROM version is upgraded OR the EEPROM data has become corrupted, it leads to error E-E1.
Solution:
Pressing the reset switch can help fix the error. However, it will also reset the other data like user programs, memory switches, and displays.
Brother sewing machine error code E-E2 (EEPROM data corrupted)
Cause of error:
The error code E-E2 appears when the EEPROM control data is corrupted.
Solution:
Press the reset button to fix this. But keep in mind that other data like display, memory stitches, and user programs will also be reset to backup data or they will be initialized.
Brother sewing machine error code E-FO (circuit board malfunction)
Cause of error:
When the main circuit board, power relay, or power supply circuit board of the sewing machine does not work, you get an error code E-FO.
Solution:
Visit a qualified technician to get it fixed.
Brother sewing machine error code E-F1 (defect in wire)
Cause of error:
Error E-F1 occurs when there is a problem in the wire connecting the main circuit board and the power supply circuit board.
Solution:
Power off the sewing machine and see if the P16 connector is disconnected. Otherwise, visit a technician.
Brother sewing machine error code E-F2 (abnormal voltage)
Cause of error:
You get an E-F2 error when there is an unusual voltage of current present in the power supply circuit board of the sewing machine.
Solution:
Visit an expert technician to solve this.
Error codes of brother sewing machine [F-series]
Here is a detailed list of all the error codes belonging to the F-series:
Brother sewing machine error code F1 (the main motor fails to rotate)
Cause of error:
When the main motor of your sewing machine fails to rotate, you get an error code F1.
Solution:
Turn off your sewing machine and then check all the wires connected to the PCB power supply and the PCB main assembly of the machine. Reconnect any loose wires. If the problem remains, try replacing the PCB power supply, if the error still exists then replace the main PCB assembly.
Brother sewing machine error code F2 (incorrect operation or button pressed continuously)
Cause of error:
This error occurs when you perform an incorrect operation on your sewing machine.
Solution:
The solution is to lower the presser foot lever. If the problem persists, try pressing the stitch selection button when the error message shows up.
Do not press any button continuously while the machine is on and if any button is stuck then try to release it.
Brother sewing machine error code F3 (buttons pressed continuously)
Cause of error:
If a key is continuously pressed while the sewing machine is powered on, you get an error code F3. It mostly happens when a key is stuck when pressed.
Solution:
You can fix this by attempting to release the key that is stuck. If it is not possible to release the stuck key then you can replace the key panel. However, if no key is stuck, replace the operation PCB assembly. If the error still shows up, then replace the PCB main assembly.
Brother sewing machine error code F4 (foot controller problem)
Cause of error:
You will get error code F4 when there is a defect in the foot controller or the main PCB assembly.
Solution:
If the foot controller is disconnected, plug it in. If it still doesn’t work, check the foot controller and replace it if it is damaged. But if the foot controller is connected and working fine you will have to replace the main PCB assembly.
Brother sewing machine error code F5 (speed sensor problem)
Cause of error:
Error code F5 means that the speed sensor of your sewing machine is dirty.
Solution:
First, you need to check the wiring of the timing shutter on the main PCB assembly. Reconnect any loose wires. If no problem is found in the wiring, try cleaning the timing shutter. In case the problem does not get solved, you will have to change the main PCB assembly.
Brother sewing machine error code F7 (speed VR is disconnected)
Cause of error:
When the speed VR of your sewing machine is disconnected, it leads to error code F7.
Solution:
To fix this problem, you need to check the SSVR PCB assembly and main assembly and reconnect all the loose wires. But if there is nothing wrong with the wires, try replacing the SSVR PCB assembly. If the error still exists then replace the PCB main supply.
Brother sewing machine error code F8 (power supply fails)
Cause of error:
Error code F8 appears when there is a power supply failure in your sewing machine.
Solution:
If you do not have any technical knowledge, take the machine to a nearby technician.
If you have good technical knowledge, you should check the wire connecting the main PCB assembly and the power supply PCB assembly. If you find any loose wires, reconnect them properly. But if there’s nothing wrong with the wires, you need to check the output voltage of the power supply PCB.
Brother sewing machine error code F9 (failure of main PCB assembly)
Cause of error:
Error F9 occurs when the main PCB assembly of the sewing machine fails to work.
Solution: The solution is to replace the main PCB assembly with a new one.