Brew group, infuser and valve fault codes
11 codes across 4 brands, from Jura, Philips / Saeco, De'Longhi, Nespresso.
What these parts do
On super-automatics the brew group (infuser) is a motor-driven chamber that compresses the grounds and forces water through. A ceramic or multi-way valve routes water between coffee, hot water and steam.
How they fail
The motor moved the group or valve but the position sensor never saw it arrive. Coffee oils, a jammed puck, scale stiffening a ceramic disc, or a failed encoder or motor all give a position error.
Safe checks first
- Switch off, empty the grounds container and drip tray, and restart. The startup cycle re-homes the group.
- Run the cleaning programme with the right tablet and let it finish uninterrupted.
- Descale if it is due. Scale is the usual cause of a stiff valve.
- If the brew unit is removable on your model, check for a jammed puck or broken plastic before forcing anything.
Appliances carry mains voltage. Unplug before opening anything, and stop where a code's own page tells you to.
Every code, easiest fix first
| Code | Machine | Part at fault | DIY | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
General Alarm (code 1101 / 1512) | De'Longhi Magnifica / Dinamica | infuser assembly and position sensor | easy | medium |
Insert Infuser Assembly | De'Longhi Magnifica / Dinamica | infuser assembly | easy | low |
Insert Grounds Container / Empty Grounds Container | De'Longhi Magnifica / Dinamica | grounds container detection | easy | low |
Empty drip tray (tray is empty) | Jura | drip tray and grounds container detection | easy | low |
1301-1305 | Nespresso Vertuo | descale circuit / capsule sensor | easy | medium |
Error 03 | Philips / Saeco | brew group | easy | low |
Error 04 | Philips / Saeco | brew group position | easy | low |
Error 20 | Philips / Saeco | brew group position / service door switches | easy | medium |
Error 6 | Jura | ceramic valve and its drive motor | hard | medium |
Error 7 | Jura | ceramic (multi) valve, its encoder or the brew group drive | hard | high |
Error 16 | Jura | multi-way ceramic valve (GIGA) | hard | medium |
By brand
Jura: Error 6, Error 7, Error 16, Empty drip tray (tray is empty)
Philips / Saeco: Error 03, Error 04, Error 20
De'Longhi: General Alarm (code 1101 / 1512), Insert Infuser Assembly, Insert Grounds Container / Empty Grounds Container
Questions
How many codes involve brew group and valves?
We cover 11 codes on brew group and valves across 4 brands (Jura, Philips / Saeco, De'Longhi, Nespresso).
Can I fix these myself?
By our ratings, 8 are easy, 0 moderate and 3 hard. The cheap checks above clear a share of the easy and moderate ones; the hard ones usually need a part replaced.
Are any of these dangerous?
1 of the 11 are rated high severity, mostly where a heater or mains-powered part is involved. Stop using the machine and follow the stop advice on the code's page.