Saeco and Philips coffee machine troubleshooting
For Xelsis, LatteGo, Incanto and Saeco super-automatics. Find your error code, see whether it is something you can clear yourself, and open its page for the steps.
Codes you can try to clear yourself
| Code | Meaning | First thing to try |
|---|---|---|
Error 01 | Coffee grinder cannot work properly: the coffee funnel is blocked with ground coffee | Switch off and wait until the machine is silent. |
Error 03 | Brew group is too dirty to work properly | Switch off, open the service door and remove the brew group. |
Error 04 | Brew group is not correctly placed | Remove the brew group. Check the brew group is seated as the manual shows. |
Error 05 | Air is trapped in the water circuit | Empty and refill the tank; if you have just fitted an AquaClean filter, shake it for five seconds, hold it upside down in a jug of water until no bubbles rise, then refit. |
Error 11 or 19 | Machine must adjust to room temperature (Error 11); Error 19 may be a loose plug | Switch off and leave the machine at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. |
Error 14 | Machine has overheated | Switch off and leave it for 30 minutes to cool. |
Error 20 | Brew group or a service component not detected (unverified: not in Philips documents) | Switch off and unplug. Refit the drip tray and the coffee grounds container firmly, close the service door fully, then switch on again. This is general advice, not a Philips-documented reset for Error 20. |
Codes that usually need service
| Code | Meaning | DIY |
|---|---|---|
Error 02, 10, 15 or 22 | Internal fault; Philips lists these as needing service | hard |
Beyond the fix
Tips and tricks
- Rinse the brew group with plain water, brush the upper filter gently, and let it air-dry. Philips advises against a cloth, because fibres can collect inside.manufacturer manual
- A video owner scrubs a grimy brew group with an old toothbrush under hot water, then dries it and adds food-grade grease on the piston and side rails.owner video
- Empty the grounds container only while the machine is on, then wait at least 5 seconds before refitting, or the message may stay on.manufacturer manual
Common mistakes
- Emptying the grounds container with the machine off, which Philips says can leave the grounds message on.
Easily confused with
- Error 11 and Error 14 both ask for a 30 minute wait, but 11 is cold and 14 is overheated.
Further reading
Questions
Do Saeco, Philips, Xelsis and LatteGo machines share error codes?
Not entirely. Philips owns the Saeco brand, and its LatteGo 4300/5400 manual lists numbered codes (01, 03, 04, 05, 11, 14, 19 and a few that need repair). The LatteGo 2200/3200 use warning lights instead. Meanings on older Saeco and Xelsis machines can differ, so check the code page and your own manual. Our Philips LatteGo codes and lights guide covers them.
What should I do first when a Saeco or Philips coffee machine shows an error?
Check the water tank, drip tray and grounds container are seated, then switch the machine off and on. 7 of the 8 codes we cover are rated easy to clear yourself; the rest usually need a part or a service.
Which Saeco error codes can I fix myself?
The easy ones are Error 01, Error 03, Error 04, Error 05, Error 11 or 19, Error 14, Error 20. The page for each code lists the cheapest checks first and says where to stop.
What does Saeco Xelsis error 20 mean?
We could not find Error 20 in the Philips LatteGo manual or in Philips’s support article on error codes, so we cannot confirm what Philips means by it. Our Error 20 page gives general checks and says so. If it keeps returning, contact Philips or Saeco support.