What Fault 16 Means
Fault 16 is an airflow restriction warning. F&P gives seven remedy steps for it, starting with the lint bucket and the exhaust duct and running through the heater housing, the supply voltage, the element condition, the thermostat and the motor control module - a list that reflects how many different things can choke a dryer.
Common Causes of Fault 16
- A blocked lint filter or lint bucket
- A crushed, over-long, or lint-packed exhaust duct
- An outside vent flap stuck shut or blocked by debris
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
Before running another cycle, empty the lint filter and then check the full exhaust run from the back of the dryer to the outside vent. A crushed duct behind the machine or a flap that no longer opens is the commonest cause and the one that matters most.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- Switch the dryer off at the breaker before the duct is disconnected or the cabinet opened, because the heater and element circuits are live whenever the appliance is on.
- Restricted venting is one of the leading causes of home dryer fires, so this is not a warning to clear and ignore.
- A duct that looks clear at the wall can still be packed solid at a bend, and only checking the whole run finds it.
- Flexible foil duct crushed behind a dryer kinks again as soon as the machine is pushed back, so the fix has to include how it is routed.
Opening a panel to inspect or repair something yourself doesn't automatically cancel your manufacturer's warranty — but it can risk accidental damage, and some manufacturers do have specific service conditions. Check your product's warranty terms, or ask us, before deciding.