Baxi Duo-Tec E168 fault code

Baxi Duo-Tec E168 fault code explained

One of the less common Baxi Duo-Tec boiler fault codes is the E168 fault code.

It’s unlikely but if you have a Baxi Duo-Tec boiler there is a small chance you may experience the E168 code at some point.

As far as we know it’s one of the less common faults on Baxi Duo-Tec boilers, but only Baxi will know the exact failure rate that can be attributed to the E168 fault code.

This fault code will generally cause your boiler to stop working, leaving you without central heating or hot water.

If you look for the E168 fault code in the Baxi Duo-Tec installation manual you won’t find it, it doesn’t exist.

In that respect it’s a unique fault code, one that can puzzle a lot of engineers trying to fix a Duo-Tec boiler as there’s no reference to the E168 fault code in the manual.

On all boilers including the Baxi Duo-Tec range of boilers, they have a printed circuit board which controls every process that happens on the boiler.

The printed circuit board(PCB) on a boiler controls every single operation the boiler does. It receives inputs from all the sensors and applies power to the various components such as the pump, fan and gas valve.

It also has fail safes built into to ensure that the boiler operates safely, when a serious failsafe is triggered the boiler is designed to shut down and display a fault code.

The E168 fault code is a failsafe which is trying to say that the printed circuit board may have detected an issue with itself.

The E168 fault code on a Baxi Duo-Tec boiler can be caused by several things but is usually a faulty printed circuit board.

Often it is because the printed circuit board is starting to fail or has failed completely.

We suspect that possibly the transformer(s) on the printed circuit board may fail or start to fail.

This is quite a common failure point on other boilers as well, such as the Vaillant ecoTEC range of boilers, and some earlier Worcester Greenstar boilers had issue with the main transformer on the back of the printed circuit board failing.

While in our experience the E168 fault code on a Baxi Duo-Tec boiler can usually be attributed to a faulty printed circuit board, it’s worth noting that there are other things that could potentially could this issue as well.

An issue with the incoming power supply or an issue with a wiring harness could potentially cause the E168 fault code as well.

This is why it is important to get a suitable Gas Safe registered heating engineer with experience on Baxi Duo-Tec boilers, otherwise you could waste money fitting expensive parts to your boiler that weren’t needed.

When to call a gas engineer to fix your boiler

If you are experiencing the E168 fault code on your Baxi Duo-Tec boiler, it is important to take action as soon as possible.

While some issues can be resolved by homeowners themselves, others require the expertise of a qualified Gas Safe registered heating engineer.

Because the E168 fault code can be caused by several different faulty parts, it is extremely important to get a suitable heating engineer with experience on Baxi Duo-Tec boilers, otherwise you could end up wasting money fitting parts to your boiler that are unnecessary.

Sometimes you may be able to reset your boiler if its showing and E168 fault code, but in general this is just a short term solution and usually your Baxi Duo-Tec boiler will stop working altogether at some point, leaving you without hot water and heating.

So it usually best to get a qualified heating engineer to have a look at your boiler at your earliest convenience.

How to prevent the E168 fault code

A lot of the time certain faults on a Baxi Duo-Tec boiler can be prevented with regular annual servicing and maintenance.

However this is usually not possible with the E168 fault code, as often it is the printed circuit board that fails which is a non serviceable component of the boiler.

While servicing your boiler a good engineer with experience working on Baxi Duo-Tec boilers might be able to tell if something doesn’t seem right with your printed circuit board.

Sometimes on certain boilers they give subtle hints when a certain component isn’t working right, or may be coming to the end of its life.

As such a service engineer may be able to recommend replacing the printed circuit board as a preventative maintenance measure, to ensure your boiler doesn’t stop working when you need it most – like in the middle of winter.

In your experience however, Baxi Duo-Tec boilers printed circuit boards don’t give any indication that they’re about to stop working soon with an E168 fault code.

Usually they just stop working altogether and we get the call to go and have a look at the boiler.

Baxi Duo-Tec boilers affected by the E168 fault code

The E168 fault code on Baxi Duo-Tec boilers can affect any Duo-Tec combination boiler.

Below is a list of Baxi Duo-Tec boilers affected by the E168 fault code;

• Baxi Duo-Tec 24, 28, 33 and 40 combination boilers
• Baxi Duo-Tec 24 GA, 28 GA, 33 GA and 40 GA combination boilers

Frequently asked questions:

Is my boiler showing an E168 fault code worth repairing ?

Yes most of the time your broken Baxi Duo-Tec boiler displaying an E168 fault code will be worth repairing.

Obviously the cost to repair your boiler will be determined by which parts need to be replaced.

You would need a competent, Gas Safe registered heating engineer to have a look at your boiler and make an assessment to determine exactly which parts might need to be replaced.

Before replacing your boiler it is always worth getting a suitable Gas Safe registered heating engineer, with experience working on Baxi Duo-Tec boilers, to make an assessment of your boiler so you can determine whether it is worth fixing not.

Can I repair the E168 fault code myself?

No unfortunately not, in most cases repairing the E168 fault code will require removing the cover of your Baxi Duo-Tec boiler to replace parts which you are not legally allowed to do unless you are a Gas Safe registered heating engineer.

You may be able to reset your boiler and it may work for some time, but it will more than likley need a repair at some point.

Is the E168 fault code dangerous?

No, in our experience the E168 fault code is not inherently dangerous. Modern Baxi Duo-Tec boilers are designed with fail safes in place to make sure that the boiler will only work if it safe to do so.

In general if you have an E168 fault code you may be able to reset your boiler for a period of time but then it will probably stop working altogether.

The E168 fault code is often indicative of an issue with the printed circuit board, which is the most important part of the boiler as it controls everything.

As such if your boiler is coming up with an E168 fault code, the best thing to do it get it repaired at your earliest convenience, by a suitable Gas Safe registered heating engineer – ideally one that has experience working on Baxi Duo-Tec boilers.