Glossary term
fault code
A number, letter sequence or lamp pattern the controller shows to identify why it stopped.
What it means
A fault code is the lift telling you which check failed. The same code means different things on different makes, so it is read against the manufacturer's own list rather than guessed at. Recording it accurately is the single most useful thing an owner can do.
Where you see it
On the car display, a small display on the controller, or as a flashing pattern on a stairlift or platform lift.
How it works
Codes are grouped: door faults, safety-circuit faults, drive faults, position faults. Many are consequences rather than causes, so an engineer reads the sequence of codes, not just the last one.
Some codes clear on a power cycle and return later. A code that keeps coming back is more informative than one that appeared once.
Why it matters
Codes are transcribed verbatim. Adding an interpretation from memory or a forum leads repairs in the wrong direction.
Commonly confused with
A fault code is not a diagnosis. It records the condition the controller saw when it stopped, which is often a symptom of something further upstream. A door code can be caused by a dirty sill, a failed detector or a landing lock, and the code alone does not say which.
Wear, service and lifespan
Modern controllers keep a rolling log with time stamps, so an engineer can see a pattern that no single visit would show. That log is only useful if the controller clock is right, which is checked at service. Older equipment shows a lamp pattern instead, which has to be read at the moment it happens.
Signs to watch for
- A code or flashing pattern is displayed.
- The same code returns after a reset.
- Different codes appear at different floors.
- A code appears only under load.
- The lift runs but a warning stays lit.
Troubleshooting fault code
A code appears and clears itself
What it usually means: An intermittent input, usually a door or a safety circuit
Safe check: Write the code, the date and the time each time you see it.
The same code every morning
What it usually means: Something that changes with temperature, cleaning routines or the first trips of the day
Safe check: Note what happens in the building just before it, such as cleaning or deliveries.
A code with no letters that means nothing in the manual
What it usually means: The manual may be for a different controller version
Safe check: Photograph the display and the controller label and pass both on.
How to report it
Send the exact code, the time, and what was happening in the building. Include a photograph of the display. Do not clear or reset codes to make the lift usable again, because a cleared log removes the evidence the engineer needs to find the real cause. If the code appears repeatedly, group the occurrences by day and time before you send them. A code that only appears in the morning, only during deliveries, or only after cleaning tells the engineer where to look far faster than the code number alone. Keep every photograph, even of codes that cleared themselves, because the pattern is often more useful than any single event.
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Related terms
Definitions that usually come up alongside fault code when you are describing a fault.
- controller
The electronic brain that reads calls and safety signals, drives the motor and doors, and records faults.
Controls and electrics
- door operator
The motor and gear on top of the car that opens and closes the doors and reports their position to the controller.
Doors and entrances
- light curtain
An array of infra-red beams across the door opening that holds the doors open while anything breaks a beam.
Safety devices
- maintenance
Planned, scheduled work that keeps equipment safe and reliable, separate from breakdown repairs.
Service and compliance
- service visit
A scheduled attendance where an engineer works through the maintenance schedule and records the outcome.
Service and compliance