Why does my heater try to start twice and then show E-10?

That is how the code is defined. The B2010 and Hcalory M98 manuals say E-10 appears after two failed ignition attempts. Dieselheat's guide puts the whole start cycle at about 6 minutes before the heater locks out.

Does white smoke with E-10 mean the glow plug is dead?

Not necessarily. Vevor's CY manual reads heavy white smoke as fuel arriving but not lighting. One owner cured E-10 with smoke by cleaning the screen at the glow plug, and another by refitting the standard-length exhaust. The OnTrack guide adds the glow plug cables and a blocked intake or exhaust.

Dieselheat's guide says to remove the fuse near the battery and refit it. Let the heater finish cooling down before you cut power. Fix the cause first: repeated attempts on a heater that is getting fuel but not lighting add more fuel each time.

E-10 on a diesel heater: ignition failure

Updated 12 November 2026

E-10 means the heater went through its start routine, did not get a flame, tried again and gave up. The manuals put fuel supply first: empty tank, air or a blockage in the line, a pump that does not deliver. Check whether fuel is actually reaching the heater before you touch the glow plug.

Which controller do you have?

The same number means different faults on different controllers. Match yours to a sketch first. This meaning applies to the 5-button LCD, the B2010 and the Vevor M-button panel; on the Hcalory HC-A01 knob LCD E-10 is a temperature sensor fault.

Not sure? Use the full controller guide

At a glance

Code	E-10
Meaning	Ignition failure after two start attempts; the heater locks out
Most common cause	No fuel reaching the burner, a pump that ticks without delivering, or a carbon-choked glow plug screen
Check this first	See whether the exhaust smokes during the attempt, then check that fuel moves in the line
Evidence	Manuals and owner reports

What E-10 means on each controller

Code	Controller	Manual or brand	Meaning	Stated limit
E-10	5-button LCD	OnTrack Outdoor 5 kW Manual	Ignition failure Manual's remedy: Check whether the fuel circuit is blocked and fuel quality; check fan moves freely; glow plug cables; clean or replace the filter (screen) at the glow plug; check combustion intake and exhaust are clear; check power connections for oxidation.	Not stated
E-10	5-button LCD	D2/D4 parking heater (generic manual) Manual	Ignition failure Manual's remedy: Check for air or obstruction in the fuel line; fuel line blocked or not flowing; poor diesel quality blocking the 'volatile network' (burner screen).	Not stated
E-10	5-button LCD	Hcalory M98 Manual	Ignition failure - failed to start after trying twice ('both sides'), failed to form a flame Manual's remedy: Check whether the tank is short of fuel; pump stuck or abnormal; fuel circuit correct and free of bubbles; poor power supply or fuel problem.	Two start attempts
E-10	Vevor M-button panel	Vevor XMZ-D1 / XMZ-D2 Manual	Secondary startup failed Manual's remedy: Check whether the fuel pump works; check whether the fuel circuit fittings are waxed up or blocked.	Not stated
E-10	LCD, E-2 … E-10	Vevor CY-5001/5002/5004, 5-key and 3-key LCD panels Manual	Unsuccessful startup Manual's remedy: 1) Casing too hot and not cooled after 3 minutes of start-up. 2) Lots of white smoke in exhaust: check the filter screen next to the ignition plug (clean/replace), whether the pump sprays fuel forcefully, whether the ignition plug is aged. 3) Little or no white smoke: check for fuel shortage, frozen or blocked fuel circuit, pump stuck/damaged, combustion intake and exhaust clear, ignition plug damaged, inner fan-wheel clearance too large. 4) Ignites normally but still reports ignition failure: check the casing temperature sensor is in full contact with the casing, its pressure spring, and the sensor itself.	Casing not cooled after 3 minutes of start-up (cause 1)
E10	Rotary-switch LCD, E0 … E15	Heatport H2 / H4 (EnControl) Manual	Overheat: excess temperature measured at the overheat sensor Manual's remedy: Check fan not blocked/damaged; check ducting free from obstruction; remove the PT1000 sensor, check connections/wiring and reinstall; replace sensor if wiring damaged; ECU.	Not stated
E10	Rotary-switch LCD, E0 … E15	T4 two-knob LCD switch Manual	Overheat Manual's remedy: Verify the air duct is not blocked; address temperature sensor failure or loose contact with the aluminium heat exchanger ('radiator').	Not stated
E-10	Knob LCD (Hcalory HC-A01)	Hcalory HC-A01 Manual	Furnace temperature sensor abnormal Manual's remedy: Check the furnace temperature sensor connector for a loose connection; incorrect or faulty sensor type - replace; main board failure - replace.	Not stated
E-10	B2010 (spanner button)	B2010 controller Manual	Ignition failure (after two failed ignition attempts) Manual's remedy: Check for blocked fuel circuit, poor fuel intake, stuck fuel pump, or blocked 'volatile net' (burner screen) due to fuel problems.	Two failed ignitions

What does E-10 mean, and why does it take so long to appear?

E-10 is the result of a failed start, not a fault in one named part. The manuals define it by the number of attempts:

B2010: ignition failure after two failed ignition attempts. Manual
Hcalory M98: failed to start after trying twice, failed to form a flame. Manual
Vevor XMZ-D1 and XMZ-D2: “secondary startup failed”. Manual
Dieselheat’s fault-finding guide: on a digital controller the heater tries to start for about 6 minutes, two attempts, and then locks out with E10. Manual

That is why owners describe it as “tries to start for several minutes, then E-10”. The long wait is normal behaviour for this code.

What causes E-10 according to the manuals?

Each manual has its own list, and they overlap on fuel:

OnTrack: blocked fuel circuit or poor fuel quality, a fan that does not move freely, glow plug cables, the filter screen at the glow plug (clean or replace it), blocked combustion intake or exhaust, oxidised power connections. Manual
The generic D2/D4 manual: air or an obstruction in the fuel line, or poor diesel that has blocked the burner screen. Manual
B2010: blocked fuel circuit, poor fuel intake, a stuck fuel pump, or a burner screen blocked because of fuel problems. Manual
Vevor XMZ: check whether the fuel pump works and whether the fuel fittings are waxed up or blocked. Manual
Hcalory M98: tank short of fuel, pump stuck or abnormal, bubbles in the fuel circuit, poor power supply. Manual

What do owners actually find?

Nine owners reported both the cause and the cure for a failed start that ended in E-10. One of them gave the code from memory. Owners

Pump ticks but does not deliver (three owners). The pump made the right noise, yet with the line disconnected nothing came out, or the air bubble in the line only moved back and forth. A replacement pump fixed all three. Owners
Glow plug screen or burner choked with carbon. One owner with two heaters cured E-10 with smoke by cleaning the screen, and later had to clean the burner as well. Other owner reports of hard starting agree; they are collected on cleaning the glow plug and its screen. Owners
Single reports: a fuel pickup that was not submerged, an aftermarket intake filter that choked the combustion air, a pump setting that was too low in the advanced menu, a replacement pump fitted backwards, and an extended exhaust on a small heater. Owners

What should I check, in order?

Smoke or no smoke? Watch the exhaust during an attempt. With heavy white smoke, fuel is arriving and not lighting: go to white smoke and no start. Little or no smoke points to fuel supply: carry on here. Vevor’s CY manual splits a failed start the same way. Manual
Fuel level and pickup. Check the tank has fuel and the pickup sits in it. If not, correct it and go to step 4.
Is the pump moving fuel? Listen for ticking and watch the clear line. Fuel should advance towards the heater. If the pump ticks and the fuel or bubble only shuffles, check the line for kinks and blockages; if the line is clear, suspect the pump. After a pump swap, confirm it faces the right way: inlet from the tank, outlet to the heater. Owners
Fill the line. Use the pump-only routine in manual fuel priming and stop as soon as fuel reaches the heater. Over-priming floods the burner and gives heavy white smoke on the next start. Owners
Power during the start. Check the power connections for oxidation, as OnTrack asks, and that the supply holds up while the glow plug is on. Manual
Air in, exhaust out. Make sure the combustion intake and the exhaust are clear and the fan turns freely. Manual
Glow plug leads and screen. Check the glow plug cables, then clean or replace the screen at the glow plug. Manual

The full walk-through for each branch is on tries to start for several minutes, then E-10.

How do I reset E-10?

The heater is locked out and will not retry until it is reset. Dieselheat’s guide resets it by removing the fuse near the battery and refitting it, and says a new or run-dry heater can need up to 6 complete start cycles to purge the fuel line. Manual Let the heater finish cooling down before you cut power: Vevor’s CY manual says not to cut power while the heater is hot. Manual Controller-specific steps are in how to reset a locked-out heater.

When should I stop and get help?

Replace the fuel dosing pump if it ticks but moves no fuel through a clear line. Replace the glow plug if it is open circuit. If the screen is clean, fuel arrives, power is good and the heater still will not light, the burner itself may be choked with carbon, as one owner found on the second of two heaters. Owners

If you are not sure, ask a technician. Opening the combustion chamber goes beyond routine owner maintenance. A mistake here can cause a fuel or exhaust leak. Stop if anything is unclear.

On other controllers the number means something else: E-10 on the Hcalory HC-A01 is a furnace temperature sensor fault, and E10 on the rotary-switch LCD of Heatport and T4 heaters is overheating. Manual

Sources

Everything on this page is compiled from the documents and discussions below. We summarise them in our own words; follow the links for the originals.

OnTrack Outdoor: diesel heater troubleshooting guide (PDF) (cdn.shopify.com)
D2/D4 parking heater 12 V/24 V user manual, Alza import (PDF) (dwn.alza.cz)
B2010 controller operating manual V1.2 (PDF) (cdn.shopify.com)
Vevor diesel heater manual, XMZ-D1 / XMZ-D2 (PDF copy) (tuitam.pl)
Hcalory air heater user manual, M98 (PDF) (cdn.shopify.com)
Dieselheat: diesel air heater fault finding guide (PDF) (dieselheat.com.au)
Vevor diesel heater manual, CY-5001 / CY-5002 / CY-5004 (PDF copy) (xlrzbfnheqpszgtyhdkh.supabase.co)
Hcalory HC-A01 toolbox heater user manual (archived transcription) (web.archive.org)
Heatport H2 / H4 EnControl user manual v1.00 (PDF) (cdn.shopify.com)
Owner report: E-10 because the fuel pickup line was not submerged (expeditionportal.com forum) (forum.expeditionportal.com)
Owner report: E-08 then E-10, pump ticked but delivered nothing, cured by a spare pump (drive2.ru) (drive2.ru)
Owner reports: constant E-10, old pump only shuffled the air bubble back and forth, new pump fixed it (drive2.ru) (drive2.ru)
Owner reports: E-10 with smoke cured by cleaning the glow plug screen, later the burner; E-10 cured by removing an added intake filter (drive2.ru) (drive2.ru)
Owner report: E-10 after a pump swap, the new pump was fitted backwards (motorhomer.com forum) (motorhomer.com)
Owner report: no ignition and white smoke with an extended exhaust, fine with the standard pipe (pistonheads.com forum) (pistonheads.com)
Owner report: E-10 kept appearing until the pump setting was raised in the advanced menu (gofastcampers forum) (forum.gofastcampers.com)