The lights are flashing on your Sage
Flashing lights are the machine’s way of telling you something. Most often it is something simple: the water tank, the bean hopper, or a reminder to clean or descale. Only when those are ruled out is it a fault.
What you can check yourself
- Check the water tank first. An empty tank, or one that isn’t seated all the way down, is the most common reason the lights flash.
- Are both filter-size lights flashing on a Barista Express? Then the bean hopper isn’t seated correctly. Remove it, clear any beans or debris, and lock it back in place.
- Barista Express: if the CLEAN/DESCALE light is flashing (‘Clean me’ on older models), the machine wants a cleaning cycle with a cleaning tablet. If it is lit solid, it needs descaling.
- Bambino Plus: if 1 CUP, 2 CUP and STEAM flash in turn, the machine wants descaling. The Barista Pro and Touch show this on the screen.
- If the machine has been running for a long time, the thermal cut-out may have tripped. Switch it off and let it cool for 30–60 minutes.
Tip: Unplug the machine before you clean it or take parts off. If it needs opening, leave that to us.
Typical causes when the checklist doesn’t help
Heating fault
If the lights keep flashing even with a full water tank, a locked hopper and a cooled machine, it can be the heating element, a sensor or the thermal fuse.
Temperature sensor
The machine gets wrong readings and goes into a safety stop.
Descaling that didn’t finish
The descale reminder stays on because the programme didn’t run to the end, or because the scale is stuck.
Control board fault
The electronics report an error even when everything else is fine.
When does it need repairing?
If you’ve checked the tank and hopper, cleaned and descaled, and it still flashes, it’s a fault that needs finding with measuring equipment. Send an enquiry with the pattern and your model, and you’ll get an assessment.
Get a fixed repair priceQuestions and answers
Why are all the lights flashing on my Barista Express?
Most often because the water tank is empty or not seated all the way down. Fill it and push it firmly into place. If only the two filter lights flash, the bean hopper isn’t locked. If neither helps, write to us.