Daikin VRV IV RXTQ-TA / RXTQ-TB error code E5
Compressor motor lock
Which models this applies to. Outdoor unit
Quick answer
On Daikin VRV IV RXTQ-TA / RXTQ-TB, E5 is a fault. It means compressor motor lock. A first thing to check: A seized or failed compressor motor.
- Applies to
- Daikin VRV IV RXTQ-TA / RXTQ-TB
- Daikin VRV IV RXTQ heat pump codes · Heat Pump
- Type of code
- Fault
- Urgency: Needs attention soon
- First safe check
- Check the supply voltage at the outdoor unit before assuming the compressor has failed on its own, because a voltage problem will kill a replacement compressor too.
What E5 means on this model
The compressor has failed to start or will not restart, and the outdoor unit has stopped to protect the rest of the system. Check the supply voltage before replacing the compressor, because a voltage problem will destroy the replacement too.
Symptoms you will notice
- Outdoor unit shows E5 and the system stops
- The outdoor fan runs but the compressor does not
- The compressor makes a hum or a click without starting
- The system will not restart after a power interruption
Common causes
The code tells you what the control detected, not which part failed. These are the causes we see most often, roughly in order of likelihood:
- A seized or failed compressor motor
- A failed compressor drive or inverter section
- A voltage problem that has burned out the motor windings
- A locked compressor from a previous failure
- A failed start capacitor or start circuit
What you can safely check
These are homeowner-level checks. None of them need you to open a live electrical compartment or work on gas.
- Check the supply voltage at the outdoor unit before assuming the compressor has failed on its own, because a voltage problem will kill a replacement compressor too.
- Listen at the outdoor unit for a hum or a click, which tells you the compressor is being energised and failing to turn rather than not being called for at all.
Do not do these
- ×Do not repeatedly attempt to start the compressor. A locked compressor driven against its lock will damage the drive section as well as the motor.
- ×Do not replace the compressor without checking the supply voltage and the refrigerant charge, since a burned compressor is often the result of a supply or charge problem rather than the cause of one.
- ×Do not work on the compressor terminals with the power switch on.
When to call a technician
Book a technician, do not keep resetting it
This fault will not clear on its own. Every power cycle gives the control one more failed attempt, and repeated attempts are what turn a cheap part replacement into a seized or contaminated system.
- The refrigerant circuit is sealed and legally requires licensed handling. Opening it without certification releases refrigerant and can put the whole system in violation of regulation, so a low-pressure or high-pressure fault on this equipment is a call-out, not a weekend job.
- If the appliance has stopped mid-cycle, is making a noise you have not heard before, or smells burnt, stop reading here and call. Those are symptoms of something the fault code does not describe well enough.
A licensed technician job. Checking supply voltage at the unit is not a homeowner task.
What it costs to fix
Parts
Compressor $1,400 to $3,000 plus coil and filter drier. Inverter PCB $500 to $1,200.
Labor
Four to eight hours including recovery, replacement, recharge and flushing the circuit.
DIY or technician
A licensed technician job. Checking supply voltage at the unit is not a homeowner task.
Typical US part and labor ranges, 2026. They vary by region, model and contractor, so treat them as a planning figure, not a quote.
Scope of this code
- Code table
- Daikin VRV IV RXTQ heat pump codes
- Models in scope
- Daikin VRV IV RXTQ-TA / RXTQ-TB
- Checked
- Confirm on your own unit
- Find the model number on the data plate, then check this code in the service manual for that model. Manufacturers revise code tables between model years, and a revised board can renumber a fault.