Quick answer: John Deere manuals print E2 13 (often searched as E02 13) for a timeout during the net application cycle. The controller knows the cycle took too long; it does not identify the failed part. E2 14 is different: it means the net-actuator harness is shorted to battery power. Record the exact code and baler model, secure the machine, then follow that model's obstruction, actuator, wiring, or voltage test.
Safety before checking a John Deere net-wrap fault
Do not inspect a wrap cycle from beside or behind an operating baler. Before opening a shield or touching the net path, actuator, knife, roller, or wiring, park on level ground, disengage all power, shut off the tractor, remove the key, and wait for every moving part to stop. If the gate is open, engage the gate lock exactly as the operator manual specifies. The knife and actuator can move unexpectedly during some tests.
John Deere's 468/568 safe-service procedure requires the parking brake or Park, engine shutdown, key removal, stopped motion, and the gate lock when working around an open gate. Its separate gate-lock instruction says to use that safety feature any time the gate is open. Use the equivalent procedure in your exact model and serial-number manual.
Which John Deere balers use E2 13 and the related codes?
The code meanings below are confirmed in published John Deere BaleTrak Pro or Pro/Plus operator-manual tables. They are not universal to every green round baler. Deere reused much of the code family across several generations, but monitor hardware, diagnostic channels, options, and test limits can change.
| Confirmed manual family | Monitor/code coverage | What not to assume |
|---|---|---|
| 467 and 567 | BaleTrak Pro; E2 net-actuator family and CH019 test | Do not carry its voltage threshold into a later model |
| 458 and 558; 468 and 568 | BaleTrak Pro; E2 11–15, E4 01, and E4 02 | Use each manual's own actuator and knife procedures |
| 459/459S and 559/559S; 469/469S and 569/569S | BaleTrak Pro; E2 11–15, E4 01, and E4 02 | Export, North American, and option content can differ |
| 450M and 550M; 460M and 560M | BaleTrak Pro/Plus table; E2 11–18 and E4 01–02 | B-Wrap codes apply only when that system is equipped |
| 450E, R-series, or a model not listed above | Check the exact operator manual or tractor-display diagnostic page | Do not map E2 13 by model color or by a similar-looking monitor |
For example, Deere's published 450E BaleTrak Pro error table does not list the E2 11–15 net-actuator sequence. If your model is not in a confirmed row, use the John Deere Technical Information Store or your dealer to match the manual to the model, market, options, and serial range.
John Deere baler net-wrap error codes: quick lookup
Write the code exactly as displayed before cycling power. Deere's tables normally print a space, such as E2 13; operators and search results often add a zero or hyphen, such as E02 13, E02-13, or E2-13. The number—not the punctuation—controls the diagnostic path.
| Code | Deere meaning | First safe check | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|
| E0 01 | Erratic supply voltage while an actuator operates | Battery, alternator, grounds, wires, and connectors | Run the model's specified loaded voltage/current test |
| E0 02 | Low voltage | Charging system and damaged or high-resistance connections | Use the manual's tractor-outlet voltage test |
| E0 03 | High voltage | Alternator/charging output | Correct the charging fault before replacing wrap parts |
| E2 11 | Net actuator disconnected | Unplugged connector, pushed-back pin, broken conductor | Repair the identified connection with the specified method |
| E2 12 | Net actuator faulty | Actuator/linkage movement using the prescribed diagnostic test | Separate binding, poor power, and actuator failure before replacement |
| E2 13 | Timeout during the net application cycle | Obstruction or binding in the commanded movement | Clear the cause, then test actuator travel and power by the manual |
| E2 14 | Net-actuator harness shorted to battery | Pinched insulation, crossed pins, moisture, or actuator short | Disconnect power and repair the circuit; do not bypass protection |
| E2 15 | Net-actuator harness shorted to ground | Rub-through at clamps, frame crossings, or connector terminals | Repair the fault before fitting another fuse or actuator |
| E4 01 | Net did not wrap the bale | Roll direction, threading, feed path, brake, and pan contact | Use the model's net-wrap troubleshooting section |
| E4 02 | Net did not cut | Knife, counterknife, brake, routing, and full actuator travel | Follow the exact knife/contact procedure for that model |
On supported M-series manuals, E2 16–18 are B-Wrap-specific messages, not ordinary net-roll fault codes. E6 01–05 identify monitor memory or software faults and direct the operator to a John Deere dealer or qualified service provider. Do not erase or reprogram the controller based on a generic code list.
E2 13 timeout: use this symptom-to-fix decision path
E2 13 answers only one question: did the net application cycle finish before the controller's timer expired? The answer was no. Deere's code table says to check for obstruction or binding; it does not say that low voltage, the net roll, the sensor, or the actuator is automatically the failed part.
- Record the evidence. Note the exact code, model, serial range, crop, and point in the cycle. Did the actuator start? Did net reach the bale? Did it cut? A photo of the display and feed path is more useful than a cleared code.
- Secure the machine. Follow the shutdown and gate-lock procedure above before approaching the wrap mechanism.
- Check for obstruction or binding. Inspect the actuator linkage, knife-arm travel, feed path, accumulated crop, wound-up net, and any visibly bent or displaced part. Do not reach past a knife or test movement by hand with power connected.
- Confirm the net is loaded and routed correctly. A backwards roll, wrong route, trapped tail, or off-center roll belongs on the feed-path branch. Use the model decal and our net-wrap loading guide as a secondary check.
- Run only the prescribed actuator test. Deere procedures can require the net roll to be removed and can bypass overload protection. Use the channel, key position, and time limit in the exact manual.
- Follow any companion code. E0 01 or E0 02 points toward supply voltage. E2 11, 14, or 15 points toward the actuator circuit. E4 01 or E4 02 points toward the final wrap/cut outcome.
- Escalate if the code returns without a visible cause. Repeat timeouts with full mechanical travel and a passing power test require connector, actuator-current, switch-state, or controller diagnosis—not a guessed part.
| What you observe | Likely diagnostic branch | Safe next move | Dealer trigger |
|---|---|---|---|
| Net or crop is visibly wound around a moving part | Mechanical obstruction | Lock out, release stored energy as directed, and clear without damaging the knife or roller | Bent knife, damaged linkage, trapped material that cannot be removed safely |
| Actuator does not move or moves only partway | Binding, actuator, connector, or power | Run the manual's isolated movement/current test | Abnormal current, no safe way to isolate linkage, or repeat stall |
| Monitor also shows low or erratic voltage | Charging, outlet, ground, or harness resistance | Perform the exact loaded voltage test; do not rely on an idle reading | Test still fails after terminals and visible connections are corrected |
| Actuator completes travel but timeout returns | Intermittent harness, switch state, load, or controller | Record diagnostic readings and inspect pins, clamps, and frame crossings | No reproducible field fault or controller input disagrees with physical position |
E2 11, E2 12, E2 14, and E2 15: separate the electrical faults
These codes are not alternate descriptions of the same timeout:
- E2 11 — disconnected: start with the actuator connector, terminal retention, and harness continuity. A connector can look seated while a pin has backed out.
- E2 12 — actuator faulty: use Deere's commanded movement/current test to distinguish a failed motor from binding or poor supply. Do not replace the actuator solely because the code names it.
- E2 14 — shorted to battery: stop cycling the circuit. With power disconnected as the manual requires, inspect for crossed or damaged conductors, pinched insulation, moisture, contamination, and an internal actuator short.
- E2 15 — shorted to ground: inspect rub points at clamps, sheet-metal edges, the tongue, hinges, and frame crossings. A larger fuse or bypass does not repair a grounded wire and can increase damage.
If a repaired rodent-chewed wire still produces a code, inspect the whole damaged section, connector pins, strain relief, and the loaded circuit—not just no-load continuity. Use sealed, supported repairs specified for the harness environment. For a broader electrical decision tree, see round-baler monitor troubleshooting.
Use Deere's voltage and actuator tests—not a universal number
The old version of this guide recommended a homemade battery feed and treated one voltage cutoff as universal. Deere's manuals do not support either shortcut.
For the 467/567, Deere's CH019 convenience-outlet test calls for the actuator to be stalled in a specified position while the monitor voltage is read. If that exact test falls below 9.7 volts, Deere directs the owner to convenience-outlet kit AE50549, attached at the battery terminal clamp bolts.
The 468/568 manual gives the same 9.7-volt minimum in its CH019 loaded-voltage procedure and specifies AE50549 because it uses 12-gauge wire, no splices, and a 30-amp circuit breaker. It also warns that the direct-battery outlet remains powered when the tractor key is off.
That threshold and kit direction belong to those manual families. For a 459, 569, M-series, or another machine, use its own procedure and current parts information. Do not substitute an open-circuit multimeter reading, improvise a larger breaker, or assume battery-direct wiring will cure an obstruction, short, or failed actuator.
Deere's 468/568 CH018 actuator-current test is also model-specific. It requires removing the net roll, uses key-on/engine-off power, and warns that overload protection is bypassed. The published ranges are 1–8 amps at mid-stroke with no load and 22–30 amps at the fully retracted stall. Because extended use can damage the actuator, follow the full manual page rather than using those values as a generic bench-test recipe.
E4 01 and E4 02 describe the result, not the failed part
E4 01: net did not wrap the bale
Use the model's net-wrap troubleshooting section. With the machine secured, confirm roll direction, threading, roll centering, available net tail, feed-roll brake, pan/contact surface, and full actuator travel. If the same failure follows a different roll, use the known-good-roll comparison to separate material damage or fit from a machine fault.
E4 02: net did not cut
Check the knife, counterknife, brake, routing, and full actuator movement under the exact model procedure. Do not run a finger along the knife or carry a clearance from a 568 into a 569 or M-series baler. The net-wrap-will-not-cut guide explains the cross-brand symptom tree; the Deere manual supplies the final contact and clearance values.
If the net keeps feeding rather than failing to cut, follow the continuous-wrap decision path. If it drags across a rough pan, use the 568 pan guide only after identifying the actual sheet, strip, or support that is damaged.
Common edge cases that change the diagnosis
- The code clears after a restart: record it anyway. An intermittent connector, rubbed wire, voltage drop, or position input can disappear when the machine stops vibrating.
- The actuator works with no load: that does not prove the supply or linkage passes the loaded manual test.
- A new roll does not change the fault: move attention back to routing, brake, pan, actuator, wiring, and controller inputs.
- The code appears only on hot afternoons or after many bales: inspect electrical connections and mechanical drag under the conditions that reproduce the fault; do not assign a heat-related part without test evidence.
- Your display shows words or a different DTC format: use that display's diagnostics and the exact baler manual. Do not translate it into E2 13 by symptom alone.
When to stop and call a John Deere dealer
- The knife, counterknife, actuator mount, gate, or linkage is bent, cracked, or cannot be isolated safely.
- E2 14 or E2 15 returns after visible harness damage is corrected.
- The actuator-current or loaded-voltage test is outside the exact manual's range.
- The actuator completes full travel but E2 13 returns and the controller input does not match physical position.
- An E6 monitor fault returns, settings will not hold, or the monitor cannot enter the required diagnostic channel.
- The model, serial range, monitor, or installed wrap option does not match the published procedure.
Bring the dealer the model, serial number, displayed code, when in the cycle it appears, and the readings from tests you completed exactly by the manual. That evidence is more useful than a list of parts already replaced.
Frequently asked questions
What does E2 13 mean on a John Deere baler?
E2 13 means the net application cycle timed out. The controller did not see the cycle finish within its allowed time, but the code does not name the failed part. Secure the baler, check for obstruction or binding first, then use the exact model manual to test actuator travel, wiring, and loaded power.
Is E2 14 another John Deere net-wrap timeout code?
No. E2 14 means the net-actuator harness is shorted to battery power. Stop cycling the circuit, disconnect power as the manual directs, and inspect the wires, connectors, and actuator for damaged insulation, crossed pins, moisture, or an internal short. Do not bypass the fuse or install a larger breaker.
What should I check first for a John Deere E02 13 error?
After shutting down, removing the key, waiting for motion to stop, and engaging the gate lock if the gate is open, look for obstruction or binding in the net path, actuator linkage, and knife-arm movement. Deere lists obstruction or binding as the first check. Continue with the model-specific actuator and power tests only if needed.
Should every John Deere baler show at least 9.7 volts during a net-wrap test?
No. Deere publishes 9.7 volts for the specified CH019 loaded test in the 467/567 and 468/568 manual families. It is not a universal open-circuit or later-model threshold. Use the test sequence and limit in your exact model and serial-number manual before changing wiring, outlets, breakers, or actuators.
Do E2 13 and the related codes apply to a John Deere 450E or R-series baler?
Do not assume they do. Deere's published 450E error table does not list the E2 11–15 net-actuator sequence, and other electronic architectures can use different messages or tractor-display diagnostics. Match the operator manual to the exact model, market, options, and serial range before interpreting a code or running a test.
Bottom line: read the exact code before choosing a repair. E2 13 starts with obstruction or binding; E2 14 and E2 15 start with a powered-down harness inspection; E4 01 and E4 02 send you to the model's wrap and cut troubleshooting. The correct manual and a recorded test result beat a guessed actuator or wiring change.
Source and limitation note: Code meanings, test limits, and safety sequences come from the linked John Deere operator-manual pages. XES manufactures bale net wrap; it is not John Deere or a Deere dealer. This guide explains the decision path but does not replace the operator or technical manual for the exact model, market, options, and serial number.
Hero image: John Deere 568 round baler — photo by Dudley B. Batchelor, Jr. on Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0.
