The Vaillant Ecotec plus 415 is a mains gas regular boiler. Below are the faults it most often develops, what the error codes mean, and how to get it fixed at a fixed price by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Variants covered: VU 156/6-5, VU 156/6-5 OVZ (H-GB)
The gauge drops below ~1 bar and the boiler cuts out — usually a small leak, a tired expansion vessel or a weeping pressure-relief valve.
It tries to light, fails and locks out — often the spark electrode, gas valve or a flame-sensing fault.
Drips or staining under the case — a seal, the pump, the heat exchanger or a corroded pipe.
Rumbling on the heat exchanger, usually limescale or sludge restricting flow.
Cool rads or slow warm-up — often the pump, a sticking motorised valve or air in the system.
These are the likely causes — a Gas Safe registered engineer confirms the fault on site before any work. If you can smell gas, stop and ring 0800 111 999.
If there's a code on the display, tap it for the meaning, the free checks to try first and a fixed repair price:
One fixed price, no callout fee, a vetted Gas Safe engineer who covers your postcode.