Brother Brother ST371HD Strong and Tough 37-Stitch Heavy-Duty Sewing Machine E4 Error Fix: E4 — Feed Dog Error

Error code E4 on the Brother Brother ST371HD Strong and Tough 37-Stitch Heavy-Duty Sewing Machine means: E4 — Feed Dog Error. Error E4 indicates a problem with the feed dogs — the serrated metal teeth below the needle plate that grip and advance the fabric. On computerized Brother sewing machines, the feed dogs can be raised or lowered via a switch or lever. E4 may appear if the feed dog mechanism is jammed, the drop feed lever is in an intermediate position, or fabric is tangled around the feed dogs beneath the needle plate. Turn off the machine. Remove the needle plate by unscrewing the finger screw or releasing the snap tabs. Clean out all lint, thread pieces, and fabric fragments from around the feed dogs and bobbin area using the lint brush included with the machine. Check that the drop-feed lever is fully in one position (up for regular sewing, down for free-motion quilting). Reassemble and test.

The most successful fix is "Inspect and Repair Feed Dog Mechanism" (medium difficulty, ~45 minutes). Estimated DIY cost: $10-$20. HomeMD has 2 community-ranked fixes for this error.

This error is rated medium severity. It should be addressed soon, but your appliance may still function in a limited capacity.

Yes — the top-ranked community fix ("Inspect and Repair Feed Dog Mechanism") is rated medium difficulty and takes about 45 minutes. Tools needed: Small Phillips screwdriver, Compressed air can, Tweezers, Service manual.

DIY cost: $10-$20. Professional repair typically costs $120-$180. Many homeowners save money by trying the top-ranked community fix first.

The Brother Brother ST371HD Strong and Tough 37-Stitch Heavy-Duty Sewing Machine has 8 other known error codes, including: E1 (E1 — Bobbin Winding Spindle Engaged), E2 (E2 — Upper Thread Breakage or Not Detected), E3 (E3 — Bobbin Thread Ran Out), E5 (E5 — Motor Overload / Machine Jam), E6 (E6 — Thread Cutter Malfunction), and 3 more.

Error code E4 also appears on 3 other Brother models: Brother CS6000i 60-Stitch Computerized Sewing and Quilting Machine, Brother PE535 Embroidery Machine with 4x4 Embroidery Area and Large Color LCD, Brother SE600 Computerized Sewing and Embroidery Machine with 4x4 Embroidery Area. The fix may vary by model, so check each model's specific page for tailored repair steps.