What Does This Error Mean?

A Singer machine that won't sew a buttonhole is usually missing the correct buttonhole foot or has the button size guide not set up on the foot. Attach the buttonhole foot, set your button size in the guide on the back of the foot, select the buttonhole stitch, and the machine will sew all four segments automatically.

Affected Models

Singer Heavy Duty 4423
Singer Quantum Stylist 9960
Singer 4452
Singer C7200
Singer 7258
Singer S0100 — all models with auto buttonhole function

Common Causes

Buttonhole foot not attached — standard presser foot cannot sew a buttonhole
Button size not set in the foot guide — machine cannot determine buttonhole length
Wrong stitch mode selected — buttonhole stitch not active
No stabiliser under fabric — lightweight fabric stretches and distorts
Thread tension incorrect — one side denser than the other

How to Fix It

Attach the buttonhole foot.

Remove the current presser foot and attach the buttonhole foot that came with your Singer machine. The buttonhole foot has a sliding button guide on the back and two parallel channels underneath for the satin stitch bars. Without this foot, the machine cannot complete a buttonhole.
Place the button in the foot guide.

On the back of the buttonhole foot, there is a sliding guide for sizing. Place the actual button you want to match into the guide and slide it to fit. This tells the machine exactly how long to sew the buttonhole — for a one-step automatic buttonhole.
Select the buttonhole stitch.

On the Singer's stitch selector dial or touchscreen, select the buttonhole stitch — typically indicated by a rectangle symbol. For models with multiple buttonhole styles (rounded, keyhole, stretch), select the one appropriate for your fabric type.
Use iron-on stabiliser behind the buttonhole area.

Fuse a piece of woven or non-woven interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric behind where the buttonhole will be sewn. This prevents the dense satin stitch from pulling the fabric into a tunnel shape. For stretch fabrics, use a stretch-safe stabiliser.
Test on scrap fabric and adjust tension.

Always sew a test buttonhole on a scrap of the same fabric before sewing on the garment. If one side of the buttonhole is denser than the other, adjust the upper tension by 0.5 increments. Both bars should have equal stitch density when the tension is correctly set.

When to Call a Professional

If the buttonhole stitch starts but stops mid-sequence, the machine may have a mechanical issue with the stitch counting sensor on the buttonhole foot. Contact a Singer service centre.