LG Washer Error Codes: AE Means a Leak or a Stuck Drum, Depending

LG publishes two different washer code lists, and some codes appear on both with different meanings. The one that matters most is AE. On a front load washer, LG says AE indicates a leak inside the appliance. On a top load washer, AE means the gears that rotate the drum cannot operate properly.

A leak and a stuck drum call for very different urgency, and merged code lists give you only one of them.

There is a second split worth knowing: front load washers get numeric aliases, top load washers do not. On a front loader the drain error displays as OE, E03 or E21, all the same fault. Top load machines use letters only. So if you are searching a code like E21 and finding nothing about your top loader, that is why.

The codes that mean different things on each machine

Code	Front load	Top load
AE	"a problem with a leakage inside the appliance."	"displayed when the gears responsible for rotating the drum cannot operate properly."
PE	"the water level sensor is malfunctional."	"displayed when the pressure sensor has trouble detecting the water level."
tE	"a heating error, usually caused by faulty thermistor."	"a problem with the temperature sensor inside the tub." LG adds that pouring excessively hot water in can cause it.
LE	"displayed when the tub fails to spin," from an overload or a foreign object. Unplug for 5 minutes.	Grouped with AE and LE1, where "the motor is stuck," typically a coin between the wash plate and the drum.
dE	The door is not closed properly. dE2 or E30 means the door is closed but not locked.	"occurs when the washing machine door is open." Top load machines use a separate dL code for a door that will not lock.

Front load codes

Note the numeric aliases. LG lists them together, so OE, E03 and E21 are one code, not three.

Code	What LG says it means	What LG says to do
OE, E03, E21	"the washing machine is unable to drain the water used during the wash cycle," usually "a kinked drain hose or a clogged drain pump filter."	Check behind the washer for a kinked or clogged drain hose and run a spin cycle. If it is not kinked, run Spin Only on High and listen: LG says you may hear a hum and some draining "for the first 15 seconds." If you hear the hum, clean the drain pump filter, and screw the cap back on securely to prevent leaks. Then run a tub clean cycle and use less detergent.
IE, E02, E10	Water inlet error. It "occurs if the tub does not fill to an adequate level within a specified period."	Check the faucet is open and the hose is not bent, then clean the inlet filter. If no water comes out, see the freezing section below.
dE, dE1, E01	"the door is not closed properly."	Open and re-close the door. To reset, cut power, hold Start or Pause for 5 seconds, then restore power. "If the dE/dE1/E01 error code continues, service will be required."
dE2, E30	"the door is closed but not locked."	Clear the door area and re-close it, then reset as above.
CE	"there has been an over-current in the electrical circuit of the motor."	Unplug the washer for 10 seconds, plug it back in, run a cycle. If it persists, LG says to close the water tap, unplug the washer, and that it will require repair service.
FE, E04, E12	"a problem with water overfilling."	Check for extra water coming through the detergent dispenser. "Unplug the appliance, wait 60 seconds and then restart it."
PE, E33	"the water level sensor is malfunctional."	Unplug for 10 seconds, plug in, restart. If it persists it will need repair service.
UE	An unbalanced error, which "occurs when the laundry is piled up on one side of the drum."	See the load section below.
tE	"a heating error, usually caused by faulty thermistor."	Unplug for 10 seconds, plug in, select no spin, drain and restart. If it persists, close the water taps and unplug.
PF	A power failure.	Cut power, and while it is off "press and hold the START/PAUSE button for 5 seconds," then restore power.
HE, dHE, SE	A temporary heater error, a temporary dry function error, and a sensor error respectively.	Unplug, let the unit rest 10 seconds, restore power and restart. If it persists, LG says these need a professional technician.
AE	"a problem with a leakage inside the appliance."	Treat a leak code as urgent regardless of what else the display says.

Source: LG's front load washer error code list.

Top load codes

LG labels these on its own page, and the labels are worth quoting because they are clearer than the codes: AE, LE and LE1 are a rotation error, IE an inlet error, OE an outlet error, UE an unbalance error, dE a door error, tE a temperature sensor error, vS and uS a vibration sensor, dL a door not locked, PE a pressure sensor error, FE an overfill error, E3 a drain motor error, FF a freeze failure, PF a power failure, CL child or control lock, and tCL a tub clean.

Code	What LG says it means	What LG says to do
AE, LE, LE1	Rotation error. AE "is displayed when the gears responsible for rotating the drum cannot operate properly," and LE or LE1 "may appear when the motor is stuck." The usual cause is a coin or foreign object between the wash plate and the drum.	Remove the object with tweezers. "If you see no trapped object but noise occurs and drum rotation is still affected, please request service."
IE	Inlet error, "displayed if the drum is not filled to a certain level."	Open the taps, unbend the hoses. "If kinking is severe, close the taps, disconnect the hoses and then reconnect them." Clean the inlet filter.
OE	Outlet error, "displayed when there is a drainage issue."	Remove coins with tweezers and check the drain hose. If it is frozen, see below.
UE	Unbalance error.	See the load section below. LG notes an unbalanced load can extend "the duration of the spin cycle by approximately 10 minutes."
dE	"occurs when the washing machine door is open."	Close it securely and remove obstructions, then press Start or Pause.
dL	Door lock error.	"remove any foreign objects that may be obstructing the locking mechanism," which LG locates on the right side of the door. LG also advises against installing the washer in humid areas.
PE	"displayed when the pressure sensor has trouble detecting the water level."	"unplug the power cord and wait five minutes before reconnecting it."
FE	"the washer has detected an overfilled tub."	Unplug, reconnect and run it again.
E3	"an issue with the operation of the drain motor."	Unplug and reconnect. If it recurs, LG says the drain motor may need inspection.
tE	"a problem with the temperature sensor inside the tub."	Disconnect the power cord and wait for the water to cool before plugging it back in.
vS, uS	Vibration sensor. It may also display as u5.	Press Start or Pause. If it persists, power off and restart, then request service.

Source: LG's top load washer error code list.

FF stands for Freeze Failure, and three codes can mean ice

This is the section worth reading before winter, because LG maps specific codes to specific frozen parts.

LG: "Error code [FF] stands for Freeze Failure. Prolonged cold weather may cause the inlet or drain hose to freeze." Then it gets specific:

• "The appearance of the error codes OE (outlet error) or FF (freeze failure) suggest that the drain hose is frozen."
• "The appearance of the error code IE suggests that the inlet hose or the taps are frozen."

So a washer throwing OE in a cold spell may have nothing wrong with its pump. LG's thawing instructions, with its own numbers:

1. Pour warm water, which LG specifies as 50 to 60C, into the tub. Close the door and wait 1 to 2 hours for the drain hose to thaw.
2. Wet a cloth with warm water and wrap it around the drain hose.
3. For frozen taps, wrap them with a hot cloth and thaw for five minutes.
4. Thaw disconnected inlet hoses in warm water below 50C, which is 122F.
5. Test with a Rinse and Spin cycle.

LG includes a safety warning worth repeating: "Please pour warm water into the tub, as handling boiling water poses a burn risk." Hot tap water, not a kettle.

LG also notes that after a freezing winter, once temperatures rise above zero, the washer will gradually thaw on its own.

UE is a loading problem, and LG gives real quantities

Unbalance is the most common code on either machine, and LG's advice is more specific than simply redistributing the load.

• Load the drum to "about 2/3 of the drum capacity."
• With laundry nets, fill each to two thirds and wash "two or three laundry nets that are 2/3 full at a time."
• Wash blankets on the Duvet or Blanket cycle, one blanket at a time. Padded jackets go on Sportswear at medium spin.
• Wash at least two knitted items together rather than one.
• Remove items that cannot be washed, and take the stuffing out of pillows.
• Level the washer by adjusting the legs. An unlevel machine produces UE during spin.

LG's top load guidance adds that the washer "will attempt to rebalance the load on its own up to three times" before it gives up and shows the code. So a cycle that keeps restarting its spin is the machine working, not failing, and a paused cycle showing UE means those three attempts have already been used.

Three displays that are not faults

From LG's front load list:

• CL. "CL is not an error code, but an indicator that the child lock feature is active." Press and hold the child lock button for 3 seconds.
• Cd. "not an error code, but an indicator that the drying cycle is completed, it actually means cool down." LG says it can run up to 4 hours to reduce wrinkles, which explains a machine that seems to never finish.
• tCL. A tub clean reminder. LG notes "The tCL message may continue to appear for a few cycles," and that running Tub Clean monthly prevents it.

One more that is not a fault but costs you time: Sud. LG says excess suds "adds about 2 hours to the cycle time" while the machine deals with the foam. Use the amount of detergent the manufacturer specifies, fill liquid only to the max line, and put a single pod directly in the drum rather than the dispenser.

The water pressure specification behind IE

If IE keeps returning and the taps are fully open and unfrozen, LG gives a number: "The water pressure must be between 14.5 and 116 psi."

That is worth checking in a home with low mains pressure, a long run to the laundry, or a partly closed shutoff valve. A washer that fills too slowly to satisfy its own timer will report an inlet error even though water is arriving.

Frequently asked questions

What does AE mean on an LG washer?

It depends on the machine. On a front load washer LG says AE indicates a leak inside the appliance. On a top load washer, AE means the gears that rotate the drum cannot operate properly, usually because a coin or similar object is trapped between the wash plate and the drum.

What does OE mean on an LG washer?

The washer cannot drain. LG points at a kinked drain hose or a clogged drain pump filter first. On a front loader the same fault also displays as E03 or E21. In cold weather, OE can mean the drain hose is frozen rather than blocked.

Why does my LG washer keep showing UE?

The load is unbalanced. Fill the drum to about two thirds, avoid washing a single heavy item, use the Duvet or Blanket cycle for bedding, and check the machine is level. LG says a top load washer tries to rebalance on its own up to three times before showing the code.

What is FF on an LG washer?

Freeze Failure. LG maps OE or FF to a frozen drain hose and IE to a frozen inlet hose or taps. Pour warm water of 50 to 60C into the tub, close the door, and wait one to two hours. Do not use boiling water.

How do I reset an LG washer?

It varies by code. Several front load codes use a 10 second unplug, FE uses 60 seconds, LE uses 5 minutes, and dE and PF use a different method: cut the power, hold Start or Pause for 5 seconds while it is off, then restore power. Top load PE uses a five minute wait.

Is CL an error on an LG washer?

No. LG states plainly that CL is not an error code but an indicator that the child lock is active. Hold the child lock button for 3 seconds to clear it.

These are the codes from LG's current front load and top load lists. LG notes that "error codes (notification codes) may vary by product model," so your manual is the final word, and LG publishes separate guidance for WashTower and pedestal washers that we have not covered here.

Related guides: Whirlpool washer error codes, GE washer error codes, Frigidaire washer error codes, and if yours is moving across the floor, washing machine shaking and walking.