Whirlpool Washer Error Codes: Why F8 E1 Means Two Different Things

Before you look up a Whirlpool washer code, you need to know whether your machine is a front load or a top load, because Whirlpool publishes two different lists and they do not agree. The same code, F8 E1, is described as a low water flow problem on the front load page and as the washer taking too long to fill on the top load page. Most code lists you will find online quietly merge the two. Whirlpool does not.

Everything below comes from Whirlpool's own Product Help pages, kept separate the way Whirlpool keeps them.

The one thing both pages warn you about

Both lists open with the same caution. The front load page says: "These may not be all Error Codes that will show for your model. See your Owner's Manual for the Error Codes for your specific model." The top load page repeats it almost word for word.

That matters because Whirlpool washers span a lot of model years. A code table is a starting point, not an authority on your particular machine.

Whirlpool front load washer codes

Code	What Whirlpool says it means	Whirlpool's recommended action
F8 E1 or LO FL	The washer is sensing a low flow of water.	Check that the household water supply is turned on and both the cold and hot faucets or valves are fully open, that the inlet hoses are not kinked, and that there are no anti flood hoses or controls in the water line. Press Pause or Cancel twice and Power once to clear.
F9 E1	Drain times are longer than expected, typically over eight minutes.	Make sure the drain hose is not kinked or clogged and use the U shaped drain hose form. Standpipe height requirements are 96 inches maximum and 39 inches minimum. Excessive suds can also delay draining.
F5 E2	The door is not locking properly.	Check that nothing is blocking the door and that it closes completely. Press Pause or Cancel twice and Power once to clear.
F7 E1	A motor speed sensing error. The motor cannot achieve the correct speed for the cycle selected.	Check that all shipping bolts have been removed and that the washer has not been overloaded.
F8 E2	A problem with the dispenser system, on select models.	Verify that the detergent drawer or detergent cartridge is not clogged with detergent.
Sud or Sd	There are too many suds in the washing machine.	The washer extends the rinse automatically. Use HE detergent. Can also be caused by a restricted drain hose or standpipe.
Int	The cycle was paused or canceled.	The washer may take 20 to 30 minutes to stop spinning and drain and shows this code during that time. Press Pause or Cancel twice and Power once. If it persists, disconnect power for 5 minutes.
LOC or LC	Control Lock has been activated.	Touch the Control Lock button. Some models require you to press and hold it.
dET	Detergent cartridge not detected in the dispenser, on select models.	If you are using single load doses of detergent, ignore this message. Otherwise reseat the cartridge and shut the drawer fully.
rL or F34	Items were detected in the washer during the Clean Washer cycle.	Remove the items from the drum and restart the Clean Washer cycle.
Other F# E# code	Indicates other error.	Disconnect power for 5 minutes, reconnect, reselect the cycle and press Start. If the code persists, Whirlpool says to have a qualified technician diagnose it.

Source: Whirlpool's error codes in front load washers page.

Whirlpool top load HE washer codes

This list is mostly letter codes rather than F and E numbers, and it covers lid locking, which a front loader obviously does not have.

Code	What Whirlpool says it means	Whirlpool's recommended action
LF, Lo FL or F8 E1	The washer is taking too long to fill.	Check the household water supply and open both faucets completely. Whirlpool notes both hot and cold water must be supplied to the washer.
HC	Hot and cold inlet hoses have been installed incorrectly, meaning reversed.	Appears at the end of the cycle. Turn off the water supply, swap the hoses and run another cycle to verify.
LdL	Lid is not locking.	Check for items directly under the lid, and for detergent build up around the lid lock mechanism.
LdU	Lid cannot unlock. The washer detects objects on the lid preventing it from unlocking.	Remove objects, such as a laundry basket, from the top of the washer.
lid	The washer lid was left open.	Close the lid. If left open more than 10 minutes the cycle resets and the water drains. Restart the cycle but do not add more detergent.
Ofb	The washer load is out of balance and it is running a load balance correction routine.	Allow it to continue. If the dial is flashing and the washer has stopped, redistribute the load, close the lid and press START/PAUSE. Avoid washing single items.
OL	The washer load was too large.	The washer drains the water and detergent. Remove several items, add HE detergent, close the lid and press START/PAUSE.
drn	Washer is not draining properly.	Whirlpool notes this can sometimes be an installation problem.
PF	The wash cycle was interrupted by a power failure.	Touch and hold START to restart the cycle, or press POWER to clear the display.
Sud	There are excessive suds in the washer.	Always use HE High Efficiency detergent.
F# E# or F##	System error code.	Press START/PAUSE once to clear the code, then press START/PAUSE again to restart. If it does not clear, Whirlpool says to contact service.

Source: Whirlpool's error codes in top load HE washers page.

The two resets are not the same either

This is the second thing the merged code lists get wrong. The clearing procedure depends on the machine type.

• Front load: "Press the Pause or Cancel button twice and the Power button once to clear the code." Whirlpool gives this same sequence for F5 E2, F7 E1, F8 E1 and Int.
• Top load HE: "Press START/PAUSE once to clear the code, then press START/PAUSE again to restart the washer."

If the front load sequence does nothing on your top loader, that is why. For a stubborn front load code Whirlpool falls back to disconnecting power for 5 minutes.

F9 E1 is usually a plumbing measurement, not a washer fault

Of all the codes on either list, F9 E1 is the one most likely to be fixed with a tape measure rather than a part. Whirlpool defines it as drain times "longer than expected, typically over eight (8) minutes," and then gives exact installation numbers: the standpipe must be 96 inches maximum and 39 inches minimum.

A standpipe shorter than 39 inches lets the washer siphon, so it drains while it is still trying to fill and the drain cycle never completes. Whirlpool also tells you to keep the U shaped hose form on the drain hose, which is what holds the correct height at the machine end.

So a washer that has worked for years and suddenly throws F9 E1 after being moved, or a new installation that has never drained properly, is worth measuring before anything else.

Suds appear on both lists for a reason

Sud shows up on the front load page and the top load page, and it is also named as a cause of F9 E1 drain delays. Whirlpool's front load explanation is the more useful one, because it describes behaviour people mistake for a breakdown: when Sud appears the washer "automatically extends the rinse time to remove the excess suds," pausing the tumbling and adding water, and this "may occur several times to eliminate the suds."

So a cycle that seems stuck and keeps refilling may be working exactly as designed. Whirlpool's other note is worth repeating: it says "no splash" or "easy pour" liquid chlorine bleach can also create too many suds, and suggests regular liquid bleach products instead.

Frequently asked questions

What does F8 E1 mean on a Whirlpool washer?

It depends on the machine. On a front load washer Whirlpool says F8 E1 or LO FL means the washer is sensing a low flow of water. On a top load HE washer, the same code is listed with LF and Lo FL and means the washer is taking too long to fill. Either way the first checks are the water supply valves and the inlet hoses.

How do I reset a Whirlpool washer error code?

On a front loader, press Pause or Cancel twice and Power once. On a top load HE washer, press START/PAUSE once to clear and again to restart. If a front load code will not clear, Whirlpool says to disconnect power for 5 minutes, reconnect, reselect the cycle and press Start.

What does F9 E1 mean?

Drain times longer than expected, typically over eight minutes. Check that the drain hose is not kinked or clogged, that the U shaped drain hose form is in place, and that the standpipe is between 39 and 96 inches tall.

Why does my Whirlpool washer say LdL?

The lid is not locking. Whirlpool points at two causes: an item in the load sitting directly under the lid, and detergent build up around the lid lock mechanism.

What is HC on a Whirlpool washer?

The hot and cold inlet hoses are reversed. It appears at the end of the wash cycle. Turn off the water, swap the hoses and run another cycle to confirm.

Does Whirlpool explain what the F and E digits stand for?

No. Neither of Whirlpool's two washer code pages defines the F or the E portion of a code. The front load page lists "Other F# E# code" as simply "Indicates other error," and the top load page lists "F# E# or F##" as "System error code." Any site that offers you a full decoding scheme for the digits is going beyond what Whirlpool publishes.

Related guides: GE washer error codes, Frigidaire washer error codes, Haier top loader washer error codes, and if yours is moving across the floor rather than showing a code, washing machine shaking and walking.