On an LG washer, IE means it is not filling, OE means it is not draining, UE means the load is out of balance, dE means the door or lid is not closed and locked, LE is a motor that could not turn, FE is an overfill, PE is the water-level sensor and tE is the water temperature sensor. CL, tCL, Sud and PF are messages, not faults. Cut power at the breaker for a few minutes, open both supply valves, check the drain hose and the pump filter, spread the load out and start again. A code that returns after that is a failed part.
Written by a working technician at Cactus Appliance in Irvine, this guide covers the LG WM front-load series, the WT top-load series, the WashTower and the washer-dryer combos we repair across Orange County. Where a code behaves differently on a top-load machine, the cell says so.
Try this first
- Cut power for five minutes. Unplug the washer or switch off its breaker. The Power button clears the display but not the fault; a code that returns in the next cycle is real.
- Open both supply valves all the way. Most LG cycles fill with cold first, so a half-open cold valve produces an IE even when the hot side is fine.
- Check the drain path. Front-load: open the small door at the bottom left, drain through the little hose, unscrew the pump filter and clear it. Top-load: check that the drain hose is not kinked and sits only a few inches into the standpipe.
- Close the door or lid properly. A sock in the door gasket or a lid that was not pushed down all the way is the most common dE we see.
- Spread the load out. One bath mat alone rarely balances; add a few towels and make sure all four feet sit on the floor.
- Use less detergent. LG washers want HE detergent and very little of it; foam slows the drain and fools the level sensor.
How LG washers show errors
LG washers show a two- or three-character code on the time display, and LG mixes upper and lower case on purpose: uE in lower case means the washer is still trying to balance the load, UE in upper case means it stopped trying; tCL is the tub-clean reminder, not a tE fault. A few codes belong to one design only: E6 is a top-load clutch code, vS is the front-load vibration sensor, AE is the leak sensor in the base of a front-load washer, and dHE lives only on the washer-dryer combos. Pressing Power clears the code from the display, but on most models the control keeps the last fault for Smart Diagnosis and for the technician’s test mode. Take a photo anyway so you can read the code to us when you call.
Water, fill and drain codes
| Code | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| IE | Inlet error: the washer did not reach the expected water level in the time the control allows. | Open both valves fully, straighten the hoses and check the house pressure. If the code returns with good pressure, the inlet valve screens are clogged or the valve has failed. |
| OE | Drain error: water was still in the tub after the drain pump ran for its allowed time. | Front-load: drain and clean the pump filter. Top-load: check the drain hose. If it still will not drain, the pump impeller is jammed or the pump has failed. |
| FE | Overfill error: the water level went above the maximum the sensor expects. | Close both supply valves and call. A washer that keeps filling with the power off has an inlet valve stuck open; one that overfills only under power has a level sensor or control fault. |
| PE | Pressure sensor error: the water-level sensor reading is missing or out of range. | Power cycle once. A repeat means the sensor, its air hose or its connector has failed. |
| AE | Leak error on front-load models with a leak sensor: water has collected in the base pan. | Close the valves and cut power. Look for a loose hose, a torn door gasket or a pump filter cap left loose. If the base is dry and AE returns, the sensor is the fault. |
| FF | Freeze error: the control thinks the water in the washer or hoses is frozen. | Almost never a real freeze in Orange County; on a mild day the thermistor is reading wrong. Retry in an hour and call if it comes back. |
Door, balance and motor codes
| Code | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| dE / dE1 / dE2 / dE4 | Door error. Front-load: the control cannot confirm the door is closed and locked; the number points to the part of the latch circuit that failed. Top-load: the lid is not seen as closed. | Clear the gasket or lid opening, close firmly, press Start. If it repeats, the door lock assembly or the lid switch needs replacing. |
| uE | Not an error yet: the washer detected an unbalanced load and is redistributing it. | Let it work. If uE turns into UE every time, see the next row. |
| UE | Unbalanced load error: the washer could not balance the load and stopped before the final spin. | Spread the load out and check that the washer is level. If every normal load ends in UE, the suspension rods (top-load) or the dampers (front-load) are worn. |
| LE | Locked motor error: the drum motor could not turn, or the control lost track of the rotor position. | Remove half the load and leave the power off for thirty minutes. A repeat points to the hall sensor, the stator wiring or the main board. |
| CE | Current error: the motor drew more current than the control allows. | Power cycle and run a smaller load. If CE comes back on a light load, the motor or its drive on the control board needs testing. |
| E6 | Clutch error on top-load models: the clutch that switches the drive between agitate and spin did not reach its position. | Power cycle once. If E6 returns, the clutch assembly has failed; this is a technician repair. |
| vS | Vibration sensor error on front-load models: the control cannot read the vibration sensor. | Nothing to check from the outside; the sensor or its connector has failed and needs replacing. |
Temperature, power and messages that are not faults
| Code | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| tE | Thermistor error: the water temperature sensor is open, shorted or out of range. | Power cycle. If tE returns, the thermistor has failed; on front-load models it usually sits in the heater assembly and is replaced with it. |
| PF | Power failure: the washer lost power during a cycle and is telling you so. | Press Start to resume or Power to clear. Repeated PF without an outage means a loose plug, a weak breaker or a damaged cord. |
| dHE | Drying heater error on washer-dryer combos: the heater circuit for the dry cycle is not working as expected. | Wash cycles still run. Book a visit for the heater, its thermostat or its wiring; this is not an owner repair. |
| Sud | Not an error: too much foam was detected and the washer paused. | Wait it out and use less HE detergent next time. |
| CL | Not an error: the child lock is on and the buttons are ignored. | Press and hold the button marked Child Lock for about three seconds until CL disappears. |
| tCL | Not an error: the tub-clean reminder that appears after roughly thirty cycles. | Run the Tub Clean cycle with a tub cleaner and the reminder goes away on its own. |
Codes and their meaning vary by model and production year, and the same code can have more than one cause. The owner’s manual for your model number (on the label inside the door or under the lid) is the definitive list for your washer. Only an on-site test confirms which part has failed, and we run that test on every visit before anything is ordered.
What the common codes turn out to be on a service call
OE: water left in the drum
Likely causes: a pump filter packed with coins and hair ties, a kinked drain hose, a broken impeller vane, or a pump motor that hums but no longer spins. A top-load pump has no filter in front of it, so one sock can stop it.
Try this first: clean the pump filter, check the hose and run a Rinse and Spin cycle.
How we fix it: we test the pump under power and replace it when it is the cause, as in Washing Machine Not Draining? A Drain Pump Fix. A cracked filter housing leaks instead of blocking, as on a Samsung in Samsung Washer Leaking Water: Cracked Drain Filter; LG front-load washers use the same kind of part.
UE: the cycle never finishes and the clothes come out wet
Likely causes: stretched suspension rods on a top-load washer, tired dampers on a front-load washer, a machine that rocks on its feet, or a habit of washing one heavy item alone.
Try this first: run a mixed load of towels. If it spins, the problem is what you wash; if it still ends in UE, the suspension is worn.
How we fix it: we check the tub for free play by hand and replace the rods or dampers as a set, as in LG Washer Not Completing Cycle: Worn Dampers; the top-load version of the repair is in Washer Shaking Violently? Suspension Rod Fix.
dE: door or lid error with the door firmly shut
Likely causes: a front-load door lock whose wax motor or switch has failed, a door that sagged so the hook misses the lock, a cracked hook, or a top-load lid lock that no longer sees the lid magnet.
Try this first: check the hook and the lock opening for damage, close with a firm push and listen for the click.
How we fix it: we test the lock circuit and replace the lock assembly or the lid switch; both use common parts.
LE and CE: the motor stops, or the washer is dead with no code at all
Likely causes: an overloaded drum, water in the hall sensor connector, a failed hall sensor, a burned stator winding, or a failed motor drive on the main board. A dead panel with no code is a different problem: the display board, the power supply or a ribbon cable.
Try this first: one power cycle with half the load. Nothing else is safe from outside the cabinet.
How we fix it: we measure the stator and the hall sensor before anything is ordered, and replace the sensor far more often than the motor; the dead-panel case is in LG Washer Control Panel Not Working: WT4801CW Fix.
Stay safe. Unplug the washer or switch off its breaker before you reach behind the kick panel or the control panel, and close the supply valves before you move the machine. Never bypass the door lock or the lid switch to make a cycle run. If you see scorching at the panel or smell burning insulation, leave the power off and call.
When a code means a part has failed
The service call is $79 and covers the trip and the diagnosis. We confirm the failed part by testing it, because an OE can be a sock or a pump and an LE can be a connector or a motor. You get a written price for parts and labor before any work starts, and the $79 is applied to that price when you approve it. Common parts such as drain pumps and door locks are usually on the van; others come from local distributors, usually the next business day. The repair is under warranty on parts and labor, and if the same fault returns within 90 days the return visit has no service-call fee.
LG and other washer repairs we have written up
- LG Washer Not Completing Cycle: Worn Dampers (October 2026), Orange County
- LG Washer Control Panel Not Working: WT4801CW Fix (September 2026), Orange County
- Washing Machine Not Draining? A Drain Pump Fix (July 2026), Orange County
- Washer Shaking Violently? Suspension Rod Fix (January 2025), Orange County
- Samsung Washer Leaking Water: Cracked Drain Filter (October 2026), Orange County
LG washer error code FAQ
How do I reset an LG washer?
Press Power, then unplug it or switch off the breaker for about five minutes and start a cycle. There is no hidden reset sequence; if the same code returns, the fault is real.
What does OE mean on an LG washer?
OE is a drain error: water was still in the tub after the pump ran its allowed time. Clean the pump filter or check the drain hose; if it returns, the drain pump is usually the part.
What does UE mean on an LG washer?
UE means the washer could not balance the load and stopped before the final spin; lower-case uE means it is still trying. A mixed load that still ends in UE points to worn suspension rods or dampers.
Can I keep using the washer with an error code on it?
With IE, OE, UE or dE you can retry after the checks above. With FE or AE close the supply valves and stop, because an overfill or a leak can put water through the floor. With LE or CE, repeated attempts can damage the motor drive.
How much does it cost to fix an LG washer error code?
The service call is $79, applied to the repair. A hose, a filter blockage or a lid switch is the affordable end; a drain pump, an inlet valve or a hall sensor is the middle; a stator, a set of dampers or a main board is the expensive end. You approve a written price before any work starts.
Do you repair LG washers in Orange County?
Yes. Cactus Appliance repairs LG washers in Irvine, Tustin, Costa Mesa, Newport Beach, Santa Ana, Anaheim and every other Orange County city, same day, seven days a week.
