The LG codes you will see most are OE (the washer cannot drain), IE (water inlet problem), UE (unbalanced load), dE (door not closed or locked) and LE (the motor or tub will not turn). Many front-load washers also show the older numeric forms — E02/E10 for inlet, E03/E21 for drain, E01 for door — which mean the same thing. Most of these are fixed by a simple check or a reset.
Front-load codes
| Code | LG’s meaning | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| OE, E03, E21 | Cannot drain | Check the drain hose for kinks or clogs; clean the drain pump filter |
| IE, E02, E10 | Water inlet error | Check the taps and hoses; thaw frozen hoses |
| UE | Unbalanced load | Redistribute the load; level the washer |
| LE | Tub will not spin | Reduce the load; remove foreign objects; unplug and wait 5 minutes |
| dE, dE1, E01 | Door not closed properly | Reopen and reclose; unplug for 5 minutes |
| dE2, E30 | Door closed but not locked | Check for obstructions; reclose |
| FE, E04, E12 | Overfilling | Check the detergent dispenser; unplug 60 seconds |
| PE, E33 | Water level sensor | Unplug 10 seconds and retry |
| PF | Power failure | Press START/PAUSE; see our PF guide |
| tE | Heating error | Unplug 10 seconds; restart |
| HE, dHE, SE | Heater, dry function, sensor errors | Unplug 10 seconds; restart |
| CE | Over-current in the motor circuit | Unplug 10 seconds; retry |
| AE | Water leak detected | Check the inlet hose for damage; unplug 60 seconds |
| Sud | Excess suds | Use less detergent; run a tub clean cycle |
| FF, u51 | Freeze failure | Thaw the tub and drain hose with warm water |
| OPn | Detergent drawer not fully inserted | Push the drawer fully in |
| vS, uS, u5 | Vibration sensor | Press START/PAUSE; contact support if it persists |
| Ed1 to Ed4 | Detergent or softener pump issues | Check detergent type; clear residue from the tray |
| Ed5, E80, nC, nE, nF, PS | Communication, Wi-Fi or power supply faults | Unplug 60 seconds; plug in directly to the wall; restart |
Top-load codes
| Code | LG’s meaning | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| IE | Inlet error | Open taps; check hoses are straight; clean the inlet filter |
| OE | Outlet error | Straighten the drain hose; check for clogs or ice |
| UE | Unbalance error | Redistribute the laundry; avoid washing one large item on normal cycles |
| dE | Door (lid) error | Close the lid firmly and clear obstructions |
| dL | Door lock error | Remove foreign objects from the lock on the right of the door |
| LE, LE1, AE | Rotation error | Remove coins and objects trapped between the wash plate and drum |
| PE | Pressure sensor | Unplug for five minutes and reconnect |
| FE | Overfill | Unplug, reconnect and run again |
| E3 | Drain motor error | Unplug and reconnect; thaw if frozen; service if it persists |
| tE | Temperature sensor | If hot water was poured in, power off and let it cool |
| vS, uS | Vibration sensor | Press START/PAUSE or restart |
| FF | Freeze failure | Thaw the tub, drain hose, inlet hoses and taps |
The five common codes
OE: follow our won’t drain guide. IE: see washing machine not filling. UE: if it keeps recurring, compare it with shaking during the spin cycle. dE: LG’s door code is covered in our LG dE error guide, and door won’t open if it stays locked. LE: a locked motor needs a rest and an empty-tub check first; if it recurs, it is a service call.
Codes that are not faults
CL is the child lock (hold the control lock button for 3 seconds to turn it off), tCL / tcL is a reminder to run a tub clean cycle, Cd means the drying cycle is complete, dcL is nozzle cleaning mode, and PF just means power was interrupted. If the washer smells musty, a tub clean cycle also helps — see washing machine smells musty.
Resetting the washer
For most communication, sensor and electronic codes, LG’s own fix is to unplug the washer for 10 to 60 seconds (as listed above), plug it back in directly to a wall outlet and run a short cycle. If the same code reappears straight away, note it and treat it as a real fault.
When to call for service
Pump, heater, motor and sensor codes that return after a reset need a technician; you can check cost against replacement with our washing machine repair cost guide.
