LG Washer PF Error Code: Meaning, Causes & Fix

Power failure — power to the washer was cut off during operation (and the washer is telling you so).

PF is a notification, not a breakdown: LG's top-load code list puts it plainly — PF indicates that power was cut off, it is not an error, and the washer recalls the last point of operation from before the cut. What happens next is model-dependent in LG's own documents: on many models you simply press the Start/Pause button to restart the cycle (the front-load manuals' PF remedy), while manuals for other models note that if the washer stopped during a cycle due to a loss of power, it resumes the cycle where it stopped when power is restored. Either way, a single PF after a genuine outage needs no repair. PF earns attention only when it appears with no outage you know of, or keeps appearing — and LG's documented suspects for that pattern are electrical-service basics (a tripped breaker or blown fuse, a plug not securely in its outlet, inadequate electrical service), checked before any part inside the machine is suspected.

What causes the PF code on a LG washer?

Household power outage or interruption

The straightforward cause, and the one LG's definition assumes: power was cut off during operation. Storms, utility work and whole-house blips all qualify, including interruptions too brief to reset a clock.

Tripped breaker, blown fuse, or the washer unplugged

LG's top-load list names the unplugged case alongside the outage, and its manuals' power troubleshooting starts with the house fuse, the circuit breaker and whether the cord is plugged securely into a grounded outlet. A breaker that tripped under load cuts power exactly like an outage, from the washer's point of view.

Inadequate electrical service

LG's manual wording for PF is 'power failure or inadequate electrical service may have occurred during operation' — a supply that sags or drops under the washer's load can register as a power failure even when the lights stay on.

Checks to run before you replace anything

1. Did anything else in the house lose power or reset? If yes, PF is simply the washer reporting the same event.
2. Check the breaker panel and the outlet: a tripped breaker is reset (or a blown fuse replaced) without increasing fuse capacity — LG's manuals are explicit on that point — and the plug should be seated securely in a grounded outlet.
3. Note the pattern: one PF after a storm is information; PF appearing weekly with no house event, or always at the same cycle stage, is a supply problem to run down, not a code to keep clearing.

How to fix the PF error code

1. After a genuine outage: press Start/Pause to restart the cycle (front-load manuals), or let the model that auto-resumes pick the cycle up where it stopped. No further action is needed for a one-off PF.
2. Reset a tripped breaker; if the same circuit trips repeatedly under the washer's load, that is an electrician's circuit-capacity question, not a washer repair.
3. Repeated PF with proven-stable house power and a sound outlet is the service case: book the visit and report the pattern (frequency, cycle stage, any breaker involvement), because intermittency is the diagnostic information the visit needs.

The part that usually fails: None for genuine outages

PF is the machine reporting the house supply, not itself. Parts enter the story only in the repeated-no-outage pattern, and then on a technician's diagnosis of the supply path — LG publishes no PF part to replace on the strength of the code.

How to reset / clear the PF code

PF needs acknowledgement, not a reset procedure: Start/Pause restarts the cycle on models that wait for it, and auto-resume models continue on their own once power is restored. If the display still shows PF after power is stable and Start/Pause has been pressed, a plain power cycle (off, unplug briefly, back on) is the remaining owner step before service.

LG's standard reset is a power cycle: press Power off, unplug the washer for about 5 minutes, then — with the machine still unplugged — press and hold the Start/Pause button for 5 seconds to drain residual charge from the board. Plug back in and run a test cycle. There is no hidden reset button on LG washers; any code that reappears after this procedure is an active fault the control is still detecting, not a glitch that needs a deeper reset.

Why does the PF code keep coming back?

PF that returns under combined household loads (washer heating while other heavy appliances run) points at the circuit, and an electrician — not an appliance part — is the fix. PF that returns on a proven circuit, with the plug secure, is the pattern to hand to a service visit with dates and cycle stages noted.

How to stop PF coming back

• Household power outage or interruption: The straightforward cause, and the one LG's definition assumes: power was cut off during operation. Storms, utility work and whole-house blips all qualify, including interruptions too brief to reset a clock.
• Tripped breaker, blown fuse, or the washer unplugged: LG's top-load list names the unplugged case alongside the outage, and its manuals' power troubleshooting starts with the house fuse, the circuit breaker and whether the cord is plugged securely into a grounded outlet. A breaker that tripped under load cuts power exactly like an outage, from the washer's point of view.
• Inadequate electrical service: LG's manual wording for PF is 'power failure or inadequate electrical service may have occurred during operation' — a supply that sags or drops under the washer's load can register as a power failure even when the lights stay on.

Retrieving stored fault codes on LG washers

LG front-loaders have a test mode used by technicians: with the machine off, a specific three-button combination (commonly Soil Level + Spin Speed + Power held in sequence on many models, and a button-pair hold on others) steps the machine through fill, wash, drain, spin and heater tests while the display shows stored error history. The exact combination differs by model year, so technicians read it from the service manual for the model; if you enter a mode where the tub starts filling or the motor jogs, that is the test mode working — press Power twice to exit.

Other LG washer error codes

See the full list on the LG Washer error codes hub.

Codes PF gets confused with

AE — Two different LG faults share this code, by platform. On LG top-load washers AE is a rotation error: the gears responsible for rotating the drum cannot operate properly. On LG front-load washers (global/EU manuals) AE is a water leakage error: water leaks — call for service. AE is the LG washer code where reading a single meaning off the internet does real damage, because LG itself publishes two.

vS (shown as u5 / uS) — Vibration sensor error — LG's code is vS; on the display it appears as u5 or uS. LG: the error may occur if there is a contact issue with the vibration sensor or if the sensor malfunctions. Start with the letters themselves, because they explain most confused searches: LG names this code vS, and its own guides warn that the vS error may appear as u5 or uS on the display — the seven-segment rendering of vS is what owners transcribe as 'U5'.

dE1 — Door error (variant 1) — the door is not closed properly (LG's own wording). The washer cannot confirm the door is fully shut, so it will not start or it pauses. LG splits its front-load door family by which step failed, and dE1 is the first step: the door is not closed properly.

tE — Temperature sensor error — LG's front-load manuals head this code 'Temperature Sensor Error' and give its cause, in one word pair, as a control error; LG's top-load list describes a problem with the temperature sensor inside the tub. tE is the code LG's documentation treats most tersely, and this page follows LG rather than the internet's expanded version of it.

Frequently asked questions

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Facts on this page were checked against manufacturer documentation: www.lg.com · www.lg.com · lg.com · www.lg.com