Washer Error Codes: Every Brand, Every Code Explained
Every washer brand speaks its own error-code dialect: Samsung shows short codes like 4C and 5C, LG uses two-letter codes like OE and IE, and the Whirlpool family (Whirlpool, Maytag, Kenmore) uses F-codes and two-letter Cabrio codes. This page is the index: pick your brand for its complete, verified code list.
Which list do you need?
Three questions pick the right list in under a minute. First, the badge: whose name is on the front of the machine — that is the list you start with, even when another company built the platform underneath (Kenmore is the exception, below). Second, the machine type: front-load and top-load models of the same brand share most codes but not all — the brand lists flag platform-specific codes in their meaning text. Third, for Kenmore machines, the model prefix: 110 means the Whirlpool-built list applies, 796 means the LG-built list applies, and using the wrong one will send you after parts your machine does not have.
How washer error codes work
The control board watches sensors — water level, temperature, door lock, motor speed, drain time — and stops the cycle with a code when a reading falls outside its allowed range. The same physical fault can carry different codes on different brands, and the same code can change meaning between model series of one brand, which is why each brand below has its own verified list rather than one merged table.
| What the control watches | How it knows | Codes it produces |
|---|---|---|
| Water level | A pressure sensor reads air trapped in a hose as the tub fills and empties | Fill codes (4C, IE, LF) and drain codes (5C, OE, F21) when level changes too slowly or not at all |
| Drain time | The level must fall within a set window after the pump starts | Long-drain codes (F9E1, LD, nd) when water leaves too slowly |
| Load balance | Motor current and drum speed are sampled during distribution and spin-up | Balance codes (UB, UE, UL) when the load cannot be spread evenly enough to spin safely |
| Door / lid state | Switches inside the lock report shut and locked as separate signals | Lock codes (DC, dE, F5E2/F5E3) split by direction — failed to lock vs failed to unlock |
| Motor drive | Tachometer/Hall signals and current draw are compared with the commanded speed | Motor codes (3C family, LE, F6/F7 family) for stalls, overloads and lost position signals |
| Water temperature | A thermistor in the tub or sump is read against the cycle target | Heating codes (HE, tE) when water does not warm or the sensor reads out of range |
Samsung washer error codes
Samsung speaks in short alphanumeric codes (4C, 5C, UB) whose second character names the family — C-suffixed codes are the current generation of faults that older displays showed with E (4E, 5E).
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 3C | Motor error — the washer's drive motor is not running correctly (motor drive/PCB communication family). |
| 4C | Water supply error — the washer is not filling with water (or is filling too slowly). |
| 4E | Water supply error — the washer is not filling (older-display version of 4C). |
| 5C | Drain error — the washer is not draining water out of the tub. |
| 9C8 | Voltage/power-supply related fault code reported on some Samsung washer platforms (9C family covers electrical supply and board power issues). |
| AC6 | Communication error between the main control board and the motor/inverter control (displayed as AC on some models). |
Full list: Samsung Washer Error Codes List — every verified Samsung code with causes and first fixes.
LG washer error codes
LG uses two-letter mnemonics — OE (Output Error, draining), IE (Input Error, filling), UE (Unbalanced Error) — the most readable system in the industry once you know the OE/IE pair faces opposite directions.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1E | Inlet error — the washer is not filling (1E is the segmented-display rendering of IE). |
| AE | Leak error — water detected by the leak sensor (AquaStop-style base/float detection on LG models that have it). |
| CL | Child Lock is ON — not an error. The control panel is locked on purpose. |
| DE | Door error — the door is open or the door lock is not engaging/reporting. |
| FE | Fill error / overflow — the washer has overfilled or the fill ran abnormally long (water level too high). |
| HE | Heating error — the washer's heater circuit is not performing (on LG washers with a built-in heater). |
Full list: LG Washer Error Codes List — every verified LG code with causes and first fixes.
Whirlpool washer error codes
Whirlpool electronic models alternate two-part codes (F21, then a second half on some displays); its VMW top-loaders use two-letter codes (LD, UL, LF) instead — one brand, two dialects, split by platform.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5D | Suds detected — 5D is how some Whirlpool displays render the Sd suds code (7-segment 5/S confusion). |
| DL | Door lock error — the door latch/lock failed to lock (front-load, older Duet rendering; the F5E2 of its generation). |
| E01 | Part of a split F-code display — E01 is the second half of codes like F8E1/F9E1; read it together with the F-code shown alternately (on this platform the common pairing for drain topics is F9 E1 = drain pump system error). |
| E1 | The E-half of an alternating Whirlpool F-code (see E01) — or, on some Whirlpool-built platforms, a thermistor/sensor rendering. Identify the full code from the display before diagnosing. |
| F1 | Control board error — the main electronic control has detected an internal fault (EEPROM/control failure family). |
| F3E1 | Water level system error — the pressure (level) sensor circuit is faulty. |
Full list: Whirlpool Washer Error Codes List — every verified Whirlpool code with causes and first fixes.
Maytag washer error codes
Maytag shares the Whirlpool family's code system — the same F-codes and VMW two-letter codes — because the platforms are shared; Maytag's own manuals are the authority for which list a given model uses.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5D | Suds detected — Maytag's segmented-display rendering of the Sd suds code. |
| CL | Control Lock / Child Lock status on Maytag washers — the panel is locked (not a fault). Maytag also uses CL-family prompts around its cleaning cycle on some models; in both cases it is a status, not an error. |
| E01 | The E-half of a Maytag F-code pairing (e.g. F9E1 drain, F8E1 fill, F5E1/E2 lock family) — E01 alone is incomplete; capture the F-half from the alternating display. |
| E3 | Platform-specific Maytag code — on Maytag's older/legacy platforms E3 appears in motor/drive and sensor contexts depending on the model generation; it is NOT one of the current F-code system's core codes, so the model's own tech sheet defines it. |
| LD | Long Drain — the washer is draining too slowly (Maytag top-load rendering; sibling of ND). |
| ND | No Drain — the washer is not draining (Maytag legacy/top-load rendering of the drain fault). |
Full list: Maytag Washer Error Codes List — every verified Maytag code with causes and first fixes.
Kenmore washer error codes
Kenmore codes follow the builder, not the badge: 110-series machines use Whirlpool family codes, 796-series machines use LG codes. Check the model prefix before any list.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| CL | Child Lock status on Kenmore washers — panel locked, not an error. On LG-built Kenmores (796) it's LG's CL; the release is the marked button hold. |
| IE | Inlet error on LG-built Kenmore washers — the machine is not filling properly (rendered 1E on some displays). |
| LE | Locked motor error on Kenmore washers built by LG — the direct-drive motor cannot rotate. (On Whirlpool-built Kenmores LE-family topics route to the F-code system instead — check your model plate.) |
| ND | No Drain — the Kenmore washer is not draining (Whirlpool-built Kenmore rendering). |
| NF | No Fill on Whirlpool-built Kenmore washers — the machine is not filling (fill fault, letter rendering; F8E1/LF siblings). |
| OE | Drain error on LG-built Kenmore washers — the machine is not draining. |
Full list: Kenmore Washer Error Codes List — every verified Kenmore code with causes and first fixes.
Bosch washer error codes
Bosch numbers its codes by system — teens for water in/out, twenties for the door, thirties for the drive — so the number range is itself a first hint about where to look.
| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| E18 | The washer is not draining — there is no drainage of water, and water may be left standing in the drum. |
| E23 | AquaStop has been activated: there is water in the base trough — the appliance is leaking. |
| E27 | Pressure sensor faulty — Bosch lists this fault as F27 on its washing machine error list (worded 'Error code E27 / F27: pressure sensor faulty'). |
| E36 | Drain pump is blocked — on current Bosch models shown as E:36-10 (the detergent solution is not being pumped out) and E:36-25 / -26 (drain pump blocked). |
Full list: Bosch Washer Error Codes List — every verified Bosch code with causes and first fixes.
Fault families every brand shares
Water in: the machine is not filling, or filling too slowly (Samsung 4C, LG IE, Whirlpool F8E1 family). Water out: draining too slowly or not at all (Samsung 5C, LG OE, Whirlpool F21/F9E1). Balance: the load cannot be distributed for spin (Samsung UB/UE, LG UE, Whirlpool UL). Door: the lock cannot confirm the door is shut (Samsung DC, LG dE, Whirlpool F5E2). Find the family first, then your brand's exact code in its list.
Water in — fill faults
| Brand | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | 4C | Water supply error — the washer is not filling with water (or is filling too slowly). |
| LG | IE | Inlet error — the washer is not filling with water properly (Water Inlet Error). |
| Whirlpool | F8E1 | Long fill — the washer is taking too long to fill (the F-format rendering of LF). |
Water out — drain faults
| Brand | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | 5C | Drain error — the washer is not draining water out of the tub. |
| LG | OE | Drain error — the washer is not draining (Output Error in LG's naming). |
| Whirlpool | F21 | Long drain — the washer is taking too long to drain (Whirlpool's drain fault; F9E1 is its sibling rendering on Duet platforms). |
| Bosch | E18 | The washer is not draining — there is no drainage of water, and water may be left standing in the drum. |
Balance & spin faults
| Brand | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | UB | Unbalanced load — the washer cannot distribute the load evenly enough to spin safely. |
| LG | UE | Unbalanced error — the load could not be balanced for spin. |
| Whirlpool | UL | Unbalanced load — the washer cannot balance the load for spin. |
| Maytag | UL | Unbalanced load — the washer can't balance the load for spin (Maytag top-load). |
Door & lock faults
| Brand | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | DC | Door error — the washer thinks the door/lid is open or not locked. |
| LG | DE | Door error — the door is open or the door lock is not engaging/reporting. |
| Whirlpool | F5E2 | Door lock error — the door lock will not engage/lock (front-load) — the cycle cannot start. |
Motor & drive faults
| Brand | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | 3C | Motor error — the washer's drive motor is not running correctly (motor drive/PCB communication family). |
| LG | LE | Locked motor error — the washer's direct-drive motor cannot rotate (or the control can't confirm it is rotating). |
| Kenmore | LE | Locked motor error on Kenmore washers built by LG — the direct-drive motor cannot rotate. (On Whirlpool-built Kenmores LE-family topics route to the F-code system instead — check your model plate.) |
Heating & temperature faults
| Brand | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | HE | Heating error — the washer's water heating system is not performing as expected. |
| LG | tE | Thermistor (temperature sensor) error — the wash-water temperature sensor is faulty. |
| Bosch | E36 | Drain pump is blocked — on current Bosch models shown as E:36-10 (the detergent solution is not being pumped out) and E:36-25 / -26 (drain pump blocked). |
Suds & sensing faults
| Brand | Code | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | SUD | Excess suds detected — the washer has found too much foam in the tub. |
| Whirlpool | SD | Suds detected — oversudsing condition (also rendered SUD / 5D on Whirlpool displays). |
| LG | AE | Leak error — water detected by the leak sensor (AquaStop-style base/float detection on LG models that have it). |
Start from the symptom when there is no code
Plenty of washer faults never produce a code: a machine that hums but will not start may have a failed capacitor or a jammed pump the control cannot see; a slow leak may only announce itself at the floor. Work backwards from the symptom instead — standing water in the drum means treat it as a drain fault even without OE, 5C or F21 on the display; a tub that will not spin a balanced, drained load is a drive fault whatever the panel says; repeated mid-cycle stops with no code usually trace to power (a sagging outlet) or an overheating motor cooling between attempts. The family tables above still apply: the symptom picks the family, the family picks the checks, and the brand list settles the exact part names for your machine.
Intermittent faults deserve one extra habit: a log. A code that appears twice a month is nearly impossible to diagnose from a single event, but three lines in a notebook — date, cycle selected, load type, what the machine was doing, the exact code — usually reveal the pattern (only on hot washes, only with the big duvet, only when the dishwasher runs at the same time and pressure dips). Heat-, load- and voltage-sensitive faults all confess to a log eventually, and a technician given the log starts halfway down the fault tree instead of at the top.
Reading a code correctly
Three display habits cause most mis-searches. First, many Whirlpool-family machines alternate the two halves of a code — F9, then E1 — so a photo of the display beats a memory of one half. Second, segmented displays blur letters and numbers: 5C and SC, IE and 1E, CL and C1 can be the same code rendered two ways, which is why the brand lists on this site note display variants inside each entry. Third, a code shown during a cycle is not always a fault: child-lock (CL), delay-start timers and demo modes all light up displays on healthy machines. If the machine otherwise runs normally, check those three before opening the fault tables.
End-of-cycle and state displays deserve the same caution. Many machines light every segment for a few seconds at power-up as a display test, show a countdown or a spinning icon while a cycle finishes its anti-crease or cooling phase, and display a lock symbol the whole time child lock is armed. None of these are codes, and all of them get searched as codes every day. The distinguishing test is behaviour: a machine that fills, washes, drains and spins normally is not reporting a fault, whatever the panel is showing — finish the cycle, then look the display up as a state, not an error.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common washer error codes?
Across brands the most searched codes are drain codes (LG OE, Samsung 5C, Whirlpool F21), fill codes (Samsung 4C, LG IE), balance codes (LG UE, Samsung UB) and door-lock codes (LG dE, Whirlpool F5E2). Use the brand lists above for your exact code.