What does the letter code on my washer's display mean?

It depends on whether the machine is front-load or top-load, because LG uses some of the same letters differently between the two. On front-load models, OE points at drainage - a kinked hose, a clogged pump filter or over-sudsing - and IE means the tub did not fill within the expected time. On top-load models, AE and LE together point at a rotation error rather than at drainage, and OE there means the outlet rather than a fill problem. Telling us the model family when you book saves a wasted guess.

The display shows CL or tCL. Is that a fault?

No. CL is LG's child-lock or control-lock indicator on both platforms, and tCL is a reminder to run the tub-clean cycle - neither one means a part has failed. If the washer runs a normal cycle once the lock is released or the tub-clean reminder is cleared, no repair is needed for that message.

The washer will not drain and there is standing water inside. What is safe to do first?

Switch the washer off at the breaker and close both supply taps before opening anything, and have a shallow pan and towels ready, because water still sitting in the tub and hoses comes out as soon as a filter or hose is opened. The pump filter behind the small access panel on most front-load models is designed for an owner to clear; the drain pump, pressure sensor and hose run beyond it are not.

It has shaken hard since the day it was installed. What should I check?

The shipping bolts. LG front-load washers ship with bolts holding the drum still for transport, and a machine run with even one of them still in place will walk across the floor on spin. Once they have been removed, the washer needs to sit level on all four feet with the locking feet snug against the cabinet base. If the bolts are already out, the floor is solid and it still hammers on spin, the suspension and drum bearings are what need testing.

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Washers Repair, Done Right the First Time

LG sells both front-load and top-load washers in the US, and the two platforms display two different sets of fault codes for some of the same letters - so the first thing worth confirming on any call is which type is standing in the laundry room, not just which letter is on the screen.

LG’s US washer lineup splits into two platforms that do not share a fault-code vocabulary: front-load machines, sold under the WM prefix, and top-load machines, sold under WT. Both wash and spin the same basic way, but LG documents their letter codes separately, and the same two-letter pair does not always mean the same thing on both – AE is a listed code on front-load models but is specifically a rotation error on top-load ones. We identify the platform before reading anything into the code on the screen.

Most of what brings a washer in for service sorts into four groups regardless of platform: it will not fill, it will not drain, it will not spin evenly, or the door or lid will not lock or release. Each group points at a short, testable list of parts – the inlet valve and pressure sensor, the drain pump and its filter, the suspension and drive components, and the lock assembly and its switch.

We isolate the machine at the breaker and close the supply taps before any panel comes off, and we measure the part a code points at rather than replacing it on the strength of the code alone. Where a repair is realistic against the age and value of the machine we say so plainly, and where it is not, we say that too before any part is ordered.

Common Washers Problems

Cycle stopping with the drum still full of water and the door held shut

UE unbalance reported at the end of a spin, with the load left wet

A code that clears when the machine is restarted and then comes straight back

Filling slowly, or not filling at all with the supply taps open

Water on the floor around the base of the machine

Heavy vibration or the cabinet moving during the final spin

Washers Error Codes

Recognize a code on your display? Look it up before you unplug anything or attempt a repair.

Why Trust Us With Your LG Washers

Trained on LG washers control systems and diagnostics.
Genuine OEM parts stocked for the most common failures.
Upfront flat-rate pricing, approved by you before we start.
30-day workmanship warranty on every repair. Parts may carry the manufacturer's warranty where applicable.

Washers Repair, Done Right the First Time

Book Washers Repair

Common Washers Problems

Washers Error Codes

nE

nF

PS (Power Supply Issue)

HE (Heater Error)

dL (Door Lock Error - Top-Load)

SE (Sensor Error)

E3 (Drain Motor Error - Top-Load)

vS, uS (Vibration Sensor)

dE1 (SideKick Pedestal Drawer Not Closed)

FF, u51 (Freeze Failure)

dE2 (SideKick Pedestal Drawer Closed but Not Locked)

OPn (Detergent Drawer Not Inserted)

Popular LG Washers Models

LG WM8100HVA

LG WM3070HRA

LG WM8980HVA

LG WM9500HKA

LG WM9901HBA

LG WD200CB

Why Trust Us With Your LG Washers

Washers Repair FAQ