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Frigidaire washing machines are well-engineered home appliances. However, they can only function correctly when all of their components are working in harmony. When that doesn’t happen, your washer will display a code like the E5E error code.
The E5E error code on your Frigidaire washer means that there’s a communication failure between the motor control board and the main electronic control board. A fault at either of those boards is the most likely reason for this error. Besides that, a problem with the wire harness that connects those two boards can also be to blame.
Don’t worry if you’re experiencing this error code. In this article, we’ll show you everything you need to know to troubleshoot and resolve the issue.
What The E5E Code Means On A Frigidaire Washer
The E5E error code on a Frigidaire washer is triggered when there’s a communication failure between two parts:
- the electronic control board and
- the motor control board.
Both of these control boards are critical to ensure that your washer functions correctly. So, when they can’t communicate with each other as they should, the washing machine won’t be able to carry out your selected wash program.
That’s why you’ll want to troubleshoot and resolve this code as soon as possible so you can continue using the washer like you usually do.
Possible Causes And Solutions
As mentioned before, the E5E code points specifically to a communication issue between the main electronic control board and the motor control board. So, problems in those two parts are the most likely trigger behind this error code.
However, communications between those parts happen through a wire harness that connects both of them. That’s why you should begin your troubleshooting with the wire harness before you check or replace any other part.
Wire Harness Problems
What it is: A wire harness is a bundle of wires wrapped together with insulation. The reason those separate wires are grouped that way is that they connect to the same components.
There are many wire harnesses inside of your Frigidaire washer. However, we’re referring to the one that runs between the electronic control board and the motor control board. That wiring harness allows these two parts to communicate by carrying signals and power between them.
How it fails: When troubleshooting the wire harness in your washer, you’ll want to look for two things: a weak connection and any visible signs of damage.
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Remember: wire harnesses must be connected firmly at both ends (i.e. at the electronic control board and the motor control board). So it’s likely that the wire harness wasn’t pushed firmly into place or that it had somehow come loose.
Secondly, the wire harness might have tears or rips that show damage to the wires inside. Besides that, electrical faults (like shorts or power surges) could have caused the wires to overheat and burn.
In both cases, the wire harness can’t send clear signals between both components, resulting in the communication error that triggered the E5E code.
How to fix it: Firstly, try to reconnect the wire harness firmly at both ends. If that doesn’t solve the problem, or if you find that the wire harness is indeed damaged, then you’ll have to replace it entirely.
Remove the damaged wire harness and connect a new one firmly at the electronic control board and the motor control board.
Read: Frigidaire Washer Code E58 – Troubleshooting Guide
Failed Motor Control Board
What it is: The motor control board is a small printed circuit board (PCB) with plenty of tiny components attached to it. The board is designed to control how the washer motor behaves, i.e. how fast it turns and in which direction it does so.
When you start a new wash program, and it goes through its various cycles, the motor control board ensures that the motor turns at the correct speeds. So, for example, the motor will turn slower when agitating the laundry inside, while the board will make it go faster during the spin cycle.
The motor control board works very closely alongside the main electronic control board, which regulates all of the washer’s other functions.
How it fails: A motor control board can fail due to excess wear, electrical faults, or other forms of damage. For example, the longer your Frigidaire washer has been in use, the higher the chances of the motor control board failing from old age.
Besides that, electrical faults like short circuits or power surges could cause the board and its components to overheat and burn.
Lastly, excessive moisture or heat that seeps into the board can also cause it to fail.
How to fix it: A failed motor control board cannot be repaired, so you’ll have to replace it with a new one. To do that, refer to your user manual and locate the motor control board.
Once you know where it is, remove the nearest washer panel to access the board. Next, remove the wire harness attached to it and take the old board out.
Place the new board inside and reconnect the wire harness the same way as before.
Faulty Main Electronic Control Board
What it is: The main electronic control board is similar to the motor control board in that it’s also a printed circuit board (PCB) with many components attached to it. However, this board is responsible for coordinating all of the washer’s other functions.
Each of the components on this board sends power and signals to different components inside the washer. Together, they make sure that your washing machine performs the correct tasks according to the current cycle of the wash program you’ve chosen.
How it fails: Also similar to the motor control board, this board can get affected by excess wear, electrical problems, as well as heat and moisture damage. Depending on the machine’s age, the board could simply fail after being in use for too long.
Besides that, a power surge, like those during a lightning storm, could also cause some parts to burn out or get damaged.
Lastly, even though the electronic control board is placed in a protective housing, water and heat seepage can also make it stop working correctly.
How to fix it: When the main control board stops working correctly, you must replace it with a new one. Firstly, open your Frigidaire washer’s back or top panel and locate the main control board housing.
You’ll find that this board has plenty of different wire harnesses and electrical connectors attached to it. To ensure that you don’t reconnect them wrongly later, take a photo as a reference. Then, remove the existing board and reconnect them to the new one.
Read: Frigidaire Washer Code E52 – Troubleshooting Guide
How To Clear The E5E Code On Your Frigidaire Washer ?
The E5E error code will only clear once you’ve restored communication between the motor control board and the main electronic control board. Once that’s done, the code will disappear.
Alternatively, you could also reset the washing machine to clear the E5E and any other code that might be present.
How To Reset A Frigidaire Washer ?
A simple power cycling is all that’s needed to reset your Frigidaire washing machine. You can do that by following these three steps:
- Power Off: Firstly, make sure that no power is being supplied to the washer. Putting it on standby is not enough, so you’ll need to disconnect the plug or switch off the dedicated circuit breaker.
- Wait: Give the washer a minute to discharge any electricity left inside. Don’t do anything to the washer during this time.
- Power On: After one minute, you can reconnect the washer. Once that’s done, you’ve successfully reset your appliance.
How To Test Your Frigidaire Washer After Fixing It ?
After fixing your Frigidaire washer and clearing the E5E error code, you then have two options for testing it.
Your first option is to use the machine like you usually would wash a load of laundry. Throughout this process, keep an eye on the machine for any problems or error codes that might appear.
Secondly, you can also enter the washer’s diagnostic mode to run more specific tests.
How To Enter Diagnostic Mode And Read Error Codes On Your Frigidaire Washer ?
Frigidaire washers allow you to run individual tests while in diagnostics mode. Firstly, though, you must enable that mode by pressing these three buttons simultaneously: Power, Soak, and Extra Rinse.
You’ll know that you’re in diagnostic mode when the lights on the display start flashing. At that moment, you can choose what tests to run by pressing the following buttons:
- Press the Soil Level button for the Wash Test
- Press the Temp button for the Spin Test
- Press the Fabric Softener button for the Water Valve Test
- Press the Delay button for the Auto-Sensing Test
- Also: Press the Power button at any time to end the current test before starting another one.
