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Do you have an LG Washer OE Code? The OE Error code signifies the washer is unable to drain the water out during the wash cycle.
Front load washing machines are great because they allow you to wash larger loads and help conserve water. However, sometimes they will stop working properly and begin displaying error codes. What does it mean and how do you fix it?
There are a few different issues that can cause this problem. The following information will discuss the main reasons the LG washer OE error code shows up and how you can fix it.
Read: 5 Most Common LG Washing Machine Problems
What Does The OE Code Mean?
The OE code signifies that your LG washer is unable to drain the water out during wash cycle.
This code can be triggered by a clogged drain pump filter or a drain hose that’s kinked.
When the LG washer OE code is being displayed on your LG washer, there are three common parts you need to check: the drain hose, the drain pump filter, and the drain pump itself.
You’ll have to determine the root cause and fix the issue before the code will go away and your washer will drain. Let’s take a look at the steps you need to follow.
What to Check on LG Washer When Got OE Error Code?
1. check the drain hose
This is the easiest of the three components to check. You’ll simply look at the drain hose connected to the back of your LG washing machine to see if it’s bent or kinked.
When washers are pushed too far back against a wall the drain hose can end up getting crimped. When the hose has bends or kinks it can prevent the proper flow of water through it.
If you see that the hose is not straight you’ll simply need to straighten it out and ensure it has no blockages. This would also be a good time to reset your LG washer.
**You can reset your LG washing machine through power cycling. First, press the Power button to shut the washer off. Then, remove the plug from the wall socket or shut off the circuit breaker. Finally, press and hold the Start/Pause button for 5 seconds. After that time, plug the washer back into the outlet.**
After you’ve done this go ahead and start a small load in your LG washer to make sure the OE error is cleared.
2. check the drain pump filter
To check the drain pump filter you will first need to unplug the washer to disconnect the power.
You will then locate the filter on your LG washer which is at the front bottom. (See photo). Locations may vary by model type.
Go ahead and remove the cover to the drain pump filter. Next you will unhook and remove the small plug from your drain hose. You will need a small bowl to catch water that drains from inside the tub.
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After the water has drained, you’ll need to twist the drain pump filter in a counter-clockwise direction to remove it.
The best way to clean this part is to run it under warm water.
You’ll also want to use a rag or cleaning brush to clean inside the housing for the drain pump filter. If the filter is damaged or beyond cleaning repair, you can buy replacement parts online easily through Amazon and other retailers. See below.
Once everything is clean, you’ll replace the cap on the drain hose and connect the hose to your washer once again. Reverse the steps above.
Just be sure the filter is put back in place securely! Install the cover over the drain pump filter by turning it clockwise this time.
After you’ve cleaned the filter and re-secured it so it’s free from blockages you can try your LG washer by running a small load to see if the OE code is cleared. Again, resetting the machine through power cycling might help in clearing the code.
3. check the drain pump
To test the drain pump it’s best to run a spin only cycle.
Do this by pressing POWER to turn your washer on.
Then press the SPIN SPEED button until HIGH is visible.
Go ahead and press the START/PAUSE button to begin the spin cycle.
Do you hear a humming noise during the spin cycle? If so, your washer is beginning to drain. However, if you do not hear a draining noise, you will need to physically check the drain pump. This part is located inside the washer, and is more difficult to check than the parts above. If you are not comfortable working with electrical components, this might be the time to contact a technician.
If you feel confident you can handle this job, this is how you’ll locate the drain pump:
Locating the drain pump
- First, disconnect the power from the washer to prevent electrocution.
2. Then, you’ll need to locate the screws holding the top of your LG washer in place, and remove them.
After removing the screws you’ll pull the top toward the back of the machine and lift upwards.
3. Next, press the release tab on the soap drawer and remove it.
After the drawer is completely removed you’ll need to take the two screws holding the housing for it out.
4. Depending on your LG model there may be another screw on the right side that’s holding your control panel in place.
Other models simply have some locking tabs across the top that you’ll need to pull up on to unlock.
After the panel is disconnected set it on top of the machine.
5. Then move to the bottom of the machine on the left-hand side to the small door and open it.
You’ll find a small drain hose to pull out which you’ll need to remove the end of.
Any water remaining inside the tub will drain, so grab a small container to catch it.
There’s one screw inside this door that you’ll need to remove. Pull the cover for the drain clean-out off and set it aside.
A single screw should now be visible at the bottom which holds the bottom of the front panel in place, go ahead and remove it.
6. Next, open the washer door and remove the band clamp that holds the door bellow in place using a flat screwdriver.
Now gently pull the boot away from the front panel and push it into the washer tub.
You don’t need to remove the door lock assembly.
Simply remove the wiring harness from the bottom of it by pulling straight down to disengage it. Close the washer door.
7. Remove the 4 screws across the top. Remember to support the front panel and door assembly before removing the last screw.
After all screws are removed you’ll simply tilt it forward and lift slightly up to disengage the three tabs holding it in place along the bottom.
Set the front panel and door assembly to the side.
The drain pump motor is located at the bottom left and depending on your model there may two or three hoses attached to it.
It also may be secured to the base by a few bolts or a sliding locking tab.
Next you’ll want to remove the clamp from each hose and twist the hoses free from the pump.
After the hoses are removed and pushed aside you’ll need to remove the remaining screws holding the drain pump in place.
If your model has the metal bracket holding the pump assembly be sure to remove the bolts from that.
If there’s no bracket there will be a small locking tab under the center rear of the pump housing that will need to be disengaged.
Once you have the pump assembly out you’ll need to disconnect the wiring harness.
Remember the wire colors as you remove them from the pump.
Remove the pump motor from the pump body by removing 3 screws.
Next, remove the cover from the existing motor.
If you’ve come this far, you’re likely able to replace the pump motor by yourself. Parts are available online at various retailers including Amazon.
Discard the old motor and place the new pump motor inside the cover and begin reassembling the washer. Reverse the steps above.
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Conclusion: LG washer oE code
In conclusion, these are the three most common issues that cause an LG washer to show the OE error code. For most people, the issue will be with the drain hose or drain pump filter. However, drain pumps do go out from time to time. Do you have other questions or comments regarding the OE code on your LG Washer?
Read also, LG Washing Machine Troubleshooting Guide
Eugene,
I would like to thank you for your assistance and knowledge in dealing with this fault code issue. I take it there is no way to check and/or remove the interior drain tubing without a complete disassemble as you explained. It appears to be the problem.
Thanks again for your assistance.
You are welcome
Read all your post. Replaced pump, blew out hoses. Seems like if I lower the hose into the sink instead of the drain which is 2 foot higher it works does this mean my pump is weak and is not working properly?
Hi Eugene,
I’ve been trying to clear the OE code on my LG inverter direct drive washer all weekend. The drain hose was not kinked or obstructed, the filter was dirty but I cleaned that and I cleaned the drain pump which was a little dirty but not so bad. When I run a cycle the washer seems normal until I get to rinse and drain at the end. That’s when I get the error code (regular size load, small load, makes no difference). If I drain the water with the little hose near the pump filter and then turn the machine back on and JUST do rinse and spin then it finishes just fine. I also checked the vacuum line to the pressure sensor as someone else suggested and it was clean and unobstructed. Since the drain pump appears to work sometimes (if it’s just rinse and spin) I’m not sure what to try next. What would you suggest? If the answer is to completely replace the drain pump would you mind giving me the rationale so I understand it a bit… and while I’ve got it opened up is there anything else (not too expensive) that would be worthwhile to replace? Thanks!
Hi Eugene,
I am experiencing the same problem as Deena, your assistance would be greatly appreciated
Replace the drain pump. I had this happen to me many times when the drain pump works intermittently and you check everything else, most likely the it is mechanical issue with the pump
The drain pump has been replaced twice. I’m still getting the OE code before the spin cycle. Sometimes it sounds like the drain pump comes on and then goes off.
Hi Eugene
I have an 8yr old LG washing machine, top loading Model: WT-H650.
New Zealand market 230V 50Hz
OE error:
Can’t hear pump running or it runs momentarily.
Hose bowl to pump, pump filter, pump, pump to drain hose to drain all clear.
Water drains easily if drain hose is lowered to floor with power off.
Pump wouldn’t pump into bucket at correct height.
pump would only sometimes spin up on bench test.
New pump emptied a bucket easily off mains voltage
New pump would not work in machine (voltage and size correct)
Put multimeter onto pump leads, machine off, reads 30 to 50 Vac!!
Put in a water into bowl, pushed drain function got a surge 180 to 70 Vac!!
Tried again and got 220Vac good
Connected leads to pump, pump worked and went thru drain function.
Tried quick wash and came up OE
I strongly suspect board fault/controller fault
What do you think? and is it worth repairing? Probably done 6000cycles
Don’t know much about washing machines, normally I fix auotclaves as an Electrical Service Technician, but its been a good machine for the family these last 8 years.
Kind regards Charles Tanner
Christchurch New Zealand
Hi Charles,
When i was facing these problems in the field, it usually was related to: 1)faulty water pressure/level sensor (malfunctioned or vacuum line clogged) 2) Drain pump got water inside and partially jammed rotor (thus sometimes was working, sometimes not) 3)drain pump failed mechanically (even though has electrical continuity) 4) Drain hose (from the pump to the standpipe) was clogged by sand
I have never had issues with the control board when was getting OE error code.
Hi Eugene
Thanks for your reply. If I’ve got the back cover off, there is a 3/8″ clear plastic tube coming off the left hand side of the bowl about a 12” from the bottom. If I disconnect it at this point and blow into it I think I can hear a diaphragm operated pressure switch clicking on and off up udder the lid. If I take another piece of tube and blow into the bowl where the tube came off, I can hear bubbling water. so I guess this means the pressure switch tube is clear at each end? Still won,t pump, what next?
Kind regards Charles
If you are saying that pump is getting power, but still won’t drain, replace the pump
Hi Eugene
The pump is brand new and works perfectly when bench tested at 230Vac and pumps water quickly on bench test. There seems to have been intermittent failure of the power to the pump. And now its failing all the time. (The pump is perfect, its just not getting the power it needs)
Kind regards Charles Tanner
OK then… You need to check drain pump power wires from the control board to the pump. Put the probes on each side (pump and control board) and start to wiggle wires. If wires ok, then check the connector on the board side. As i said, i have never had issues with the drain pump due to a failing control board. I assume it is a wiring issue, cause you are saying that you have a new drain pump.
I just spent 4 hours making sure the drain wasn’t kinked, the filter was clogged and pulled the pump to make sure it was clean and operational. I still had the OE code. My problem was the Vacuum line to the water pressure sensor was clogged there for the machine thought there was still water in the unit. I simply pulled the vacuum line from the sensor and blew back into the drum through the the hose and BOOM MY WASHER WORKS AGAIN!
I highly recommend this as a second step following the filter/coin catch as it can be check with just pulling the lid off.
Hi
I have a front loading LG F24962WH front loading washer which is giving me a “drainage” error.
The display says to clean the filter and drainage tube which I have done, but the cycle still won’t finish.
Do you have any ideas please?
Thanks in advance
Replace drain pump. It is not working properly
Help please – my LG isn’t draining, getting OE code. Hose isn’t kinked, when I pull open the black hose to drain before opening the side with the filter zero water drained out – bone dry. When I opened the filer side all the water came gushing out there. Is it normal for the black hose to not drain the water? If not, is that an indication it’s clogged? Do you get to it by removing the screws in that area?
First, check the drain filter at the bottom left side. if filter is clean, replace the drain pump
Mine did that to. Try squeezing the tube and rolling it between your fingers. Lots of sand and really stinky water came out of mine… Wear gloves
I get the OE error during a wash (before the spin cycle) but it runs and drains fine during a Tub Clean. Do I need a new drain pump?
I replaced drain pump with a new OEM pump, cleaned filter, checked hoses and keep getting the OE error. I tried to do a high spin cycle only and hear a hum suggesting that the pump is getting power. I tried doing a clean tub cycle and it gets an OE error half way thru. I tried to reset the washer and still get same error. I blew thru the hose on the bottom of the water pressure sensor and it seems open. Could it be the water pressure sensor itself or possibly the motherboard? Also, on the drain hose housing in the rear, there is a white plastic manifold with a black hose on it. I tried to blow into that hose but seems no air passes. I trans-illuminated the white housing with a flashlight and it appears to be all white with no shading to suggest an obstruction. Any help is appreciated.
You can run diagnostic mode to make sure the water pressure switch communicating with the control board.
This is how to check the water pressure switch:
1. Press and hold SOIL LEVEL and SPIN SPEED, THEN PRESS POWER button. All lights will light up.
2. Press START button 4 times (you just going to skip 3 tests) with an interval of 1 second. You will have number 255
3. Washer should fill with water and number will go down to 229 and then it will stop at 229, IF nothing wrong with the pressure switch
4. Water level should be a little bit over door boot (gasket), but if it will keep filling let’s say 2-4 inches high or even more, you should stop washer by pressing POWER button.
5. Then you need to drain water through the black hose (bottom left window)
6. Verdict: water pressure switch failed or hose been disconnected from the drum.
But if everything tested above is ok, then there is a restriction in the drain hoses or pump somewhere.
It stops at 229. So I assume the water pressure switch is fine. Guess I need to remove both the tub drain hoses and the gray drain hose to check for restrictions. Filter is clean and pump is brand new. It shouldn’t be the tub drain if I’m able to drain the drum from the bottom blank hose, correct?
Yes
So, since checking the water pressure switch, I replaced the drain hose with a whole new drain hose. Ran a cycle and the OE still comes up. Aside from removing the tub drain hose going to the pump to verify it’s open, not sure what else it could be? The pump hums at the very beginning of the cycle during the load balance check so I’m assuming it’s not the new pump. Any thoughts from here?
Well, i am running out of ideas…
How long does it take to drain water completely (in the diagnostic mode from 255 to 229) ?
Found and fixed it. Turned out to be a bum contact on new drain motor. Thanks for your assistance!
You are welcome
I tried all of your methods and the 2nd one seemed to do the trick! There was a lot more water than expected but when I pulled out the filter it had sand and fabric stuck in the filter. Thank you for your help
You are welcome
Replaced pump, no kinks and filter clean. and still have code – any suggestions.
Last one – Water pressure switch or hose connected to the switch and drum. try to blow out this hose
When my front-loading LG washer throws the OE code, the tub is full of soapy water. The filter is clean and the drain hose is not kinked.
When I go through the steps to do the Spin Only cycle, I hear grinding for about two minutes, then the water drains normally. During the grinding, the tub is not spinning, but after the water drains, the tub spins again.
The OE code started when the tub was overloaded with heavy blankets. We had a few normal runs after that, but now we seem to be getting the OE code every load.
Is this definitely a drain pump issue or could there be other problems?
Pump issue
What’s odd with my unit is that it indicates the oe code only when in tub clean mode. No problems what so ever in other modes. Filter clean, hose ok… weird?!
I had a nail stuck mine. If you look carefully inside the pump housing when the basket is removed you can see the impellers on either side. I retrieved the offending nail with a mechanics grabber. This washer is 15 years old now and have replaced the drain pump once and the tub stabilizers. That’s it. Works all day long.
What does a repair normally cost for an OE code repair?
It depends where you live, prices are vary. But lets say, for labor it may cost 160$ + 50$ part
Thanks for very informative post and comments!
Does anyone know if you get the OE error code in case of circulation pump failure/clogged hose?
I have LG dual pumps and OE error code, did all the steps, disassembly and new drain pump in the mail. But both pumps seem healthy at feel and resistance.
On LG washer, on the left is a drain pump, on the right is a circulation pump. You need to replace left one. if your washer is not draining or intermittently getting OE error code, most likely you need a new drain pump
I am getting an OE code. But my front loading LG washer is spinning a few times once I press start. Then it just makes noise but no water is coming into machine. Then after a while the OE appears. I am doing an empty load with all this happening. Thoughts?
OE error code – washer unable to drain properly. If it sounds like its draining, but not actually not draining, replace drain pump and check drain filter
Thanks a lot !
Only had to clean the filter though I was about to call someone that would have charged me a hell ton of money.
Have a nice day.
You are welcome
After about 3 years, my LG washer stopped draining and displayed the “OE” error code. It ended up being a very clogged filter on the lower left front side of the washer, removed counter-clockwise. I cleaned it out, and re-inserted, but didn’t fully screw it back in. The washer began working again, but spewed water through the incorrectly-seated filter. I cleaned up the spillage and continued to twist the filter clockwise until the marks lined up, and all is now good.
I’ve been fighting the OE fault in my LG Front-load washer for a week. It’s all clog free, I changed the pump motor and did 3 tub clean cycles, all with no luck. The washer stops at the end of the wash cycle AFTER the tub has (seemingly) drained. I can get it going again if I tilt the machine back a bit and drop it to the floor (sometimes it takes a few drops to get it going). Where do I go from here?? I’ve seen references to the “air pressure receiver” but I thought that was only for filling, not draining. Anyone have any suggestions??
Just wondering, did you change pump on the left side or on the right side? There are 2 identical in LG washer. I saw some people changed pump on the right side and it didnt solve the problem, because its circulation pump on the right. You need to change pump on the left. But anyway, if you changed drain pump and still giving your error code, try to blow out black hose attached to the water pressure sensor and if it will not solve the problem, change water pressure sensor itself.
Hello, I also have the same symptoms with a LG direct-drive front-loading washing machine. The wash cycle is running it’s course, the pump gets the water out, refills to rinse and in the last ~10 minutes of the cycle just before spinning it gets the OE error. The pump is working, I can hear water coming out trough the hose till it’s just a trickle and after a few attempts it displays the OE error. The pump is clear, it is spinning freely, the hose is clear, there is nothing clogging up the machine. The only thing that gets it past this problem is if I tilt it a bit and drop it.
Replace drain pump, if you sure drain hose not clogged
I had the same problem… I even bought a new computer. Come to find out the springs had weakened and the rear entire tumbler had fallen 1/2″ causing the glass door to occasionally break seal at the top when heavy water was present. This would trigger the low pressure switch. I took a black rubber bungee cord and looped to through the top of the basin and hooked to the front steel panel. There is a great hole / spot for the right hook but had to drill a hole for the left hook. Problem solved. I’d say I used a 24″ bungee. I can send you a pic of the fix for the routing.
Yeah Robert I’m having the same problem with my LG could you send me a picture of what you didn’t exactly how you did it thank you.
Same problem with my LG…. could you send me a picture please?
Thank you
It may be a bad pressure switch. I’ve had the same troubles and had a repairman come out. He said it’s very likely a bad pressure switch. Told me it was back ordered two weeks and would cost $236. I just ordered the switch from Amazon for $17 and a two minute YouTube video goes over the process. Will see how it works out on Tuesday.
If you checked the drain house, filter, and replaced the pump and in normal cycles it still throws the OE error code. What else can the problem be that keeps throwing the OE code?