Drain Error (Water Not Draining)

What it means

This code appears on LG front-load and top-load washing machines and means the washer could not drain the water within the set time. The most common cause is a drain pump filter clogged with lint, coins or small items, or a kinked or blocked drain hose. The cycle stops with water left in the drum; the same code can mean something else on other brands.

Models covered: LG front-load and top-load washing machines (including Direct Drive models); the code shows on the display.

Related codes: IEUEFEPE

Symptoms4

• OE shows and the washer stops with water in the drum.
• The spin does not start or stops halfway.
• A humming sound from the bottom without water leaving, or no pump sound at all.
• Clothes come out very wet at the end of the cycle.

Possible causes6

• Drain pump filter clogged with lint, coins, buttons or small socks.
• Drain hose kinked, squashed or blocked inside.
• Blocked wall drain, or the hose end placed too high.
• A foreign object stuck in the drain pump impeller.
• Failed drain pump.
• A fault in the water level (pressure) sensor or the main board, which is less common.

How to diagnose6

1. Unplug the washer and let the water cool down if it was a hot cycle.
2. On models with a lower front cover, lay a towel and a flat tray, drain the small emergency hose first, then open the filter slowly and clean it.
3. Check that the drain hose is not kinked and that the wall drain is not blocked.
4. Refit the filter firmly and run a drain and spin program; if water drains, the problem was a blockage.
5. If the code returns, a technician unplugs the washer before opening it and checks the pump impeller, the power reaching the pump and the coil resistance against the manufacturer specification.
6. The technician checks the level sensor and its hose before blaming the main board.

How to fix6

1. Clean the drain pump filter and remove anything caught in it.
2. Straighten or replace the drain hose and clear the wall drain.
3. Remove the object jammed in the pump impeller.
4. Replace the drain pump if it is proven faulty.
5. Repair the level sensor or main board if the pump is proven good.
6. Run a drain and spin cycle and confirm the water leaves quickly without the code returning.

Most cases are solved by cleaning the filter or hose at low cost; the price rises if the drain pump must be replaced, and is highest in the rare cases where the main board has failed.

Prices are rough estimates including the part and the technician’s fee, and vary with brand, model and part source.
Prices last updated: September 2026

Frequently asked questions