VERIFIED
Water that will not leave the drum
OE, E03 and E21 are the washer admitting it cannot empty the tub after washing. The manual lists four likely culprits: a hose with a kink, a pump filter packed with debris, an excess of foam, and ice in the hose. Steps follow for front-load washers, WashTower stacks, top-load washers and the SideKick pedestal washer.
Front-load and WashTower washers
1. The hose
Look behind the washer for a kink or a clog in the drain hose. Once it is straight, run a spin cycle.
2. Does the pump start?
Press POWER, tap SPIN SPEED until HIGH is selected, then press START/PAUSE to begin a SPIN ONLY cycle. Hum from the pump within the first 15 seconds tells you the pump motor started.
3. The pump filter
With a humming pump, suspect a clogged filter.
- Remove the lower access cover.
- Let the water left inside run into a container. It can be hot.
- Twist off the pump cap and wash the filter.
- While the water drains, the drain tube must stay outside the unit. Afterward, thread its cap on again so nothing leaks.
4. Tub Clean and detergent
After the debris is out, start a tub clean cycle. A filter that was already clean points to foam: air pockets form that the pump cannot remove, so choose Tub Clean and cut back the detergent.
Top-load washers
- Lift the hose out of the drain hole and start a spin-only cycle. Water that flows out freely means the hole itself is blocked and must be cleaned.
- A coin sitting in a detached hose comes out with tweezers.
- For ice in the hose, thaw both the hose and the washer interior.
SideKick pedestal washer
For the SideKick, inspect the hose for clogs, kinks or pinches, and confirm the drain stands at most 53 in. over the floor.
Related codes
- PE, E33 concerns the water level sensor.
- Sud is the suds error, and suds can lead to this drain code.
- LE, AE is about a drum that fails to rotate.
LG washer repair in San Francisco
If the drain code returns once the hose and filter are clear, the manual says the washer may need service. Call (415) 223-7887 and mention the code, the model number and each check you completed. Details on LG washer repair for San Francisco and the Bay Area are on our site.
Model compatibility: LG reuses codes across series and model years, so OE, E03, E21 may mean something different on another appliance or generation. Confirm this against your model’s documentation and record your full model number before acting.
