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ErrBase

Generic Washer Error Codes

All Generic washer error codes with step-by-step troubleshooting, multimeter specs, and OEM part numbers.

48 error codes

CodeMeaning
5dThe 5d code (which often looks like 'Sd') stands for 'Suds Detection'. It means the control board has detected an overabundance of soap bubbles that are creating too much air pressure or drag, preventing the drum from spinning properly.
moderateeasy
5dThe 5d error code, often appearing as Sd on many digital displays, indicates that the control board has detected an excessive amount of soap suds in the drum. This condition prevents the washer from draining or spinning correctly because the foam interferes with the pressure sensor and the drain pump.
lowbeginner
BANGING-ON-SPINThe tub's literally hitting the side of the cabinet because it's off-center. Either the laundry shifted and threw the balance off, or the suspension system that's supposed to keep the tub stable while it spins has gotten too weak to do its job anymore.
highintermediate
BEST-CLEANERA buying guide for top-loader washing machine cleaners, covering why top loaders need a different approach than front loaders due to higher water volume and the hard-to-reach gap between the two tubs where soap scum and mold love to hide.
lowbeginner
CLEANA maintenance procedure using liquid chlorine bleach to sanitize the internal drum, outer tub, and rubber components to eliminate mold and bacteria.
lowbeginner
CLEAN-WITH-BLEACHA preventative maintenance procedure using liquid chlorine bleach to sanitize the internal drum, outer tub, and rubber gasket to eliminate mold and odors.
low
CLEANINGYou're clearing out the physical debris filter inside the pump housing and flushing the household drain plumbing. The filter catches lint, hair, and small objects before they reach the pump. The standpipe flush breaks down the soap scum biofilm that coats the inside of your drain hose and wall pipe over time.
lowbeginner
CLEANINGBasically, you're running an empty hot cycle with bleach to kill the mold, mildew, and detergent gunk that builds up on drum walls, pump housing, and rubber seals over time. It's not a machine error. It's regular maintenance, like changing your car's oil before the engine starts knocking.
lowbeginner
CLEANINGA comprehensive deep-cleaning procedure using specialized chemical agents to remove biofilm, detergent residue (scrud), and mineral scale from the internal components of a clothes washer.
lowbeginner
DCDC stands for Distribute Clothes, or sometimes Door Closed depending on the machine. It fires when the vibration sensor detects the drum wobbling too hard during spin. The washer stops itself before the unbalanced spinning can damage the motor, suspension, or cabinet walls. It's a safety response, not a sign the machine is broken.
moderatebeginner
DEEP-CLEANINGA deep clean is a preventative maintenance process that removes bacterial biofilm from the washer and flammable lint from the dryer to ensure safety and performance.
low
DRAIN-FAILUREThe control board sends a signal to the drain pump motor, which spins an impeller to push water out through the hose. When something blocks that flow, or the motor burns out, the water just sits there. The board sees it can't complete the drain cycle and either stops the machine or throws a code.
highintermediate
DRAIN-PUMPThe drain pump is the mechanical heart of the drainage system. It uses an electric motor and an impeller to push wastewater out of the tub and through the drain hose into your home plumbing.
highintermediate
DRAIN-PUMPThe drain pump is the motorized component responsible for forcing water out of the wash tub and through the drain hose during the drain and spin cycles.
highintermediate
DRAIN-PUMPThe drain pump is the motorized component that forces water out of the wash tub and through the drain hose during the drain and spin cycles. When it fails, water stays put.
highintermediate
E3The E3 error code typically indicates a 'Drain Timeout' or an 'Out of Balance' condition. The washer's control board has detected that the water isn't draining fast enough or the tub's vibrating too violently to safely reach spin speeds.
moderatebeginner
F02F02 means the drain cycle ran too long without the water level actually dropping. The pressure switch reports to the control board when the tub's empty, and if that signal never comes within the time limit, the board throws F02 and shuts everything down.
moderateintermediate
F21F21 means Long Drain. The control board kicked off a drain cycle, set an eight-minute timer, and the water level sensor never confirmed the tub was empty in time. So it gave up and threw the code. Your machine literally timed out waiting for the water to leave.
moderateintermediate
F5The F5 error code indicates a Lid Lock or Door Latch failure. The control board has attempted to lock or unlock the lid but failed to receive the proper confirmation signal from the switch.
moderatebeginner
GENERIC-WASH-DRAINYour washer's basically stopped pushing water out through the drain hose. Something's blocking the flow, the pump motor's died, or the machine thinks the lid's open and won't even try. Water's just sitting there with nowhere to go.
highintermediate
GRINDING-NOISEYour washer's making that noise because metal or hard plastic parts are physically rubbing against each other under load. Something's lost its lubrication, broken loose, or just worn down to the point where it can't move cleanly anymore. It's not electrical or software. Purely mechanical.
highadvanced
GRINDING-SPINA mechanical grinding noise during spin indicates that the drive system is struggling with friction. This is typically caused by metal bearings that have lost their lubrication or plastic drive gears that have stripped their teeth.
highadvanced
HOW-CLEANOver time, detergent residue, fabric softener, hard water minerals, and organic matter from clothes build up inside your washer's drum, hoses, door seal, and dispenser. That buildup traps moisture and becomes a breeding ground for mold and bacteria, which is what causes that musty smell everyone notices eventually.
moderateintermediate
HOW-RESETA washer reset clears the control board's memory, unlocks a stuck cycle, and wipes active error codes. Basically you're forcing the machine's brain to forget whatever confused state it locked itself into and start fresh from zero.
moderatebeginner
HOW-TO-BALANCEThe washer's adjustable legs aren't making equal contact with the floor, so the chassis rocks when the drum spins. The spinning tub creates centrifugal force that amplifies any wobble, turning a tiny tilt into a machine that sounds like it's trying to escape the laundry room at 1200 RPM.
low
HOW-TO-BLEACHThe process of safely adding liquid chlorine bleach to a laundry cycle to whiten fabrics or disinfect the appliance tub.
low
HOW-TO-BLEACH-TOP-LOADERInstructions for safely adding liquid chlorine bleach to a top-loading washing machine to whiten clothes and sanitize the drum.
low
HOW-TO-CLEAN-AGITATORA hands-on cleaning routine for top-load washers with a central agitator column. The goal is to strip out accumulated biofilm, mineral deposits, and detergent residue that collects inside the tub, under the agitator, and in the fabric softener dispenser between normal washes.
low
HOW-TO-CLEAN-WASHERA maintenance procedure to remove biofilm, detergent buildup, and odors from a washing machine using common household ingredients instead of commercial cleaners.
low
HUMMING-NOISEYour washer's getting power to a motor or valve solenoid, but something's physically blocking it from doing its job. The electrical energy can't go anywhere useful, so it converts to heat and noise instead. That hum is basically the part saying I'm trying but I can't move.
moderateintermediate
KNOCKING-SPINThe inner wash tub is spinning at 800-1200 RPM but it's not staying centered anymore. The rods or shocks that are supposed to hold it in place have worn out, so instead of spinning in a controlled circle, it's wobbling and physically smacking into the outer cabinet frame on every rotation.
highintermediate
LEAK-BOTTOMA puddle forming underneath a washing machine usually indicates a failure in the internal plumbing, a worn-out tub seal, or a cracked drain pump housing that allows water to escape during the fill, wash, or drain cycles.
highintermediate
LEAKINGWater's escaping through the front door area. That usually means the rubber gasket has failed, something's blocking the seal from seating properly, or the door's sagging off its hinges enough that it's not centering on the boot anymore.
highintermediate
LEAKING-DRAINWater's escaping at the point where your washer dumps its dirty water into the home's drain system. Could be the hose physically failing, a loose pump connection, or your plumbing just can't keep up with how fast the pump's pushing water out.
higheasy
NO-FILL-GENERICBasically your washer's board sends voltage to the inlet valve solenoid to pull open a rubber diaphragm and let water flow in. When something in that chain breaks, whether it's the valve itself, the wiring, or the sensor that monitors water level, the tub just sits there empty and the board has no idea why.
highintermediate
NOT-DRAININGThe washer has detected that water is remaining in the tub after the drain portion of the cycle. This is typically caused by a physical blockage in the pump, a kinked exit hose, or a total mechanical failure of the drain pump motor.
highintermediate
NOT-DRAINING-SPINNINGYour washer's control board won't start the spin cycle until the pressure switch confirms the tub is empty. If water's still sitting in there, the board basically says 'not yet' and spin just doesn't happen. It's a flood-prevention feature, not usually a mechanical failure.
moderateintermediate
NOT-SPINNINGThe washer filled and agitated just fine but can't transition into the high-speed rotation needed to pull water out of your clothes. It's usually a safety sensor cutting things off or a mechanical failure somewhere in the drive train.
highintermediate
OEOE stands for Output Error or Overboard Error. The control board runs the drain pump, watches the pressure sensor, and if the water level hasn't dropped after the allotted drain window, it throws OE and stops the cycle to keep from making a mess.
highintermediate
OFF-BALANCEThe inner tub isn't centered or stabilized when it starts spinning. So it swings around and smacks the outer cabinet. That's the banging you're hearing. At high RPMs, even a tiny wobble turns into a full-on collision inside that machine, and it gets worse every cycle.
highintermediate
SENSING-FILLBasically the washer hits its first step, tries to confirm water's coming in and the lid's locked, and can't get a clean signal back from one of those sensors. So it just sits there waiting. It won't move to wash until every box is checked.
moderateintermediate
SQUEAK-SPINThe washer's throwing out a high-pitched friction noise during the spin cycle, which means something's rubbing that shouldn't be. Usually it's the drive system, belt, idler pulley, or the main tub bearings starting to fail.
highintermediate
SUDYour washer's detected an over-sudsing condition. The pressure sensor's picking up air pockets instead of water, or the motor's sensing too much drag from foam. Either way, the machine can't spin or drain properly, so it stops and throws the code at you.
lowbeginner
SUDSThe washer's detected way too many soap bubbles in the drum. There's so much foam the machine can't drain or spin properly, so the pressure sensor reads all those suds as standing water and tells the control board to pause everything until it clears up.
moderateeasy
TROUBLESHOOTINGGeneral repair guide covering the most common mechanical and electrical failure points in a top-loading washing machine. Applies to both belt-drive and direct-drive models from all major brands.
moderatebeginner
TROUBLESHOOTINGYour washer's throwing a fit because something in the mechanical or electrical system is out of spec. Could be a blocked pump, a snapped belt, a dead sensor, or a fried solenoid. The machine's basically trying to tell you something's wrong before it does something worse and more expensive.
moderatebeginner
WATER-DRIPPINGWater's getting into your drum when the machine isn't running. The inlet valve, basically an electrically controlled gate between your house plumbing and the washer, can't hold back the water pressure anymore. Either the rubber seal inside has failed mechanically, or debris is physically holding it open.
higheasy
uLuL stands for Unbalanced Load. The control board watches the motor's current draw and the tub's rotational speed. When the basket wobbles outside the acceptable range during spin ramp-up, it cuts power and throws this code to keep the machine from beating itself apart.
moderatebeginner