LG Dishwasher OE Error Code: Not Draining? What to Check

What to try first

Safety: The tub and the water in it can be hot right after a cycle; LG says to wait 30 minutes before cleaning the filter. Mind the sharp edges on the stainless steel filter, and close the water shut-off valve under the sink before you handle the drain hose.

1. 1

   Turn it off and wait 30 minutes

   LG warns that the tub is hot right after a cycle and can burn you. Turn the dishwasher off, give it half an hour, and lay a towel in front of the door before you reach in.

2. 2

   Clean the filter

   Pull out the lower rack, turn the filter handle counterclockwise and lift the filter out. Separate the inner filter from the stainless steel filter and wash both under running water with a soft brush. Refit them and turn the handle clockwise until it clicks. Some LG models have a self-cleaning filter with nothing to remove.

3. 3

   Straighten the drain hose under the sink

   LG says to close the water shut-off valve under the sink before handling the drain hose. Find the ridged hose running from the dishwasher to the sink drain or disposal, move anything pressing on it and undo any kink or pinch.

4. 4

   Clear the air gap, if you have one

   The air gap is the small cap on the sink deck next to the faucet. Lift off its cover and the plastic cap underneath, pick out debris with a toothpick or small brush, and flush it with hot water from a turkey baster. Put the cap and cover back.

5. 5

   Check the disposal connection

   If the dishwasher drains into a garbage disposal, check the disposal for a clog, which LG lists as a cause. If the disposal is new, or no dishwasher was hooked to it before, its dishwasher inlet may still be plugged; see when to call a pro below.

6. 6

   Force a drain, then test with an empty cycle

   Many LG models drain on demand when you hold two buttons together (Cancel & Drain); your manual names the pair. Without that option, start any cycle, wait 45 seconds and switch off, since LG says the first 45 seconds of a cycle only drain. Then run Heavy Duty or Normal with no dishes and no detergent to test the drain.

Most likely causes of OE

1. 1. A clogged filter in the bottom of the tub (most common)

   Food scraps, labels, seeds or a soapy film cover the mesh filter, and dirty water sits above it after the cycle.

2. 2. A kinked or pinched drain hose under the sink (most common)

   Bins or bottles stored in the sink base rest on the ridged gray, white or clear hose, or the dishwasher was recently pushed back into its opening.

3. 3. A clogged air gap or garbage disposal inlet (common)

   Water spits out of the small cap beside the faucet during a drain, or the sink itself drains slowly when the disposal is clogged.

4. 4. An installation problem: hose too long or too high, or the disposal knockout plug still in (common)

   OE showed on the very first cycle after a new dishwasher or a new garbage disposal went in.

5. 5. A frozen drain hose (less common)

   Part of the hose runs through an unheated space, and OE first appeared after a freezing night.

6. 6. A jammed or failed drain pump, or a stuck check valve (less common)

   The filter, hose and air gap are all clear, yet water still sits above the filter after a forced drain, or the dishwasher buzzes while it tries to drain.

When to call a pro

• OE comes back after the filter, hose and air gap are clean. LG says the dishwasher then needs a repair service.
• OE appeared on the first cycle after installation. LG says the hose is kinked, too high or too long, and the installer should correct it.
• The garbage disposal is new and its dishwasher inlet may still be plugged. LG leaves removing the knockout plug to an installer or plumber.
• Water still sits above the filter after a forced drain. LG asks owners to request service at that point.
• The kitchen sink drains slowly or backs up whenever the dishwasher drains: the clog is in the house plumbing, which is a plumber's job.

What a OE repair costs