LG AE fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
LG’s leak and overfill code, shown as AE, E1 or FE depending on the model. The manual says call for service if it recurs; LG’s online guide says unplug it and book. Do the second.
Stop — this needs an engineer
Get a qualified appliance engineer to look at your LG AE
We do not pass enquiries to a repair firm, so there is no form here. When you book a qualified appliance engineer, tell them the make, the model and the exact code or message on the display, and ask whether they carry parts for this make — that is what turns one visit into a repair rather than a quote.
What AE means
Here is everything LG’s UK owner’s manual says about AE, quoted in full: "Water leakage problem. Call for service if the same problem occurs again." That is the complete entry, and the phrase "if the same problem occurs again" reads as an invitation to run it once more and find out. Do not take that invitation. LG UK’s online Guide to Error Codes, which is more recent than the manual, is better: it groups AE, E1 and FE together as leakage or overfilling, explains that when the code appears "your dishwasher will keep draining to protect the appliance and floor from potential leaks", and says that "if there is no water leaking onto the floor but the error message is displayed, please unplug the dishwasher and request service" — with the practical note that on a built-in machine the plug is usually behind the unit, so you use the switch that controls the dishwasher’s supply instead.
The causes LG list there are wider than a plain leak: more water supplied than the standard amount, oversudsing from washing-up liquid, a machine that is not level or a door that is not aligned, a detected leak, and on Dynamic Heat Dry models water poured into the Heat Dry blower by someone who mistook it for the water softener cap. Their owner checks are correspondingly modest — load big plates and pots upside down, use only dishwasher detergent — and beyond that the instruction is to request service, including "if the unit is not level".
What LG still do not say, in either document, is to turn the water off. Miele tell you to close the stopcock; Samsung’s manual tells you to close the water valve; Lamona and CDA say the same in their own words. We add it here and would rather say so plainly than dress it up as LG’s: turn the tap off, cut the power the way LG describe, and get it looked at before it runs again. A base that has filled did so under a worktop where nobody could see it, and another cycle puts more water through the same failed joint.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| Internal hose or joint leaking | A connection inside the cabinet weeping into the base. The most common cause and often a cheap part. LG’s guide lists "a leak is detected" as one of the triggers. | Common |
| Oversudsing from washing-up liquid | LG list this for AE/E1/FE as well as for bE: foam climbing out of the tub reaches the base and reads as a leak. Their check is to use only detergent formulated for dishwashers. | Common |
| Door seal perished or door misaligned | Water running down the inside of the door and collecting underneath rather than escaping onto the floor where you would notice it. LG’s guide names a door that is not aligned and a machine that is not level as causes, and routes both to service. | Common |
| Too much water supplied | LG’s wording for FE and for the same fault shown as AE: the water supply exceeded the standard amount, so the machine drains to protect itself. An inlet valve that will not shut, or a machine that keeps filling because it is not level enough to read its own water level correctly. | Occasional |
| Tub or sump leaking | A split or a failed seal at the base of the machine. The expensive end, and it needs finding before it can be priced. | Occasional |
| Tap connection loose | LG note separately that a poor connection at the tap can leak, and that this can happen with the power off. Their water-leaks article has you turn off the tap and the branch valve, check the supply hose connections, and check the Y-connection under the sink on the drain side. Worth a look before assuming the fault is internal. | Occasional |
Can you fix it yourself?
Stop — this needs an engineer
What it costs to fix
Typical repair cost
£90–£300
Around £90 to £180 for a hose, joint or door seal. Tub or sump work runs higher and on an older machine may not be worth doing.
Typical UK prices including parts and labour, updated September 2026. Your quote may differ.
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Related LG fault codes
- OEGet it checkedDrainage problem. LG list this twice — once as a running fault and once as an installation fault — and the second is the one people miss.Related: same brand
- IEGet it checkedWater inlet problem. It is IE with a letter I, not 1E — the washing machine convention does not apply here.Related: same brand
- HEGet it checkedHeater circuit failure. The dishes come out wet and nothing has been properly sanitised, even though the cycle appeared to finish.Related: same brand
- LEGet it checkedMotor trouble on the Direct Drive motor — and the code where LG’s 10-year warranty claim needs checking carefully before you pay for anything.Related: same brand
- bEUsually simple to fixOversudsing, and LG name the culprit outright: liquid dish soap. Their published remedy involves a bowl of milk, which sounds like folklore but is in the manual.Related: same brand
Own a LG dishwasher? Save it and its codes come first next time.
Related guides
Common questions about LG AE
LG say call for service if it happens again. Should I just run it again?
No. That line is the manual’s; LG UK’s online guide for the same code says to unplug the dishwasher and request service, and explains that the machine keeps its drain pump running to protect your floor. AE means water has already collected where it should not be. Another cycle sends more water through whatever is leaking, into a cabinet you cannot see into, in a room where the damage will be to your floor and the one below. Isolate it and book the visit.
My display says E1 or FE, not AE. Same thing?
Treat it the same way. LG UK’s guide lists AE, E1 and FE together under leakage and overfilling, and the manual’s FE entry is "excessive water supplied" with the same call-for-service instruction. E1 is not in the current DB-series manual at all but LG’s own IE article distinguishes IE from E1, so it is a code some LG dishwashers show.
There is no water on the floor. Is it a false alarm?
Usually not. The detection sits in the base of the machine specifically so it catches water before it reaches your kitchen. A dry floor is the system doing its job, not evidence that nothing is wrong — and LG’s guide addresses exactly this case: no water on the floor but the code showing means unplug it and request service.
What should I turn off, and in what order?
The tap first, then the power. Water is what does the damage and it keeps arriving whether the machine is switched on or not. LG print the power half of that — unplug it, or on a built-in use the switch that controls the dishwasher’s supply — but not the tap; the tap is our addition, and it is what every other manufacturer we have looked at says.
Can I tip the machine to drain the base tray?
No. It is the most widely shared dishwasher "fix" on the internet and it is wrong for every brand. It clears the warning without touching the leak, and it puts water into parts of the machine that are meant to stay dry.
Technical review
Not reviewed by an engineer
No engineer has read this page. Severity follows what the manufacturer publishes, and we would rather tell you that than let a byline imply a sign-off.
Sources and how we verified this
We establish the facts from the sources below and then write the explanation ourselves. We do not copy manufacturer wording and we do not host their manuals.
- Manufacturer technical and service documentation
- Manufacturer support portal
This page has not been reviewed by an engineer, and we would rather tell you that than imply otherwise. The severity rating follows what the manufacturer publishes: where they say isolate the appliance and call someone, so do we.