# Washer Will Not Drain: OE, 5C and F9 E1

> What LG OE, Samsung 5C and Whirlpool F9 E1 mean when a washer will not drain, and the hose, filter and suds checks each brand publishes.

A washer that stops full of water is reporting a drain fault, not a single shared code. LG calls it OE, Samsung calls it 5C, and Whirlpool calls a slow drain F9 E1. Each brand's support page starts with the drain hose, then a filter or suds check, and only then a repair visit.

## What a drain code is
A front-load washer has to pump the wash water out before it can spin. When that does not happen in the time the control allows, it stops and shows a drain code so the tub is not left full. The three brands on this site do not share one display code for that event.

| Code | What that brand's support page says |
|---|---|
| [LG OE](https://thefaultcode.com/washers/lg/oe/) | Drain error: the washer is unable to drain the water used during the wash cycle. Some models show E03 or E21 instead. |
| [Samsung 5C](https://thefaultcode.com/washers/samsung/5c/) | No drain: water is not draining at the correct speed, or at all. Some models show nd, 5E, SE, SC or 1 5C. |
| [Whirlpool F9 E1](https://thefaultcode.com/washers/whirlpool/f9e1/) | Slow drain: drain times are longer than expected, typically over eight minutes. |

Write the characters down before you unplug the washer. A power cut can clear the display while the tub is still full, and the next code you see may be a different one.

## Why the pump cannot move the water
The support pages name the same three physical problems, with different measurements attached to each brand.

The drain hose can be kinked, crushed behind the cabinet, or pushed so far into the standpipe that it seals. A sealed standpipe can siphon water back into the tub, which looks like a failed pump. Samsung calls an incorrectly installed drain hose the most common reason for drain issues. Whirlpool asks for the U-shaped hose form that came with the washer. LG's OE page starts with "make sure the drain hose is not kinked or clogged."

The pump filter, on front loaders that have one, catches coins, buttons and lint. A packed filter leaves the pump humming with nowhere for the water to go. LG tells you to listen for that hum before you open the filter. Samsung's 5C steps say to clean the pump filter on front loaders.

Suds are the third cause, and they are easy to misread as a bad pump. LG says too many suds create air pockets the drain pump cannot clear: the pump ends up pulling air instead of water. Whirlpool lists excess suds as a reason F9 E1 drain times run long, and it tells you to use HE detergent. Suds have their own messages too. See [LG Sud](https://thefaultcode.com/washers/lg/sud/), [Samsung SUd](https://thefaultcode.com/washers/samsung/sud/) and [Whirlpool Sud](https://thefaultcode.com/washers/whirlpool/sud/), and the [suds and detergent guide](https://thefaultcode.com/guides/washer-suds-and-detergent/).

Do not copy one brand's hose height onto another. The numbers below are quoted from that brand's page only.

## LG OE
LG's causes are a kinked or clogged drain hose, a clogged drain pump filter, and too many suds.

The checks, in the order LG gives them:

1. Look behind the washer. Straighten a kinked hose and clear a clog, then run a spin cycle and see whether OE is gone.
2. If the hose is clear, test the pump. Press POWER, press SPIN SPEED until HIGH is selected, then press START/PAUSE so the washer runs a spin-only cycle. Listen during the first 15 seconds for a hum and for water leaving the tub.
3. If you hear the hum, LG says the pump motor is working, so the next step is the drain pump filter. If you drain leftover water through the small drain tube, keep that tube outside the cabinet and screw the cap back on so it cannot leak into the base.
4. Run a Tub Clean cycle after the debris is out, and use less detergent. LG ties excess suds to OE, not only to the Sud message.
5. Run a normal cycle and see whether the code returns.

If OE comes back after the hose, the filter and Tub Clean, LG says the unit may need a repair. Request service rather than opening the pump itself. The pump, the motor and the control board are not homeowner parts on this code.

Hot water left from a recent cycle can still be hot when you open the filter. Let it cool. Unplug the washer or switch off its breaker, and close the water taps, before you pull the machine out or open the filter door. The [drain hose](https://thefaultcode.com/parts/washer-drain-hose/) and [drain pump filter](https://thefaultcode.com/parts/washer-drain-pump-filter/) pages say what those parts are. They are not a substitute for the steps on the OE page.

## Samsung 5C
Samsung's 5C page lists three causes: the washer is not level, the drain hose is installed incorrectly, and, on a front loader, the pump filter is clogged.

If a hot cycle such as Pure Cycle or Sanitize just finished, Samsung says to wait about an hour so the water can cool before you start.

Then:

- Turn the washer off and check that it sits level. A washer that rocks can also throw an unbalanced-load code. That is a different fault; see [Samsung UE](https://thefaultcode.com/washers/samsung/ue/) and the [unbalanced-load guide](https://thefaultcode.com/guides/washer-unbalanced-and-leaks/).
- Check the drain hose against the measurements Samsung publishes. It should go no less than 6 inches and no more than 8 inches into the standpipe or sink. It should be secured so it cannot slip lower. It should not form an airtight connection. It should not be kinked, bent or damaged. The hose height should be at least 18 inches (24 inches for a wash basin) and no higher than 96 inches (35 inches for a wash basin). Samsung says not to use a drain hose extension kit.
- Do not remove the screw on the back of the washer that holds the drain hose against the cabinet. If that screw and holder were taken off, put them back. Any screw that fits the hole is what Samsung allows here.
- On a front loader, clean the pump filter.
- Turn the washer on and start a cycle. Samsung says it should drain at the start of that cycle.

If it still does not drain at the start of the test cycle, Samsung says to request service through its Support Center. Do not keep forcing spin cycles with a full tub.

## Whirlpool F9 E1
Whirlpool describes F9 E1 as a slow drain, not a total failure: drain times longer than expected, typically over eight minutes. The causes it lists are a kinked or clogged drain hose, a drain hose that is not set up with the U-shaped form or a standpipe outside the allowed height, and excess suds.

The checks:

- Make sure the drain hose is not kinked or clogged.
- Use the U-shaped drain hose form on the hose.
- Check the standpipe height against Whirlpool's range for this code: 39 inches (99 cm) minimum and 96 inches (244 cm) maximum. That range is not Samsung's range. Use the one on the code page for the washer you own.
- Use HE detergent. Whirlpool says excessive suds can also delay draining.

If the code returns after those checks, Whirlpool says to contact them or schedule service. There is no filter-cleaning step on the F9 E1 page we publish. Do not invent one from the LG procedure.

## What not to do
Do not bypass the door lock to bail water out through the door while the control is still trying to drain. Front-load doors stay locked while the control thinks there is water inside. Samsung's door page says that directly, and it is a safety behavior, not a second fault. See [washer door codes](https://thefaultcode.com/guides/washer-door-will-not-lock/).

Do not run a drain hose across the floor to a floor drain unless the manual for your model allows it. The heights above exist so the pump is not asked to lift water farther than it was built for, and so the tub does not siphon.

Do not pour chemical drain opener into the washer. None of these support pages call for it, and it ends up in the pump and the tub.

## When the code is not a drain code
A washer that never filled cannot drain, but the display will usually show a fill code instead: [LG IE](https://thefaultcode.com/washers/lg/ie/), [Samsung 4C](https://thefaultcode.com/washers/samsung/4c/) or [Whirlpool F8 E1](https://thefaultcode.com/washers/whirlpool/f8e1/). Those are covered in the [washer will not fill](https://thefaultcode.com/guides/washer-will-not-fill/) guide. An overfill, where too much water came in and the pump runs to protect the floor, is [LG FE](https://thefaultcode.com/washers/lg/fe/). A leak sensor is [Samsung LC](https://thefaultcode.com/washers/samsung/lc/). Read the characters before you assume the pump is the part that failed.

## Parts named on these pages
The shop buttons on this page open Amazon search results for a drain hose, a washing-machine cleaner for the Tub Clean step LG names, and HE detergent. They are searches, not a claim that the first result fits your model. Match a hose to the one you are removing. Leave the pump, the motor and the control to a technician if the published checks do not clear the code.

> **Safety first:** Unplug the washer or switch it off at the breaker, and close the water taps, before you pull it out or open a filter. Let a recent hot cycle cool. Never bypass the door lock. Pump, motor and control-board work belongs to a qualified appliance technician.

## FAQ
### Is LG OE the same code as a dishwasher OE?

No. LG uses OE for a washer that cannot drain and also for a dishwasher whose tub is not fully drained. The checks are different. Use the washer page or the dishwasher page for the appliance in front of you.

### Can too much detergent stop a washer from draining?

LG says excess suds can trigger OE because the drain pump pulls air instead of water. Whirlpool lists excess suds as a cause of F9 E1. Samsung's separate SUd code is the suds message; 5C itself is the no-drain code.

### Should I keep restarting a washer that will not drain?

Run the one test the brand describes after the hose and filter are clear. If the code returns, LG, Samsung and Whirlpool each say to request service rather than repeat the cycle.

## Sources
- [LG Front Load Washer – Error Code List (LG USA Support)](https://www.lg.com/us/support/help-library/lg-front-load-washer-error-code-list--20155069413456)
- [Samsung washing machine information and error codes (Samsung Support)](https://www.samsung.com/us/support/troubleshoot/TSG10000997/)
- [Samsung: Washing machine will not drain](https://www.samsung.com/us/support/troubleshoot/TSG10007110/)
- [Error Codes in Front Load Washers (Whirlpool Product Help)](https://producthelp.whirlpool.com/Laundry/Washers/Product_Info/Washer_Product_Assistance/Error_Codes_in_Front_Load_Washers)

Canonical page: https://thefaultcode.com/guides/washer-will-not-drain/