LG Dishwasher AE or E1 Code: Leak Sensor Causes and What to Check

Quick answer

AE (shown as E1 on some older LG models) means water leaked inside the dishwasher and set off its float switch, the sensor LG uses to detect leaks. LG’s checklist covers too many suds (hand dish soap, more than one pod, or an overfilled detergent cup), a dirty or torn door gasket, dirty or damaged spray arms, and a dishwasher that is not level. Turn off the breaker, fix the cause, dry the base pan behind the kick plate, and switch the breaker back on. If AE comes back or water reaches the floor, call LG service.

What AE and E1 mean on an LG dishwasher

LG’s support page treats AE and E1 as the same code: a leak inside the dishwasher has activated the float switch. LG’s “Guide to Error Codes” groups AE with FE under “leakage/overfilling.” Its causes: more water than the standard amount, too many suds from hand dish soap, a dishwasher 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 mistake.

LG’s fix is to dry the base pan (or drain pan) behind the kick plate at the bottom front, so the leaked water is in the base under the tub, not in the tub itself.

During AE, the dishwasher sounds an alert for 10 seconds, runs the drain pump on and off, and powers itself back on until the error is resolved (LG’s 2016 and 2023 manuals). LG’s error guide says it keeps draining to protect the appliance and your floor, so a running pump is expected.

Manual and models	Code listed	What the manual says to do
2015 manual: LDF8874ST, LDF8764ST, LDF7774ST, LDS5774ST	“E1 or AE”: water leakage problem	Call an authorized service center or LG customer service
2016 manual: LDT779, LDP679, LDP567, LDT566, LDF554 series	AE: water leakage	Turn off the water supply to the dishwasher and call LG
2023 manual: LDF554 and LDFN454 series, including the LDFN4542S QuadWash front control model	AE: water leakage	Turn off the water supply to the dishwasher and call LG

The manuals send you to LG for this code. LG's support pages add the self-checks below. Use the manual for your own model. Source: LG owner's manuals MFL62077193 (2015), MFL69261715 (2016), and MFL69261755 (2023), checked Oct. 23, 2026

Step 1: Power off, water off, then check the floor

Turn off the breaker, close the water valve under the sink, and check the floor in front of and beside the dishwasher.

• Water on the floor: dry it up, keep the water off, and call LG, as LG’s manuals say for any AE code.
• Dry floor: LG’s Guide to Error Codes says to disconnect power and request service, but its AE support page walks through the checks below first. They are look-and-clean checks with the power off, fine to try before a service visit.

Step 2: Check the detergent

Most leaks come down to installation, detergent, or maintenance, according to LG’s leaking guide. Detergent is the easiest to rule out: too many suds raise the water level until it overflows inside the dishwasher.

• Hand dish soap. Don’t use it. LG says it is far more concentrated than dishwasher detergent and makes too many bubbles.
• Pods or tablets. One generally has the right amount, and more than one can cause too many suds. If one pod still gives you AE, LG says a technician needs to look at it.
• Powder or liquid. Fill to the 15 line for lightly soiled loads or soft water, and to the 25 line for heavy soil or hard water. Filling the whole cup past the marks causes excess suds.
• Rinse aid. Wipe up spills, which LG’s 2015 manual says prevents sudsing.
• Foamy food. Lots of foamy food, such as whipped cream, can trigger LG’s suds code (bE), per the 2023 manual.

Foam in the tub makes suds the likely cause. Switch detergent, then clear the code (below).

Step 3: Clean the door gasket

The door gasket is the rubber seal between the door and the tub. Food or grease on the gasket, or on the part of the tub where it seals, keeps the door from sealing, so LG says to clean both. Each brand’s gasket cleaning method is in Dishwasher Smells Bad?.

• Normal: clean and in one piece all the way around.
• Not normal: torn or damaged, which LG says requires service.

Step 4: Check the spray arms

Buildup or damage on the spray arms is on LG’s AE list. Remove the arms and clean them with a soft brush and warm, soapy water, as LG’s support page says. The 2023 manual (LDF554 and LDFN454 series) adds:

• Lower arm: clear blocked holes with a pin or a piece of stiff wire.
• Upper arm: pull the upper rack forward, turn the nut under the arm 1/8 turn counterclockwise, and pull the arm down. After rinsing, press it back up and turn the nut 1/8 turn clockwise to lock it.
• Afterward: make sure the arms spin freely, but don’t pull or turn rolling spray arm sections by hand (LG’s warning).

A damaged spray arm needs service. If dishes also come out dirty, see Dishwasher Not Cleaning Well.

Step 5: Check that the dishwasher is level and the door lines up

A dishwasher that is not level can leak or have trouble closing, LG’s 2023 manual warns. One hanging from its mounting brackets instead of standing firmly on its leveling feet can leak from the front and show AE.

• The water test. Remove the lower rack and pour about a gallon of water into the tub (LG’s support page). If it pools to one side, the dishwasher is not level. For front to back, the 2023 manual uses 169 oz. (5 liters), which should settle near the center of both low indentations at the front.
• The door gap. The gap between the door and the tub should match on the left and right.

Leveling is an installation job. LG’s guides remove the mounting screws, then adjust the feet from behind the toe kick panel. LG’s error guide says to request service if the unit is not level. For a new install, call the installer.

Step 6: Look for a wet water connection behind the kick plate

A loose connection where the water supply line meets the 90-degree elbow can cause leaks from the bottom, according to LG’s leaking guide. In the 2023 manual, the supply line connects to the inlet valve at the left front. With the breaker off, remove the kick plate and look:

• The towel test. Touch a dry paper towel around the elbow and supply line, as LG suggests. Wet spots mean that joint is leaking.
• Trapped lines. A water line or power cord left under the base can cause leaks (2016 manual). The drain hose must not be kinked, pinched, or crushed under or behind the dishwasher (2023 manual).

If the connection is wet, leave the water off. LG’s guide goes on to retighten the elbow, but the water line and electrical cable share channels in the bottom of the dishwasher, so leave that to a plumber or the installer. LG’s warranty excludes leaks from improper installation, so take a new install back to the installer first.

Step 7: On Dynamic Heat Dry models, check which cap you filled

Dynamic Heat Dry models have two different caps: one for the water softening system and one for the Heat Dry filter. Pouring water into the Heat Dry blower instead of the softener can cause a leak and an AE code, according to LG’s error guide. On a built-in dishwasher, LG says not to pull the unit out; request service.

Clear the code: dry the base pan and reset

Once the cause is fixed, LG’s AE support page says to:

1. Turn off the circuit breaker.
2. Remove the kick plate at the bottom front: two screws, one on each side, with a Phillips screwdriver.
3. Dry any water in the base pan with towels. If there is none, it may have evaporated already. If you can’t see or reach the base from the front, leave the kick plate off for 24 to 48 hours to let it evaporate.
4. Reset: put the kick plate back, open the water valve, and turn the breaker back on. That off-and-on is LG’s reset.
5. Run an empty cycle.

Put back the kick plate that came with the dishwasher. LG’s 2023 manual warns that a cabinet baseboard in its place can cause noise and leakage.

The test run: what normal looks like

Stay nearby and check the floor in front of the kick plate a few times.

• Normal: the cycle finishes without AE, and the floor stays dry.
• Suds left in the tub: LG’s error guide says to set the rinse aid level to L0, add no detergent, put a bowl with about 7 oz. (200 ml) of milk in the middle of the upper rack, and run the Standard cycle with Extra Dry and Rinse. Repeat if suds remain, then set the rinse aid back.
• Not normal: AE comes back, or water shows up under the dishwasher. Turn off the breaker and water, then call LG.

When AE means a service call

How to keep AE from coming back

• Use only automatic-dishwasher detergent: one pod, or powder or liquid to the 15 or 25 line. Wipe up rinse aid spills.
• Clean the spray arms regularly (every two weeks, per the 2023 manual).
• Load sharp items where they can’t damage the door seal (LG’s manual), and load big plates and pots upside down (LG’s error guide).