LG Dishwasher FE — What It Means & How to Fix It
The unit detected more water than it should ever hold and started draining on its own — a stuck inlet valve or level-sensing fault is behind most cases.
What this code means
FE is the fill (overfill) error on LG dishwashers: the water level passed the safe maximum, and the unit responds by automatically running its drain pump. A valve that won't close completely is the leading genuine cause; foam and sensor faults produce the same reading without the same water.
FE and the AE leak code can appear in the same story — overfilled water finds its way to the base pan. If you're seeing AE, its page covers the leak-sensor side of the plot.
Most likely causes
| Cause | How likely | DIY-fixable? |
|---|---|---|
| Inlet valve not sealing fully | Common | Partly — confirm, then technician |
| Oversudsing reading as excess water | Common | Yes — detergent check |
| Water level sensor fault | Occasional | No — technician job |
| One-off control glitch | Less common | Yes — power reset |
What you can try yourself
- Let the automatic drain finish — it's protecting your floor — then close the supply valve under the sink.
- Cut power at the breaker for two minutes to clear the error state.
- Audit the detergent: dishwasher-only products, correct dose, and absolutely no hand soap; run a rinse cycle to purge if foam is visible.
- Reopen the valve, restore power, and run a cycle while staying nearby — water entering when the unit isn't calling for it implicates the valve.
- If FE returns with detergent ruled out, close the supply valve between uses and book a repair.
When to call a technician
- Water creeps into the tub while the unit sits idle — the inlet valve needs replacing.
- FE keeps returning alongside AE, meaning overflow water is reaching the base pan.
- The drain pump runs constantly even after a full dry-out and reset.
Typical professional repair cost: Inlet valve replacement runs $100–$200 with labor; level sensor work is similar.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my LG dishwasher start draining in the middle of the night?
If the inlet valve seeps, the tub slowly fills until the level trips the overfill response — and the drain pump wakes up to empty it, at whatever hour that threshold is crossed. Closing the supply valve stops the loop until the valve is replaced.
Is FE the same as a leak error?
They're neighbors. FE is too much water inside the tub, where it's measured; AE is water outside the tub, in the base pan where it never belongs. Overfill can cause a leak reading, which is why the two codes sometimes arrive together.
Can I run the dishwasher with FE showing?
The unit generally refuses while the level reads high, and forcing cycles before finding the cause risks water on the floor. The valve-or-suds diagnosis above takes one evening — worth doing first.
Related LG codes
- LG Dishwasher OE The dishwasher can't drain its water — check the internal filter, the drain hose, and (after a new disposal install) the knockout plug everyone forgets to remove.
- LG Dishwasher AE The leak sensor in the base of the dishwasher detected water — the unit goes into a protective drain mode, and the cause ranges from oversudsing to a genuine seal failure.
- LG Dishwasher HE The dishwasher's water heating system isn't working as expected — and because it involves a high-wattage heater on mains power, this is one to hand to a technician.
- LG Dishwasher IE Ten minutes of filling didn't raise the water level enough — almost always a supply problem between the shut-off valve and the unit rather than a failed part.
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