Most modern washers and dishwashers show a letter-and-number code when they detect a problem, such as OE, E18 or 5C. The code is a message from the control board saying that part of the appliance's work didn't complete as expected — water filling, draining or the door locking, for example.
The same code doesn't always mean the same thing
The key thing to know is that codes aren't standard across manufacturers. Our verified tables show a clear example: E4 on a Haier washer means the required water level wasn't reached, while E4 on a Candy washer means there's too much foam. And the reverse happens too — two brands can show the same fault with different codes: a draining problem appears as OE on LG, as 5C or 5E on Samsung, and as E18 on Bosch.
So don't rely on a generic code list from the internet. Always look the code up for your appliance's brand — ideally in the user manual for your exact model, because codes can also differ between models and years.
What to do when a code appears
- Take a photo of the display showing the code.
- Note the model number from the sticker at the back or inside the door.
- Notice when the code appeared: at the start of the cycle, during spin, or at the end.
- Send this information with your repair request — it shortens diagnosis time.
A code tells you where the problem is, but it isn't a final diagnosis. The same draining code, for example, can be caused by a simple blockage or by a pump fault, and telling them apart requires inspecting the appliance.
Each of our brand pages has a table of the codes we found a reliable source for, with a link to that source. For brands without an official source we don't publish a table — you can send us the code and model number directly instead.
