LG Dryer E05 Error
LG UK's section is headed “E05 Error” while its text says “the E5 error code” — one code, two renderings, both quoted here so your display matches either way. It belongs to plumbed steam models; feeder-drawer models show Add instead.
What to check first
- E05/E5 = the steam cycle's water supply has a problem (LG UK).
- Checks in LG's order: tap (frozen/clogged/open) → inlet hose flow → inlet filter cleaned → inlet valve.
- Plumbed models only — feeder-drawer models show Add.
- Recurs after the reset → repair service.
Steam dryers make their steam from water, and plumbed models draw it from the house supply. An E05 means, in LG's UK wording, there is a problem with the water supply used for the steam cycle. Its checks follow the water backwards: the water tap not frozen or clogged and fully open; the water flows normally through the inlet hose; and the inlet filter checked and cleaned of any residue gathered around it. Its endpoint: if the error code recurs after the reset, the unit may require a repair service — with the water inlet valve as the last item LG lists before that line.
Safety first
- A frozen supply tap is a cold-room case like E13's frozen sump: thaw gently with room heat — no flame, no heat gun, no boiling water on a frozen tap or hose.
- Stop condition: stop using the machine and unplug it — and do not run it again until it has been checked — if you smell burning, see smoke, find damaged electrics (a scorched plug, a melted or cut cable), or water is leaking in quantity.
Common causes
The water tap — frozen, clogged or not fully open
LG's first check names all three states. A tap feeding a dryer is often a small valve behind the machine that nobody touches for years: half-open from installation, stiff with residue, or — in an unheated space — frozen.
The inlet hose and inlet filter
LG's flow check: ensure the water flows normally through the inlet hose — then check and clean the water inlet filter, removing any residue gathered around it. The inlet filter is the fine screen where the hose meets the valve, and it is designed to catch exactly the residue that eventually starves the steam supply.
The water inlet valve
LG lists checking the water inlet valve as the final user-facing item; a valve that will not open with the supply proven good is where its sequence hands over — a recurring E05 after the reset is a repair service case.
Step-by-step checks
- Check the water tapMake sure the tap is not frozen or clogged, and that it is fully open. (LG UK step 1.)
- Check the flow through the inlet hoseEnsure the water flows normally through the inlet hose — no kink where the dryer was pushed back, no blockage at either end. (LG UK step 2.)
- Check and clean the inlet filterRemove any residue gathered around the water inlet filter. (LG UK step 3.)
- Check the water inlet valveLG UK's final item: check the water inlet valve — the point where a proven supply meets the machine.
- Recurs after the reset? Book serviceLG's endpoint: if the error code recurs even after resetting the unit, the unit may require a repair service.
When to call a technician
Service is LG's stated endpoint for a recurring E05. Quote the code as your machine renders it (E05 or E5) and the tap/hose/filter checks done — LG's sequence is short, and reciting it scopes the visit to the valve side.
Model differences
| What you have | What changes |
|---|---|
| Feeder-drawer steam model (no plumbing) | Your steam water lives in a drawer you fill by hand, and its display is Add — E05 is the plumbed models' supply code. |
| Display reads 5E on a washer instead | Different appliance, different code family — washer codes live in the Samsung and LG washer collections. |
One-page checklist — E05
- Code read as E05 / E5 (plumbed steam model confirmed)
- Tap checked: not frozen, not clogged, fully open
- Inlet hose flows normally; inlet filter cleaned of residue
- Inlet valve checked
- Recurs after reset → service booked
Official LG references
Frequently asked questions
Is it E05 or E5?
LG UK renders it both ways in one section: the heading reads “E05 Error”, the text says “the E5 error code”. They are one code — the steam cycle's water-supply problem — and this page carries both forms so the registry matches your display either way.
My steam dryer has a drawer I fill. Why no E05?
Because E05 accuses the plumbed supply — tap, inlet hose, inlet filter, inlet valve. A feeder-drawer model has none of those; its steam-water display is Add, asking you to fill the feeder to the MAX line. Two steam systems, two displays.
The tap is fine and the filter is clean, but E05 returns. What now?
LG's sequence ends there too: check the water inlet valve, and if the error recurs even after resetting the unit, it may require a repair service. Quote the checks done — tap, hose flow, filter — so the visit starts at the valve.