LG Dryer Empty Water Container
One wrinkle first: the indicator lighting for 5 seconds when you switch the dryer on is a reminder, not the error. The error is the flickering indicator with a stopped dryer.
What to check first
- Flickering indicator + stopped dryer = the error; 5 seconds at switch-on = a reminder.
- Empty the container two-handed and click it back in (LG Egypt).
- Hose: not crushed, end not submerged, ≤1m high, falls naturally.
- First use or pump air: prime with 1.5L of water, check drainage after ~5 minutes.
On condenser dryers the moisture from each load collects as water — in a container you empty, or down a drain hose. LG's Egypt guide documents the display precisely: the Empty Water indicator lights for 5 seconds at power-on as a reminder (normal operation); if it flickers, the container is full and the dryer stops; and if the container is not correctly inserted, the error may display — and water may get into the dryer. LG gives two further causes owners miss: a crushed or kinked drain hose on plumbed setups, and a lot of air in the drain pump — the second with a first-use cure: slowly pour 1.5 litres of water into the container inlet to prime the air out.
Safety first
- Carry the full container with both hands and keep it horizontal (LG's instruction) — a full tank is heavy and spills exactly like you would expect. Water where it does not belong — inside the dryer, from a badly inserted container — means stop, dry the area, and reseat the container before running again.
- 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 container is full
LG's headline cause: the container reached its limit mid-cycle, the indicator flickers, and the dryer stops rather than overflow. Emptying it — both hands, horizontal, pulled slowly — and reinserting it until it clicks is the whole fix.
The container is not correctly inserted
LG's second cause, with its consequence stated: the error may display and water may get into the dryer. The reinsertion has an endpoint — push the container in until you hear the “click” sound.
Crushed hose / air in the pump
LG's machine-side pair: a drain hose crushed or kinked stops plumbed drainage; and a lot of air in the drain pump stops the pump moving water at all — the classic first-use case, cured by priming with water (step 3).
Step-by-step checks
- Empty the water containerHold the full container with both hands, keep it horizontal so the water does not pour out, and pull it slowly out of the dryer. Empty it, then push it back in until you hear a “click” sound. (LG Egypt's procedure.)
- Check the drain hose (plumbed setups)The hose must not be crushed or twisted. Its end must not be submerged, its height should be 1 metre or less from the floor, and the hose should fall naturally on a steady, even place. (LG Egypt's geometry rules.)
- First use? Prime the pump with 1.5L of waterSlowly pour 1.5 litres of water into the drain container inlet — this primes the air out of the drain pump and hose. Run the dryer, and after about 5 minutes check whether the water has gone. (LG Egypt's first-use procedure.)
- Run and confirm the water is movingLG's verification is the 5-minute check: the primed water should have drained. A dryer that now runs past the point where it stopped has cleared the display's cause.
When to call a technician
If the container is emptied and clicked in, the hose is straight and correctly placed, the pump is primed — and the indicator still flickers the dryer to a stop — the water-level sensing or the pump itself is the remaining territory, and that is a service case. Quote the display and the checks done; LG's guide makes the sequence short enough to recite.
Model differences
| What you have | What changes |
|---|---|
| Indicator lit steadily for 5 seconds at switch-on | Not the error — LG documents it as a reminder at power-on. The error state is the flickering indicator with a stopped dryer. |
| Plumbed hybrid model showing E13 instead | Same water, different plumbing: hose-drained hybrids report hose trouble as E13. The crushed-hose cause is shared; the displays are not. |
| Steam models | The steam feeder is a separate, smaller water system with its own displays — Add (fill the feeder) and E05 (plumbed steam supply). Do not pour feeder water into the condensate container or vice versa. |
One-page checklist — Empty Water Container
- Display state read correctly (5-second reminder vs flickering + stopped)
- Container emptied two-handed, horizontal; reinserted until it clicks
- Hose checked: not crushed/kinked; end not submerged; ≤1m height
- First use: primed with 1.5L; 5-minute drain check passed
- Still flickering/stopping → service booked
Official LG references
Frequently asked questions
The symbol lights every time I switch on. Is that the error?
No — LG's guide separates the two states: the indicator lights for 5 seconds when the dryer is turned on as a reminder, which is normal. The error is when the indicator flickers and the dryer stops: the container is full, or one of the other documented causes applies.
The container was half full, but the dryer stopped. Why?
Work LG's other causes: a container not correctly inserted (which can also let water get into the dryer), a crushed or kinked drain hose on a plumbed setup, or a lot of air in the drain pump. The full-tank reading is the first cause, not the only one.
What is the 1.5-litre prime for?
Air in the drain pump: LG's guide lists “a lot of air in the drain pump” as a cause, and its first-use-after-purchase procedure is to slowly pour 1.5L of water into the drain container inlet, which flushes the air out of the pump and hose. Run the dryer and check after about 5 minutes that the water has gone.