LG Washing Machine tE Error
Applies to front-load and top-load washers. The fix sequence differs by type — both are given below.
What to check first
- Front loaders: follow LG's sequence — unplug for 10 seconds, restart, set spin speed to “no spin” to drain, then restart the cycle.
- Top loaders: if very hot water was poured straight into the tub, unplug the washer and let the water cool before trying again.
- If tE returns after LG's sequence, stop — both lists send a repeating tE to service or a technician inspection.
tE is one of the codes where LG's two lists agree on the destination but describe the fault in their own words. The front-load side is about the heating system: an LG front-load article states that a tE error is displayed if the heater element or the temperature sensor malfunctions. The top-load list points at the temperature sensor inside the tub — a contact problem or a malfunctioning sensor — and adds causes the front-load list does not have, including excessively hot water poured directly into the tub.
Neither list offers a parts-level home fix. What LG gives you is one defined sequence per machine type, and a clear instruction when that sequence does not clear the code.
Safety first
- tE concerns the heater and hot water. Unplug the washer before the reset, and let hot water in the tub cool before reaching into the drum.
- On the front-load list, a tE that persists ends with the water taps closed and the washer unplugged — follow that order: taps off, plug out.
- 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
A faulty thermistor or heater (front loaders)
LG's front-load documentation puts the temperature sensor — the thermistor — at the centre of tE, with the heater element as the other named component.
A temperature sensor contact problem (top loaders)
The top-load list describes a sensor that cannot be read reliably: contact issues at the sensor, or the sensor itself malfunctioning.
Very hot water poured into the tub (top loaders)
A cause with nothing broken at all: LG's top-load list says tE can appear if excessively hot water is poured directly into the tub. The fix in that case is time — let the water cool.
A disconnected connector or broken circuit (top loaders)
Also on the top-load list: connector disconnection or a circuit break in the sensor path. That is wiring, and it is service territory.
Step-by-step checks
- Run LG's front-load sequence (front loaders)Unplug the washer, wait 10 seconds and plug it back in. Press Power, then press the spin-speed button until “no spin” is highlighted — this drains the tub. Then restart the wash cycle.
- Let it cool, if hot water went in (top loaders)If excessively hot water was poured directly into the tub, disconnect the power cord and wait for the water to cool down, then plug back in and retry.
- Restart a heated cycle and watchRun a normal cycle with heating. A tE that does not return was a one-off; LG's sequence has done its job.
When to call a technician
If tE persists after LG's sequence, the front-load list is explicit: close the water taps, unplug the washer and request repair service. The top-load list calls for a technician inspection when the error persists after its checks. An LG article on the Sanitary cycle adds that a tE which survives a reset needs a service inspection to determine the exact cause.
Do not keep running heated cycles against a repeating tE — the sensor is the machine's only witness to water temperature.
Model differences that matter
| Machine type | What changes |
|---|---|
| Front load | Heater element or temperature sensor malfunction. LG's sequence: unplug 10 seconds, restart, spin speed to “no spin” to drain, restart the cycle. Persistent tE: taps closed, unplugged, repair service. |
| Top load | Temperature sensor inside the tub: contact issue, malfunction, connector disconnection or circuit break — plus the no-fault cause, excessively hot water poured into the tub (unplug and let it cool). Persistent tE: technician inspection. |
One-page checklist
- Front loaders: LG sequence done — reset, “no spin” drain, cycle restarted
- Top loaders: hot-water cause considered and water left to cool
- Heated cycle run and watched
- tE returned — taps closed, washer unplugged, service booked
Official LG references
Questions people ask about tE
Can I keep washing on cold cycles with tE showing?
LG does not offer that workaround in its documentation. Its instruction for a tE that persists is service — the sensor also guards cycles you are not watching, so treat a repeating tE as a stop, not a suggestion.
Did I cause tE by pouring hot water in?
On a top loader, possibly — LG lists excessively hot water poured directly into the tub as a tE cause. Unplug the washer, let the water cool fully, and retry before assuming a part has failed.
Is tE the same fault on front and top loaders?
The family is the same — temperature sensing and heating — but the components and causes LG lists differ: heater element or thermistor on front loaders; the in-tub sensor, its contacts and wiring on top loaders.