LG IE on a washing machine
Inlet fault — the machine did not fill within the expected time.
You can fix this yourself
No special tools or qualifications needed
About 27 min to work through
Free to £120
DIY: Up to £30 in parts
What IE actually means
LG machines allow a fixed window to reach the target water level and show IE when it is missed. The cause sits upstream of the machine far more often than inside it — check the tap and the inlet gauze before suspecting the valve.
Before you start
Water: Turn the tap off before unscrewing the fill hose — it stays pressurised.
What causes it, most likely first
Tap closed or partly open
Most likelyThe commonest cause, and it frequently follows plumbing work or time away.
How to check: Trace the fill hose to its tap and open it fully.
Blocked inlet filter gauze
Most likelyA fine mesh in the inlet port scales up in hard-water areas and chokes the flow.
Kinked fill hose
CommonCrushed flat where the machine has been pushed back against the wall.
Low mains water pressure
OccasionalLG machines need a reasonable flow rate. A low-pressure supply can trip IE with nothing broken.
Failed inlet valve
OccasionalThe solenoid valve fails to open. Confirmed only once the supply and gauze test good.
Inlet solenoid valve£12–£30 for the partDIY with care
How to fix it, step by step
Open the tap fully
Follow each fill hose to its tap and open it completely.
2 minProve the supply
Turn the tap off, unscrew the hose at the tap end, aim into a bucket and briefly open the tap. Strong flow means the supply is fine.
5 minBucketClean the inlet gauze
With the tap off, unscrew the hose at the machine end, ease the mesh out with long-nose pliers, rinse and descale, then refit squarely.
10 minLong-nose pliersReconnect and test
Hand-tighten both ends, open the tap, check for weeps, and run a rinse cycle listening for fill.
10 min
Need an engineer for this IE?
We list 83 washing machine repair businesses across the UK, 28 of which are LG-authorised. Diagnostic callouts typically start around £55, and many will put that towards the repair if you go ahead.
- 0800 037 4915London
- 07407 734204Bonnybridge
- 01344 669700BracknellSame day
Parts you might need
Typical UK prices for the part alone, before fitting. Worth knowing before you accept a quote — the part is often a small share of what a repair is priced at.
Inlet solenoid valve
The valve behind the machine that opens to let mains water in. Blocked inlet gauzes are a far more common cause than a dead valve.
£12–£30
Worth repairing, or replace it?
At the top of this range the repair costs a significant share of a graded replacement, which typically starts around £200. Worth getting the quote first, then deciding — on a machine under about five years old a repair usually still wins.