LG OE on a washing machine
Outlet fault — the machine could not drain the water away.
You can fix this yourself
No special tools or qualifications needed
About 45 min to work through
Free to £130
DIY: Up to £40 in parts
What OE actually means
The drain pump ran and the level did not fall in time. As on every other brand this is a blockage far more often than a failure, and the pump filter behind the bottom flap is where the answer usually is.
Before you start
Electrical safety: Unplug the machine before opening the pump filter.
Water: The drum is still full — several litres will come out. Towels and a shallow tray first.
What causes it, most likely first
Blocked pump filter
Most likelyCoins, hair grips and underwires collect until the pump cannot move enough water.
Pump filter / trap£8–£20 for the partDIYKinked or silted drain hose
CommonCrushed behind the machine or narrowed by detergent scum.
Blocked sink trap or standpipe
CommonA blocked kitchen waste stops the machine draining even when the machine is clear.
Jammed or failed drain pump
OccasionalAn object stalls the impeller or the pump motor fails. A hum with no flow points here.
Drain pump£15–£40 for the partDIY with care
How to fix it, step by step
Isolate and prepare
Unplug at the wall, towels down, shallow tray ready.
5 minTowels, Shallow trayDrain down through the emergency hose
Open the bottom flap, pull out the small emergency drain hose, and empty the drum into the tray in stages.
10 minClean the filter and free the impeller
Unscrew the filter, clear it under a tap, then check the impeller turns freely with a finger.
10 minTorchCheck the hose and waste, then test
Straighten the drain hose, confirm free flow into a bucket, clean the sink trap, refit the filter hand-tight and run a rinse-and-spin.
20 minBucket
Need an engineer for this OE?
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.
Pump filter / trap
A removable mesh trap in front of the pump that catches coins, hair grips and buttons before they reach the impeller.
£8–£20Drain pump
The small electric pump that pushes waste water out of the drum and into your waste pipe at the end of a cycle.
£15–£40
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.