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Maytag Washer Error Codes: The Full List, Decoded
Maytag washers report faults as an F number paired with an E number, and many models also flash a two letter display code for the same fault, so F8 E1 and LO FL are one problem wearing two name tags. The codes cluster around four systems: filling, draining, locking, and sensing. The fill and drain families are the ones owners can usually fix at home with taps, hoses and a filter clean. Find your code below, note the plain meaning, then use the full guides for the checks in the right order.
Maytag washer codes
| Code | What It Means | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| F8 E1 (LO FL / LF) | Long fill: water is not entering fast enough, or low flow is sensed at the inlet valve | Full F8 E1 guide |
| F9 E1 | Long drain: the washer is taking too long to empty, usually a pump filter or drain hose problem | Full F9 E1 guide |
| F5 E2 | Door or lid lock fault: the lock did not engage or release as the control commanded | Full F5 E2 guide |
| F6 E1 | Communication error between the main control and the motor control | Listed here, full guide in progress |
| F7 E1 | Motor drive fault: the control cannot confirm the basket is turning correctly | Listed here, full guide in progress |
| F3 E1 | Water level sensor fault: the pressure sensor reading is out of range | Listed here, full guide in progress |
| Sud / Sd | Excess suds routine: too much detergent or the wrong detergent, the machine pauses to clear foam | Listed here, full guide in progress |
| LOC | Control lock is switched on: this is a setting, not a fault | Listed here, full guide in progress |
| dET | Detergent cartridge not detected on smart models with a bulk dispenser | Listed here, full guide in progress |
How to Read a Maytag Code
The F number names the system and the E number names the event, so F8 E1 reads as system 8 (water fill) event 1, and F9 E1 as system 9 (drain) event 1. You do not need the full engineering map to use this page, because the table above translates every common code into plain words, but the pattern helps with codes you meet in the wild: F3 codes concern sensing (water level and temperature), F5 codes concern the door or lid lock, F6 and F7 codes concern communication and the motor, and F8 and F9 codes concern water in and water out. Models differ in what they show where: the code during a cycle is often the two letter form (LO FL, Ld, Sd), while the stored fault history, which a technician reads in diagnostics, uses the F and E form. Both forms point at the same fault, which is why this hub lists them side by side. If your display shows a code that is not in the table, note it exactly as shown, including any letters, before you clear it: an exact code is the difference between a five minute search and an hour of guessing.
The Three Codes Owners Meet Most
F8 E1 (LO FL) leads because it is the code your house sets, not your washer: taps, hoses and screens sit outside the machine, and a partially closed tap after any plumbing work is enough. F9 E1 follows because every drain passes one small filter, and filters clog on a schedule set by how many coins and hair grips your household feeds them. F5 E2 is third because locks are wear parts operated twice per load for the life of the machine, and because its early stages (a loose strike, a gritty latch) are easy to miss until the lock gives up mid-cycle. All three share one trait that matters for your wallet: each has a free first check that fixes a large share of cases, which is exactly why the full guides are ordered the way they are.
Before You Call Anyone
Most Maytag codes clear with four basic checks and one reset. Work through them before you book a service visit. First, confirm both water taps behind the machine are fully open and that both the hot and cold hoses are connected: a Maytag sets fill codes when only one supply is live, even on a cold wash. Second, straighten the inlet and drain hoses and look for kinks or crush points where the machine was pushed back. Third, shut the taps, unscrew the inlet hoses at the valve, and rinse the small mesh screens inside the valve inlets, since mineral build-up there is the silent cause behind many fill codes. Fourth, clean the drain pump filter if your model has one behind a lower front panel. Then clear the code properly: press Pause or Cancel twice, then Power once, and let any drain routine the machine starts run to the end before you open the door. A code that survives all four checks and the reset is a genuine parts problem, and the full guides above tell you which part and what it typically costs. Two displays need no checks at all: LOC is the control lock setting, and Sud or Sd is a self-clearing foam routine that usually means less detergent next load.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the most common Maytag washer error code?
F8 E1, shown as LO FL on the display. It means the washer is filling too slowly, and in most homes the cause is simple: a tap not fully open, a kinked inlet hose, or clogged inlet screens. Drain code F9 E1 and lock code F5 E2 follow close behind.
How do I clear a Maytag error code?
Fix the cause first, then clear the code: press Pause or Cancel twice, then Power once. If the washer starts a long drain routine, let it finish completely before opening the door or starting a new cycle. Codes cleared without fixing the cause simply come back.
My Maytag shows a code but the washer seems fine. Should I worry?
Some displays are not faults at all: LOC means the control lock is on, and Sud or Sd means the machine is running an excess suds routine and usually clears itself. Water codes (F8 E1, F9 E1) and lock codes (F5 E2) do need the checks in the full guides, because they point at real flow or locking problems.
Not your machine? Try the error code decoder on the homepage, or browse the other hubs: Samsung Washer, LG Washer, Whirlpool Washer, Dryer, Dishwasher, Furnace Blink Codes.