Whirlpool washer repair and error codes
RepairWell repairs Whirlpool washing machines in Ottawa and Gatineau as an independent service. We are not a Whirlpool authorized servicer; washers still under Whirlpool's warranty should go through Whirlpool Canada. This page sets out what Whirlpool itself says its washer codes mean and which checks it asks owners to try first.
Whirlpool's high-efficiency top-load washers without an agitator wash with a low-water wash plate: the machine sets the water level to the load, and Whirlpool says it is normal for some of the load to sit above the water line. That design explains several codes and complaints. Whirlpool's washers also expect both hot and cold water to be connected, and several fill and drain codes trace back to hoses, taps and the height of the drain standpipe rather than to a failed part.
RepairWell is an independent repair service and is not affiliated with or authorized by Whirlpool.
Whirlpool washing machine error codes
The codes below come from Whirlpool's product-help pages for top-load HE washers and front-load washers, which link to service in both the United States and Canada. Whirlpool says its lists may not include every code for your model and points owners to the owner's manual for model-specific codes. The same code can mean slightly different things on a top-load and a front-load machine (F5 E2 is a lid lock on one and a door lock on the other), so check the manual for your model number. Whirlpool Corporation lists Maytag, including Maytag.ca, among its brands; that is a corporate relationship, and we do not assume a Maytag machine uses the same codes without its own manual. We did not find a Whirlpool source on Kenmore, so this page does not cover Kenmore washers.
| Code | What Whirlpool says it means | Checks Whirlpool lists for owners | When to book | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| F8 E1, LF or Lo FL | The washer is taking too long to fill, or is not detecting the correct amount of incoming water. | Make sure the hot and cold taps are fully open; Whirlpool says both must be connected. Check the inlet hoses are not kinked and that hot goes to hot and cold to cold. Whirlpool advises against anti-flood devices in the supply line because they can reduce water pressure. Whirlpool's page also describes cleaning the inlet screens with the water off; if you are not comfortable disconnecting hoses, leave that to us. | Book if the code returns with both taps fully open and the hoses straight. | Whirlpool product help |
| F9 E1 or drn | Long drain: the washer is taking too long to drain. On front-load models, Whirlpool's front-load code list says this means drain times longer than expected, typically over 8 minutes. | Make sure the drain hose is not kinked or clogged, and clear any blockage in the standpipe or laundry tub. Whirlpool says the hose should not be pushed too far down into the standpipe, past the elbow, should not be taped to the drain pipe, and that its factory shape should not be altered. | Book if the hose and standpipe are clear and the washer still stops with water in it. | Whirlpool product help |
| F5 E2 | Top-load: the washer cannot engage the lid lock, possibly because something is obstructing the lid lock area. Front-load: the door is not locking properly. | Remove anything in the lid lock area and make sure no clothing is in the way (front-load: nothing blocking the door, and the door closing completely). Whirlpool then suggests unplugging the washer for 5 minutes to reset the control. | Book if the lock still will not engage after the area is clear and the control has been reset. | Whirlpool product help |
| LdL | Top-load: the lid is not locking. | Check for items directly under the lid and for detergent buildup around the lid lock. | Whirlpool says to schedule service if LdL appears again, and so do we. | Whirlpool product help |
| LdU | Top-load: the lid cannot unlock because the washer detects objects on the lid. | Remove anything sitting on the lid, such as a laundry basket. | Book if the lid stays locked with nothing on it and the cycle has ended. | Whirlpool product help |
| OFb or F0 E5 | The load is out of balance (F0 E5: unbalanced or too large). With OFb the washer runs a balance-correction routine. | Let the routine continue. If the washer stops, pause it, redistribute the load or remove some items, close the lid and restart. Whirlpool recommends loose heaps spread evenly around the wash plate, balancing a single heavy item with a few towels, and not adding wet items or extra water. | Book if balanced, normal-sized loads keep triggering the code or the washer bangs during spin. | Whirlpool product help |
| OL | Top-load: the load is too large. The washer drains the water and detergent when it detects an overload. | Remove several items, add HE detergent, close the lid and press Start/Pause. | Book if OL appears with small loads. | Whirlpool product help |
| Sud or Sd (may show as 5d) | Too many suds. The washer runs a suds-reduction routine and may pause and add rinse water several times. | Let the routine finish. Use HE detergent at the dose the detergent maker gives for the load size. On front-load models Whirlpool adds that thickened (no-splash) chlorine bleach can cause suds and that a restricted drain hose or standpipe can also trigger the code. | Book if the code appears with correctly dosed HE detergent and a clear drain. | Whirlpool product help |
| HC | Top-load: the hot and cold inlet hoses are reversed. | Turn off the water supply, swap the hoses, and run another cycle to confirm. | Book if the code persists with the hoses correctly connected. | Whirlpool product help |
| PF | Top-load: the cycle was interrupted by a power failure. | Touch and hold Start to resume, or press Power to clear the display. | Book if PF appears without any power interruption. | Whirlpool product help |
| F7 E1 | Front-load: motor speed sensing error; the motor cannot reach the right speed for the cycle. | Whirlpool says to check that all shipping bolts have been removed and the washer is not overloaded, then press Pause or Cancel twice and Power once to clear the code. | Book if F7 E1 returns with the shipping bolts out and a normal load. | Whirlpool product help |
| F8 E2 | Front-load (select models): a problem with the dispenser system. | Check that the detergent drawer or cartridge is not clogged with detergent, and clean the dispenser as Whirlpool describes. | Book if the code returns with a clean dispenser. | Whirlpool product help |
| LOC or LC | Front-load: Control Lock is on. | Touch the Control Lock button; some models need it held. On older models your owner's manual shows which button does this. | Book only if the controls stay locked after following the manual. | Whirlpool product help |
| rL or F34 | Front-load: items were detected in the drum during a Clean Washer cycle. | Remove everything from the drum and restart the Clean Washer cycle. | Book if the code appears with the drum empty. | Whirlpool product help |
A code tells you what the control board measured, not which part failed. Tell us the code when you book; it shortens the diagnosis. How to read any error code →
Symptom guides for Whirlpool washing machines
Finding the model and serial number
Whirlpool's product-help page gives these locations. Top-load washer: beneath the lid on the tub rim. Front-load washer: inside the door, on the rim of the opening. All-in-one washer-dryer: on the door frame, just inside the door. Stacked laundry centre: inside the dryer door. Photograph the label; the model number decides which manual and code list apply.
What's specific to Whirlpool washing machines
Low-water wash plate on agitator-free top-loaders. Whirlpool describes a low-water wash plate system that sets the water level automatically, with no water-level selector. It says to load items in loose heaps evenly around the wash plate, leave the centre uncovered, and not add water, because clothes that float lose the scrubbing contact with the impeller. A low-looking water level on these machines is by design and is not, on its own, a sign of a fill fault. Whirlpool's Bulky cycle fills in stages while it agitates and can take 10 to 12 minutes to fill completely.
Clean Washer cycle and water levels. Whirlpool says that if the water level seems lower than when the washer was new, running an empty Clean Washer cycle recalibrates the control to the factory water levels, and recommends running it about once a month or every 30 cycles.
Supply and drain installation. Whirlpool's checks for its fill and drain codes start with installation: both hot and cold supplies must be connected and fully open, anti-flood devices can starve the fill, and the drain hose must sit loosely in a standpipe at least 99 cm (39 in) high without going more than about 11 cm (4.5 in) in, or the washer may siphon. In a Gatineau or Ottawa basement with a low laundry-tub drain, that is worth checking before any part is suspected.
Front-load specifics. Whirlpool links F7 E1 to shipping bolts left in and to overloading, and ties excess suds on front-loaders to non-HE detergent, thickened chlorine bleach or a restricted drain.
Recalls and notices
We found no Health Canada recall for this category when this page was reviewed. On 24 September 2026 we searched the Government of Canada Recalls and safety alerts database, including its open-data export current to 23 September 2026, for Whirlpool washing machines. The Whirlpool Corporation recalls listed there cover other products, not washers. A recall is a formal safety action published by Health Canada with the manufacturer; a service bulletin is a manufacturer's repair note for technicians; a complaint is an owner's report. Only the first is a recall. Check recalls-rappels.canada.ca with your model number if you have a safety concern.
When to book
Book if a code comes back after Whirlpool's listed check and one reset, if Whirlpool says to schedule service for that code, if the washer stops with water in the tub after the drain hose and standpipe have been checked, or if there is any water on the floor. Tell us the exact code, whether it is a top-load or front-load machine, and the model number. The diagnostic is $89 plus tax, waived when you go ahead with the repair, with a written finding and quote before any work.
Whirlpool washing machine questions
My Whirlpool top-loader barely fills with water. Is that a fault?
Not necessarily. Whirlpool says its agitator-free HE top-loaders use a low-water wash plate and set the water level to the load, and that it is normal for some clothes to sit above the water. If the level seems lower than when the washer was new, Whirlpool suggests running an empty Clean Washer cycle to recalibrate it.
What does F8 E1 mean on a Whirlpool washer?
Whirlpool says the washer is not detecting the right amount of incoming water. Check that both taps are fully open, the hoses are not kinked and hot and cold are not reversed, and that there is no anti-flood device in the line. If it returns, book a visit.
Why does my Whirlpool washer show F9 E1 or drn?
It is taking too long to drain. Whirlpool points to the drain hose first: kinked, clogged, pushed too far into the standpipe or taped in. If the hose and standpipe are clear, the cause is inside the washer and needs a technician.
Does F5 E2 mean the lid lock has failed?
Not by itself. Whirlpool says F5 E2 on a top-loader means the washer could not engage the lid lock, possibly because something is in the way. Clear the area, unplug the washer for 5 minutes, and book if it returns.
Is a Maytag washer the same as a Whirlpool?
Whirlpool Corporation lists Maytag among its brands. That does not mean a given Maytag model uses the same codes or parts as a Whirlpool one, so we always work from the model number on the label.
Are you authorized by Whirlpool?
No. RepairWell is independent. If your washer is under Whirlpool's warranty, contact Whirlpool Canada for warranty service.
Other brand guides for this appliance
Sources
- Whirlpool product help: Error Codes in Top Load HE Washers
- Whirlpool product help: Error Codes in Front Load Washers
- Whirlpool product help: F8E1 error code (top load washer)
- Whirlpool product help: F9E1 error code, long drain (top load washer)
- Whirlpool product help: drn error code (top load washer)
- Whirlpool product help: F5E2 error code (top load washer)
- Whirlpool product help: F0E5 off-balanced load (top load washer)
- Whirlpool product help: LdL error code (top load washer)
- Whirlpool product help: Sd or 5d error code (top load washer)
- Whirlpool product help: Low water level (washer)
- Whirlpool product help: Water usage in a Top Load HE washer
- Whirlpool product help: Where is my model and serial number located?
- Whirlpool Corporation: Our brands
- Government of Canada: Recalls and safety alerts (search and open data)
- Whirlpool product help: Not filling or long fill (top load washer)
Sources checked 2026-09-24.
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