What to check, in order
- Clean the filter
Wait 30 minutes after a cycle, as the tub can be hot. Take out the lower rack, turn the filter handle anticlockwise and lift it out. Separate the inner filter from the stainless steel one, rinse both under the tap, refit them and turn the handle clockwise until it clicks.
- Check the drain hose
Under the sink, make sure it isn't kinked, pinched or squashed. Straighten it and run a test cycle.
- Clear the air gap
If your drain runs through an air gap by the sink, take off its cover and the plastic cap, and clear any debris with a toothpick or brush. LG suggests a turkey baster to flush it with hot water.
- Just installed, or new waste disposer?
A newly fitted garbage disposal still has a knockout plug that must be removed. LG also says the drain hose shouldn't be longer than 12 ft (about 3.7 m), with no extension, and its end should sit at least 12 in (305 mm) and no more than 40 in (about 1 m) above the base of the dishwasher.
- Drain it
Many models have Cancel & Drain: hold two buttons together, for example Delicate and Dual Control (the pair depends on the model). LG's error code guide also gives a force drain: switch on and hold Start for at least 3 seconds, and it drains for 2 to 3 minutes. Otherwise start any cycle, let it run for 45 seconds (the first 45 seconds are drain only), then switch off.
When to call an engineer
If water keeps pooling above the filter after these checks, LG says to request a repair.
Good to know
- LG's pages differ on how often to clean the filter. Its error code guide says every one or two weeks. Its OE pages say after every load for the best wash, and at least once a month in hard water areas.
- LG's error code guide puts the minimum at 30 cm above the floor for the end of the drain hose, and warns that lower than that can bring sewer smells.
- Once it drains again, LG suggests cleaning the filter and spray arms, then running an empty cycle with a cup of vinegar or a dishwasher cleaner.
Parts people end up buying
Only if the checks above point to a part. Match it to your model number first: it's on a label on the edge of the door or the side of the tub.
- Filter assemblySearch on Amazon
- Drain hoseSearch on Amazon
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Checked against
- LG: troubleshooting an OE error on a dishwasher
- LG: OE error code on a dishwasher
- LG: dishwasher guide to error codes
Last reviewed September 2026. Manufacturers update their pages, and your manual is the final word.