What to check yourself
Step 1. Look for the leak before anything else
Pull the machine out and check with a torch: the hose connections at the back, the drain hose where it joins the machine, and the filter cap at the bottom front, which is the single most common source because it is left half a turn loose after cleaning. Dry everything, run a short rinse and watch.
Unplug the machine before reaching behind or underneath it. Water and a live circuit are the reason this code exists.
Step 2. Check the filter cap and its seal
Take the cap out, wipe the rubber seal and the housing clean, and refit it firmly. Grit on the seal is enough to let a slow drip past, and a slow drip is exactly what the sensor in the base pan finds.
Step 3. Rule out a suds overflow
Too much detergent pushes foam out through the dispenser and past the door seal, and the machine reads that as a leak. Run a cycle with no detergent at all. If the code stays away, the answer was dosing rather than damage.
Step 4. Dry out the base pan and reset
Once the source is fixed the sensor stays triggered until it dries. Leave the machine unplugged with the door open overnight, and towel out what you can reach through the filter opening.
What a technician will look at
Described so you know what you are paying for, not as steps to repeat.
Sensor, tub seal or a cracked component
If nothing is wet and the code persists, the leak sensor or its wiring has failed, which is a modest repair. If the machine is genuinely leaking from underneath, the source is usually the tub seal or a split sump, and that is where repair costs start to approach the price of a new machine.
When to call a technician
Straight away if water is coming from underneath the machine rather than from a connection you can see and tighten. Also call if the code stays after the machine has been dried out thoroughly.
What the repair costs
| Repair | Part only | Fitted by a technician |
|---|---|---|
| Tightening the filter cap or a hose connection | - | Free |
| Leak sensor or wiring repair | - | $120 to $300 |
| Tub seal or sump replacement | - | $300 to $600 |
A new machine of the same class runs $500 to $1,500. Once a quote passes about a third of that on an older appliance, the repair stops making sense.
Codes people confuse this with
Questions people ask
- There is no water anywhere. Why does it say there is a leak?
- Two ordinary reasons. Either the machine leaked once, the pan is still damp and the sensor has not cleared, or the sensor itself has failed. Dry it out overnight with the door open before assuming the worst.
- Is LE on a Samsung the same as LE on an LG?
- No, and this trips people up constantly. On a Samsung, LE belongs to the leak and water level group. On an LG, LE means the motor is locked. Same two letters, completely different repair, so check which badge is on the machine before buying a part.
Which machines this applies to
Applies to
Samsung front load and top load washers. The same condition is shown as 1E or LE on older machines and 1C or LC on newer ones; four digit displays add a leading 1, as in 1 1C.
Last checked
2026-08-09