LG Dishwasher Flashing AE? Here's Why It's Leaking and What to Fix

Your LG dishwasher just stopped mid-cycle, the AE error code is blinking at you, and there may be water pooling under the unit. Yeah, that's not great — but it's also not a death sentence for your machine.

What's Actually Going On

The AE error code on an LG dishwasher means the leak sensor has been triggered. LG builds a float sensor into the base pan of the dishwasher — the drip tray at the very bottom of the unit. When water leaks internally and collects in that tray, the float rises, the sensor trips, and the dishwasher kills the cycle and throws the AE code. It's actually a smart safety feature. Annoying in the moment, useful in the long run.

Now here's where most people go wrong: they see "leak sensor" and assume the sensor itself is broken. Most of the time, it's not. The sensor is doing exactly what it's supposed to do — telling you water got somewhere it shouldn't. The real question is where the water is coming from. And nine times out of ten with LG dishwashers, the culprit behind an LG dishwasher leaking situation like this is the drain pump.

The drain pump on LG dishwashers is responsible for pushing dirty water out of the tub and through the drain line. When the pump's seal wears out, cracks, or the pump housing itself develops a fracture, water starts dripping down into the base pan during wash cycles. It's slow enough that you might not notice it for a while — until one day the float sensor has had enough and you get the AE code. By this point, there's probably a decent puddle under your dishwasher whether you can see it or not.

The Fix

Before you replace anything, you need to confirm the drain pump is the source of the leak. Here's how to work through it:

1. Kill the power. Unplug the dishwasher or flip the breaker. Do not skip this.
2. Pull the unit out from under the counter enough to access the bottom panel.
3. Remove the base pan cover and dry out any standing water in the drip tray. Use towels or a wet vac.
4. Locate the drain pump — it's typically mounted at the bottom rear of the tub interior, accessible from below.
5. Inspect the pump housing and seal for visible cracks, corrosion, or soft/degraded rubber.
6. Run a short test cycle (or just let water fill) and watch where the drip originates. If it's coming from the pump area, you've found your guy.

If the drain pump is leaking, you need part number 5859ER1002B — that's the OEM LG dishwasher drain pump, and we stock it here at YAP. Swap the pump out, reseat the drain hose connections, and make sure to reset the leak sensor float back to its resting position before buttoning everything up. Once the base pan is dry and the pump is replaced, the AE error should clear on its own after a successful cycle.

Genuine LG parts matter here — aftermarket drain pumps are hit or miss on seal quality, and a bad seal is literally what got you into this mess.

When to Call YAP vs. DIY

DIY it if you're comfortable pulling the dishwasher out, working from the bottom panel, and handling basic electrical disconnects. The 5859ER1002B swap is intermediate-level — totally doable in an afternoon with the right part in hand.

Call YAP if you've dried out the base pan, replaced the drain pump, and the AE error keeps coming back — that points to a secondary leak source like a door gasket, inlet valve, or cracked tub, and you'll want a second set of eyes before throwing more parts at it.

Swing by the Piedmont shop and we'll have 5859ER1002B ready for you, or shoot us a text at 405-876-8100 and we'll confirm stock before you make the drive. We're not gonna let a blinking error code ruin your week.