Chosen Solution

The washer displayed the SUD error message, so I left it alone and eventually the message went away and was replaced with error code F02. After research, I found that this error code is due to not draining. I have done all the suggested things to make sure that drain is not plugged up or kinked etc. I cannot find any “clean out” on my model washer. The drum spins freely if I turn it by hand. Is there anything else I can try to get the washer running again? Do I have to get a service technician to come out and look at it?

F/02 error code potential causes Check the drain hose and make sure it is not plugged or kinked Check the electrical connections at the pump and make sure the pump is running. Check the drain pump filter for foreign objects If the above does not correct the problem replace the pump I would start by taking the lower front panel off. There are two bolts, one on each side of the panel, remove those. Once you have the panel removed, you will see a white plastic unit, that is your pump assembly. You should also see a round plug with a plastic tab across the front. That is your coin trap. Open the cap by twisting it counterclockwise and remove it. It may just be clogged. You can download the service manual from from here. and there is further information on here

The following is what fixed my washer.

1. Clean the drain filter, check all hoses for blockage. Including the main hose at bottom where the pump is hooked. Basically clean the whole assembly. result: got me to the wash cycle but still sud and then f02 when it’s time to rinse.
2. Double check if the drain pump is working and verified at the beginning of the cycle that it is efficiently draining water by looking at the outlet.
3. Based of my researh it seems like the sud will show up if it thinks that there are more suds. You can tell this when you hear the drain pump run for about 5 minutes even though there are no more water. After this it will throw the f02 and will not continue to the rinse and spin cycle. I read somewhere about the switch sensor could cause this if there is blockage. Switch sensor is located at the top right corner inside the washer. You will have to remove the top cover as well as the back cover to do this. (quite easy just screws). It has a little black drain hose. I disconnected this hose and follow where it is connected and viola there is a little canister attachment and it is full of gunk. There is only one screw holding it. Take it out and clean the gunk. Make sure the tubing are free of bubbles too by blowing air on it. Including where it attaches to the sensor. Make sure you have a pan when you take out that canister as there will be water there. After doing this my washer worked like a charm! The key is to do all the steps to save you from buying anything else until you are absolutely sure which part is the problem. I know the sensor switch is working because it switches with other steps except when it detects the sud. This alone is an indicator that it is somehow clogged.

One additional tip: set up a bucket under the filter trap housing (say, in the utility drawer underneath the washer) before you open it up, lest ye piddle water all over the floor. You’ll need to unseat the filter/pump assembly and then tip it forward to allow the water to clear the floor of the washer chassis. On the HE3t, it’s secured to the chassis floor with one T20 screw. No need to disconnect the hoses or plugs; there’s enough slack to keep everything connected. Remove the screw, slide the assembly forward out of its mount, then tip it down a little. (There’s a bunch of wires in a plastic frame running laterally in front of the pump/trap assembly. But don’t worry: you already unplugged the power cord, right?) Unscrew the trap cover a little (Don’t remove it completely!) and let the water out. Tighten it back up to stop the flow so you can empty your bucket. (Ours took three or four trips to the slop sink to drain all the way.) When it’s empty, remove the cap and clean out the trap. (Our trophy: one very old, very nasty facecloth.) Slide the pump/trap assembly back into its mount, replace the T20 screw and the lower front panel, and you should be back in the laundry business.

Things I tried:

1. Trap clean out
2. Cleaned all drain tubes
3. Snaked the drain line
4. Drain pump bench test 5 2’ Black hose clear
5. Reservoir with single screw. That’s the one. The reservoir was clogged. Thanks to the previous post. Moral of the story:
6. We’re switching to HE soap. (Duh)
7. Use a very bright light to see if tubes are clogged.

One last thing. Make sure you are prepared for the water that will flow out of the COIN TRAP. I would suggest gently pulling the rubber (red) tabs and lifting the trap up and placing a funnel to drain into a 1 GALLON bowl. I used a plastic cutting sheet to slide under the trap so that the water flowed into the bowl. THERE IS A LOT OF WATER. After it drains there will be an assortment of lost items and goo that will empty into the bowl. I am frankly surprised the thing still worked. I had $1.79 in change and 7 LEGO pieces and about 40 airsoft pellets 5 color catcher sheets along with 1 EURO!. I am still missing a lot of socks…….

I position a trash bag under the pump and let the water run into that. Works well

It was the second time in 8 months that the f02 code was displayed but this time I had the sud message to. First time I cleaned the trap that was really clogged (after 9 years). Second time, opened the trap to find almost nothing so did a little research on the web to find out it was possible the pump or other pipes could be clogged to. I removed the pump, the big black bellows, the evacuation pipe that goes to the drain and cleaned them all. I was surprise about the amount of sh… there was in those (we use he3 soap), put everything back and test ed it, code is back???? Finally, the only pipe I did not remove was the small one that goes to the sensor on top of the machine. This little hose goes from the sensor to a small reservoir behind the tub, it was completely clogged so the sensor never had a good reading about the water level in the time frame set by the control unit. I cleaned this small reservoir (don’t forget to re-attach the wires to it to prevent them to get in the belt) and my washer work perfectly now. Thank’s to every one who posted there experiences, I probably save a few hundred dollard bills just to clean deposit.

I’ve found pennies or dimes in the drain hose that passed by the coin catcher. If its flat against the pump, it stops the water from pumping out. If the change is standing straight, the water drains fine past the coin. The coins will change position which some times allows it to drain and other times not. If thats not it, you may/probably/most likely need a new pump. Once removed, If it, (the pump) moves freely, wobbles or is noise when in use it is worn out. @ $80 off ebay, $140 through sears parts direct. Good Luck and I hope this helps. Jim Farrell, Your Handy Dandy Home Man

F02 Error Code HE3 Elite Washer Solutions to the F 02 error code that’s not in the manual and missed by most tech’s. Don’t replace anything until you do these 3 things. Performing these steps, will most of the time correct the fault causing the F 02 error code. Most technicians and help videos suggest replacing the pump after checking for kinked or blocked hoses and cleaning the LIF(Large Item Filter). More times than not, it’s $150.00 for a new pump that didn’t correct the problem. I’ve done a lot of searching and digging to solve my F 02 error, and I have found what most people, even Technicians, miss. I’m sharing my findings for no gain other than knowing this is going to help someone, (hopefully you). Sorta legal stuff here, some of it might be good for a chuckle though (what I outline here is not a step by step, every step detailed to its max for dummies procedure manual). I offer it for competent, knowledgeable people who understand there is risk of injury involved while blah blah blah… I assume no liability for anything or anyone, and no responsibility for anything, damages or Acts of GOD or anything resulting from, too, or as a result of whether imagined or real, before, while, or after attempting to apply what I describe here. The following information is for educational purposes only. At the bottom, I’ve included a video (not mine), that has some useful information and good visuals of the items I’ve mentioned here. Tools needed (and a few suggestions to make this easier).

T10 & T20 Torx bits. or a 9/32 nut driver (fit all my screws)

An electric screwdriver (a Dewalt) helpful but not an absolute must, a hand driver will work.

Good pair of slip-joint pliers.

Rubber gloves.

A few cotton swabs.

A couple of large towels. There is going to be some water present when you make some disconnections.

A shallow plastic container that can hold a couple of gallons of water.

Large disposable Pie Tin.

Inside the cabinet, stuck to the side, is a manual for your particular machine (unless someone has removed it). It has useful information. It describes procedures related to running diagnostic checks to the electronics of the machine, and other useful information. You’ll see it once the front or back cover is removed. Both covers will need to be removed to perform the following steps.Let’s get started.

1st, unplug the power cord.

Remove the 3 screws from the front panel, there at the bottom, then remove the panel by pulling on it ( a nylon spatula works well to aid in popping it out).You’ll see the pump assembly with a round cap. That’s the LIF, (Large Item Filter) and it turns counterclockwise to remove. The Water In The Tub WILL DRAIN when you remove the LIF. Clean the LIF and inside the housing where it goes. Reinstall it.Next, we need to access the back of the washer. If the hoses are long enough to allow pulling the washer out far enough to get behind it, you can leave them connected (for these maintenance steps).The rear panel removes by removing a handful of screws. Removing the Top of the machine is NOT NECESSARY, but you will need to remove the two screws holding the top of the rear panel that slides under the top cover (it’s easier than it sounds). There is a screw on each side that do not need to be removed as you can see the cutout around them. Remove the screws in the center of the panel.At the very bottom of the tub is a black accordion-like, drain hose that goes from the bottom of the tub to the pump. Using slip joint pliers, at the bottom of the tub, release the clamp and let it slide down the hose. Water will drain when the hose is removed, Rubber gloves, the shallow plastic container, and towels are used here.Removing the hose from the pump is not necessary, but it can be cleaned better if removed. I left mine attached to the pump. Clean the inside of the hose that connects to the drum. There’s a plastic ball (Eco-Ball) inside the hose. This ball must not have any water inside of it. If it does, replace it, since if something gets stuck there, this can wear a hole in the ball.Clean the area around the ball thoroughly. There is a Bypass Hole that should be unobstructed. I used the cotton swabs to clean the groove in the hose that attaches to the tub. You can roll the bottom of it back under to help drain any remaining grit out of the groove.Clean inside the bottom of the drum. Reach your fingers up inside it and feel for anything (gunk). Clean the mating surface where the hose connects. Once everything is cleaned, slip the hose back on and secure it with the spring clamp (holding the clamp up as high as it will go, using the pliers to squeeze it and work it up in steps). Verify the clamp is installed correctly.(Still working in the back) At the bottom edge of the drum is the Water-Level Pressure Switch Air Trap. (W-LPSAT)This has a 1/4 “ black hose connected to it that goes up the cabinet’s left side to the pressure switch, & a couple of green wires attached/wrapped around it.Correct wire routing must be maintained. Taking a picture or 2 can be helpful here.

The W-LPSAT is held on with one screw at the bottom (T10) and a tab to release the (W-LPSAT). Remove the Torx screw (you might have to lay on the floor to see the tab). Release it and gently pull it out (a little water will be there) and unhook the wires and hose. Clean the W-LPSAT thoroughly and reinstall Paying attention to correct wire routing.

CAUTION DON’T BLOW into the switch! you can rupture the rubber diaphragm.GENTLY puffing/blowing into the rubber hose that goes up to the pressure switch, you should be able to hear the switch making and breaking contact. The switch should hold light pressure also.I test ran the unit. A full wash cycle completed successfully without any errors. I then installed the panels.Good Video(not mine) visual of the W-LPSAT tab and other good stuff. I didn’t see anything I haven’t covered —-> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tCaHsu8R…

IF this solved your F 02, I know your days looking brighter, help someone else enjoy a better day…Give a thumbs up or a YES- IF this solved your F 02— and to help this article rise in the ranks of search returns, so it can help other peeps in need :)

signed by——> Nobudyin Particular

You can try to blow on the drain line and dislodge what maybe keeping it from draining.

In addition to emptying out the trap, my holes were clogged a bit so I had to scrub that as well

I had the code too. My problem was a failed pump. It was making a racket and running so hot it smelled like melting plastic. After shutting it down and dismantling the pump I stuck my finger inside to feel the impeller and it was shifting around in a way that didn’t seem right. I think the shaft broke. The good news is the pump was easy to replace myself. I ordered the assembly from Sears Parts Direct for $180 with priority shipping. Got it in 3 days. All parts needed for complete replacement were included. Replacement worked great. Note that you will need to open two heavy duty hose clamps so be prepared ahead of time. If you have car radiator type hose clamp pliers then you should be set. Otherwise you’ll need something like small locking vice grips (what I used). You probably won’t be able to do it with simple pliers because you won’t be able to get enough hands inside to make the hose changes. I was really ticked that the pump only lasted about 4 years on this lightly-used high-end unit. However the ease of repair and part ordering somewhat redeemed Sears. $180 was a bit pricey for this plastic assembly I think but it sure beat $500+ and a 10 day wait to have Sears service fix it. (I have a not so happy story with a Sears dishwasher.)

Wow, my husband and I just got done with the process. It saved us $1500, I was ready to pay out for a new set, but this really does work. Our machine kept getting the error, we took the front piece off and unscrewed the trap and cleaned it out and it is running great. But the one thing that I will say, when the previous person said have many, many towels, be ready to have every one that you have, because we practically flooded out entire laundry room. It is a nasty cleaning but it will save you a bundle. Thanks so much for this wonderful advice, it is so greatly appreciated.

Ours did the same thing as Darin’s machine. When you are standing in front of the machine look to the back right of machine there is a approx. 2 ft. long black tube. It was filled with water. My husband blew into it to clear it out and then the machine started working perfectly again. Now before doing all this we cleaned out the trap too but there was nothing to speak of in it. GOOD LUCK!

Before opening the filter trap use a shop vac to suck out the water remaining in the unit by sucking it through the drain hose at the wall. It will save you from a big mess.

We followed the advice here a few years ago when we first had this problem (today is our second time with this code) and you saved us so much. Our culprit was those delight all in one cloths that Purex came out with. You put the cloth in the washer, it had soap in it, then transferred it with the laundry to the dryer. Apparently they also fit nicely through the little drain in the tub. We of course stopped using the sheets and notified Dial (the main co.) After that first time the machine has run perfectly until this week. This time my husband dragged the washer outside and tried to drain it there. Finally while cleaning it all out he found a handful of those sheets really wedged in one of the hoses. We haven’t used them in years! So I guess like others have said a thorough cleaning may be needed more often! As a preventative measure!!

Thank you so much for the help. However, somewhere in the beginning of this thread, there should be a flood warning or a picture of Noah in his Ark next to a washing machine, some kind of hint. Man socks are so mischievous they escape from the laundry and now they’ve learned to clog washers. What next, take over the world? Thank Again. Harvey

Great advice. Followed all directions and hints given above. Trap was clean and no signs of any blockage anywhere. Pump ran, but was making a little noise and giving little flow out the discharge hose. Spent the $162 for pump and motor assembly and works like a champ. Very easy to install. Thanks for all the help. Gary

Followed the directions and cleaned the trap with success. I don’t have mine with the utility drawer underneath so I used a shallow pan to (slowly) catch the rinse water still in the system (once I dislodged the assembly and tilted it forward). There will be a few gallons, so be prepared to cycle through emptying the pan into a nearby bucket. Also be prepared for the crap you will find in the trap (ugh). Thanks Peter

This was incredibly helpful, thank you so much. Turns out we experienced almost all of the above. At first we thought it was the heavy gunk and debris at the “coin filter”, then the fairly clogged drain line. Finally after going back through the posts noting that the F02 code is a slow drain compared to the timer, we found a bra liner clogging the main drain hose (black flexible pipe under tub). Fair warning - even after draining the water at the filter, when I pulled out the clog the floodgates opened.

Thanks so much for the answers guys. I was able to take off the front cover, unscrew/drain the coin trap and find a disgusting sock in there, completely clogging it! Cancelled the appliance repair guy just in time. Catching the water as it comes out of that trap is tricky, and I missed a lot of it. There’s probably a better way, but I just stuck folded towels under the plug as I unscrewed it.

This was great help to me. I wasn’t able to download the repair guide, but the blow-out parts document gave me what I needed with a bit of studying. Mine was fixed by cleaning out the screw-out drain - and I found about $3 in change to boot! Thanks to all

BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHIGN— CHECK THIS FIRST!!! —CHECK THE DRAIN HOSE ON ‘‘OUTSIDE ‘‘OF the MACHINE!!! I went thru all the above and mine still would not drain (could hear drain pump working) turns out the DRAIN HOSE ON BACK was totally clogged with sludge of 15 years of washes cleaned it out and all is good!!!! (it wasnt any of the other items people mentioned)

call a service technician, a real pro will have your washer up and running, fast.