Samsung groups 1E and LE under water-level or leakage warnings. Confirm the characters, then look for escaping water before considering a repair.
Water outside the washer changes the next step
If water is escaping, stop using the washer. Do not cross a wet floor to reach a plug or run an empty cycle to test an active leak. Close an accessible supply valve only from a dry, safe position.
Record whether the display begins with the number 1, capital I or letter L. A search typed as “IE” cannot settle that question. The U.S. Samsung reference lists IE separately as a system error.
Choose the branch you can confirm
There is a visible leak
Describe where water first appears and when filling, washing or draining was occurring. Keep floor containment separate from identifying the failed component. A puddle does not establish a sensor failure.
No leak is visible
Record “no visible leak,” rather than “no leak.” Look only at accessible hose routing and the outside of the machine. Hidden areas remain unchecked. Do not remove covers to search for moisture.
The first character or model interpretation is uncertain
Obtain the matching manual or ask Samsung to interpret the display against the full model. Preserve the original photo. Do not change the recorded string to make a search result fit.
Before a sensor or valve is ordered
Ask the service provider which observation and model-specific finding support the proposed part. This guide does not establish an exact-model error definition, a replacement part or an internal test.
Evidence and applicability
Samsung Electronics America: Samsung washing machine information and error codes. Section: 1E, LE, 1C, LC, LC1, 1 1C, 1 LC: Water level or leakage error. Reviewed October 15, 2026.
This U.S. support reference does not enumerate every applicable model. This guide covers the stated display and owner observations. Exact-model internal diagnosis, reset sequences and replacement-part compatibility have not been established.