- Appliances
- Dryers
drn
LG drn on a tumble dryer: condensed water cannot drain away
Risk level
Low
Usually safe to check without specialist tools.
Urgency
Medium
Quick answer
On LG heat pump dryers, drn (sometimes OE) means the water removed from the laundry cannot leave the machine. Empty the water container and push it fully home, straighten the drain hose, and on a brand new dryer prime the drain pump with water.
Safety first
Stop and check this first
- Unplug the dryer and put a shallow pan in place before opening the drain hose cap; more water may come out than you expect.
- LG warns that very hot water can cause burns or damage the dryer; thaw with lukewarm water and a towel only.
Safe checks you can perform
- Empty the container and click it back in
- Drain hose straight, low and with a free end
- Drain residual water after a stopped cycle
- Thaw the drain hose in a cold room
Leave these tasks to a qualified professional
- Do not attempt this professional task: Drain pump and condensate path inspection
- Do not attempt this professional task: Test cycle past the 20 minute mark
What a technician must be able to justify
Technician visit
These are the steps they must carry out and show you. Tick them as they work: if steps are skipped, do not accept a part swap.
These are not instructions for opening or handling the equipment yourself. They are the checks that should support a technical conclusion.
Drain pump and condensate path inspection
What they doWhen the container is empty, the hose is clear and the dryer still stops 10 to 20 minutes after restarting, the technician checks the drain pump and the condensate path inside the machine.
They must show youthe drain pump running in the service test and water reaching the container or hose.
In writingthe code read, what was blocking drainage, any part replaced and the test result.
Test cycle past the 20 minute mark
What they doAfter the repair, the technician runs the dryer for longer than it used to take for drn to return and confirms the water is pumped away.
They must show youthe dryer running beyond 20 minutes with no drn and water being removed.
In writinghow long the test ran, any code seen and the date.
Before accepting a part or repair
Nothing has been shown yet. Do not accept a part swap based on the code alone.
Follow these steps
Note: Follow the documented order. An error code identifies the affected system, but it does not prove by itself which part has failed.
Empty the container and click it back in
- Who:
- you, with the dryer switched off at the button.
- How:
- hold the water container level with both hands and slide it out slowly so it does not spill. Empty it completely, then push it back into its compartment until you hear a click. LG suggests checking it is empty before every load.
- Result that matters:
- an empty container locked in place.
- If it was full or loose:
- with it seated properly, restart the programme.
- If it was empty and fully in:
- move on to the drain hose.
- Evidence to keep:
- photo of the display showing drn and of the refitted container.
Evidence: LG Dryer - Error Code List(New)
Drain hose straight, low and with a free end
- Who:
- you, on dryers that drain through a hose.
- How:
- follow the hose from the dryer to the drain and remove any sharp bends, folds or flattened sections. The highest point must be no more than 1 metre above the floor and the end must not be under water; let it hang down onto a hard, even surface.
- Result that matters:
- a hose with no kinks, below 1 metre and with its end clear of water.
- If it was kinked, too high or submerged:
- fix it and try another cycle.
- If the hose was fine:
- drain any residual water as described next.
- Evidence to keep:
- photo of the full hose route.
Evidence: LG Dryer - Error Code List(New)
Drain residual water after a stopped cycle
- Who:
- you, with a shallow pan ready.
- How:
- select the Air Dry cycle, press Start/Pause and switch the dryer off after 2 to 3 minutes. On models with a drain hose, unplug the dryer, place the pan in front, take the hose off its bracket, turn the cap anticlockwise, let the water run out, close the cap firmly and clip the hose back.
- Result that matters:
- trapped water released and the cap tightly closed.
- If drn does not come back:
- keep using the dryer and empty the container after each load.
- If the dryer stops again 10 to 20 minutes after restarting:
- LG says it needs inspection.
- Evidence to keep:
- note of how many minutes pass before the code returns.
Evidence: LG Dryer - Error Code List(New)
Thaw the drain hose in a cold room
- Who:
- you, only if the dryer has been exposed to frost.
- How:
- if the dryer stands somewhere unheated and it has been freezing, wrap the frozen part of the drain hose in a towel soaked in warm water for about 10 minutes. If you use the water container and it is frozen, soak it in warm water until the ice melts.
- Result that matters:
- hose and container free of ice before you switch on again.
- If there was ice:
- once thawed, the code should not appear within the first 10 minutes of running.
- If there was no ice or drn persists:
- go back to the container and hose checks.
- Evidence to keep:
- note of the room temperature where the dryer stands.
Evidence: [LG Dryer] Troubleshooting Frozen Dryers · [LG Dryer Error Code][Wash Tower] OE error appears.
Still not solved
If the error persists, stop here. See what the technician must do and show you.
Where this code applies
A code is meaningful only inside the right product and version context.
Primary scope
- System
- Appliances
- Brand
- LG
- Product type
- Dryers
Known code variants
- d r n
- DRN
- drn/OE
- error drn secadora LG
- LG dryer drn
- LG dryer drn error
- LG dryer empty water container
- LG dryer not draining drn
- LG dryer stops drn
- LG heat pump dryer drn
- LG secadora drn
- LG secadora se para drn
- OE
- secadora LG bomba de calor drn
- secadora LG no desagua drn
- Vaciar recipiente de agua LG
What it means
LG's dryer error code list (Levant support site, August 2025) says the dryer stops with drn or OE for three reasons: a full water container, a drain hose that is kinked or pressed, and a drain pump filled with air. LG USA's frozen dryer guide (August 2025) adds that residual water freezing in cold weather can stop the pump. The steps below come from those pages and may differ on your model. A drn reading on its own does not prove the drain pump has failed.
Warnings and stop conditions
- Loweditorial warning
Unplug the dryer and put a shallow pan in place before opening the drain hose cap; more water may come out than you expect.
Evidence: LG Dryer - Error Code List(New)
- Lowsource verified
LG warns that very hot water can cause burns or damage the dryer; thaw with lukewarm water and a towel only.
Evidence: [LG Dryer] Troubleshooting Frozen Dryers · [LG Dryer Error Code][Wash Tower] OE error appears.
Symptoms and causes
Probable causes · in order
- Water container full or not seatedCommon
Water taken out of the laundry collects in a container; when it is full or not pushed all the way in, the dryer stops and shows drn or OE.
Evidence: LG Dryer - Error Code List(New)
- Drain hose kinked, raised or submergedPossible
Vibration makes the dryer shift slightly and the hose can twist; LG adds that its top must stay within 1 metre of the floor and its end must not sit in water.
Evidence: LG Dryer - Error Code List(New)
- Air trapped in the drain pumpPossible
LG lists a drain pump filled with air as one of the three causes, which stops the water from being pushed out.
Evidence: LG Dryer - Error Code List(New)
- Residual water frozen insideLess common
In cold winter weather the water left inside can freeze so the drain pump cannot run, and the dryer stops within about 10 minutes.
Evidence: [LG Dryer] Troubleshooting Frozen Dryers · [LG Dryer Error Code][Wash Tower] OE error appears.
Virtual technician
Does drn still appear after these checks?
Answer a few questions to narrow down the likely cause and the safest next action. Guidance only - it never replaces a professional.
Sources and technical references
- 1
LG Dryer - Lista de códigos de error (Nuevo)
LG Electronics · 2025 · official_doc
- 2
LG Electronics · 2025 · official_doc
- 3
LG Dryer - Error Code List(New)
LG Electronics · 2025 · official_doc
- 4
[LG Dryer] Troubleshooting Frozen Dryers
LG Electronics · 2025 · official_doc
- 5
[LG Dryer Error Code][Wash Tower] OE error appears.
LG Electronics · 2025 · official_doc
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