AE: Leak / aqua error
- Leak In Base
- Float Switch
The Tools to Test + Fix With
You don't need a shop full of tools — you need these. The multimeter is the one that pays for itself the first time it stops you buying the wrong part on a fault code.
Digital multimeter
Test a suspect part for continuity BEFORE you buy — the single best way to avoid replacing the wrong thing on a fault code.
🔎 On Amazon →Nut driver set (¼" + 5⁄16")
Most appliance panels are held on with ¼" and 5⁄16" hex screws.
🔎 On Amazon →Screwdriver set (Phillips/flat/Torx)
Covers the odd panel screw and the Torx fasteners many brands use.
🔎 On Amazon →The Fix — Free Checks First, Then the Part
Work top-down: the free checks before you spend a dime, and test to confirm the part is actually bad before you buy. When it is a part, you get both options — the genuine OEM part sourced through us and shipped to your door, or a budget aftermarket part on Amazon. Your call.
No part — dry the base & cut suds
Soak the water out of the base pan so the float drops, and cut back detergent/rinse-aid if it's sudsing. Clears a one-time AE.
✅ No part needed — try this firstFix the leak source (hose / gasket / sump)
If AE returns fast, water is still entering the base — check the door gasket, hose clamps, and sump, then replace the failed part.
Prices shown are typical aftermarket ranges and vary by brand and model — genuine OEM is priced by quote when you request it. Amazon links open a search so you can match your exact model number; as an Amazon Associate, Appliance Ant may earn from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you. Always confirm the part fits your model.
Safe to Try · Know the Risk · Call a Pro
General guidance, not professional advice. Always unplug the appliance (or shut off the gas/water) before you check anything. If it feels beyond you, that's exactly when to get a pro.
✅ Safe to try yourself
- Turn it off and soak the water out of the base pan so the float drops.
- Cut back detergent if it's oversudsing.
- Restart — if AE clears and stays gone, it was a one-time spill.
⚠️ Doable — know the risk
- Tracing and replacing a leaking gasket/hose — moderate; power and water off.
🛑 Call a pro — don't touch this
- A leak you can't locate, or water reaching the wiring/control.
The Honest Call
Often free — AE is frequently a drained-pan reset. A real recurring leak means a $15–70 part.
In Middle Tennessee or Louisiana?
Don't want to DIY it? Our own family of technicians will come clear that AE for you — honest flat pricing, usually same-day, 4.5★ from 1,000+ neighbors.
🔧 Get it fixed by our techs →