The answer first
On a Whirlpool washer, FAE1 Error Code points at the shipping bolts. The transit fittings that hold the drum rigid in the crate are still fitted, and the machine has noticed that the drum cannot move the way it should.
Error codes
Reference| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| FAE1 Error Code | Potential Cause: Shipping Bolts Installed |
What you observe
- The code appears on the first cycle after delivery or a move — That timing is the signature. A machine that worked last week and was moved yesterday is the classic case.
- The machine is unusually loud and hardly moves — With the drum held rigid the whole cabinet shakes instead of the drum, so the noise is a hard knocking rather than the usual rumble.
- NEAR MISS — the machine walks across the floor — A machine that moves too much has the opposite problem. Unlevel feet or a loose lock nut.
Ranked causes
- The transit bolts or braces were never removed — Ranked first because it is exactly what the code says, and because it is the normal outcome of a self-installation or a delivery that stopped at the doorstep.
- They were refitted for a move and not taken out again — Anyone moving a washer properly puts the fittings back in. Taking them out again is the step that gets forgotten at the other end.
- The suspension is seized or damaged so the drum cannot move — Last: a machine run with the bolts in for a while, or one dropped in transit, can have genuine suspension damage that looks identical to the control.
What to check first, and why
- Look at the back of the machine for bolt heads — The transit bolts are large and obvious on the rear panel, usually three or four of them, and they are the first thing to check.
- Check the manual for what shipped with the machine — Bolts, spacers, foam blocks and a strap all appear on different models. The manual lists what has to come out.
- Check the machine is level once the fittings are out — Removing the bolts is only half the installation. A machine that is not level will produce balance codes next.
The steps you can do yourself
- Switch off at the breaker and pull the machine forward — You need access to the rear panel and enough room to work. Have somewhere to put the bolts, because they are worth keeping for the next move.
Tools: towelAbout 20 min
- Remove the transit bolts and any spacers or foam — They usually take a spanner or a socket. Take them all out, and fit the blanking plugs the manual supplies in the holes they leave.
Tools: spanner, socket setAbout 30 min
- STOP HERE if the next step needs a meter on live terminals or a panel off — That is the line between an owner check and a service call on this circuit.
Before any panel comes off
Safety
Unplug the washer or switch off its breaker before any panel comes off, and close both taps at the wall. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Drain the drum through the pump filter into a shallow pan before you tip or move the machine, and never defeat the door or lid interlock to reach into a drum that can turn.
Where the owner checks end
Call if the fittings are demonstrably out, the machine is level, and the code still appears. At that point the drum genuinely cannot move as designed, which means the suspension or the bearing rather than the packaging, and both need the machine opened.
Codes next to this one
What this page does and does not cover
This page reads FAE1 Error Code as Whirlpool documents it for washers in this range, so it covers the appliance class rather than one model line: a front-loader, a top-loader and a combination washer-dryer can all post it, and the part it names is not in the same place on all three. Where a family- or model-specific page exists for your unit it is the more specific answer, and it is linked from the code index below.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
