What causes Amana Washer F9 E1?

A kinked, crushed or clogged drain hose (Amana's first check). The drain hose pushed more than 4.5 in (113 mm) into the standpipe or laundry tub, or taped into it with no air gap, so water siphons. A standpipe or drain hose outlet outside Amana's height limits (96 in maximum; Amana's pages give minimums between 30 and 39 in depending on the article and model). A clogged drain pump filter, on front-load models that have one. Clogged drain holes in the front-load door seal (bellow). Too many suds from non-HE detergent or too much detergent. A pinched, kinked, plugged or leaking pressure hose or air trap between the tub and the pressure sensor (from Whirlpool's tech sheet for this control family). A failed or jammed drain pump.

How do I fix Amana Washer F9 E1?

Pause or cancel the cycle, then unplug the washer before you touch the hoses or filter. Keep towels and a shallow pan nearby, because there may still be water in the drum. Pull the washer out and straighten the drain hose. Look for kinks, crushed spots, and anything pinning it against the wall. Check how the hose sits in the standpipe or laundry tub. It shouldn't go in more than 4.5 in (113 mm), it shouldn't be taped or sealed in, and there should be an air gap around it. Use the U-shaped hose form from the install kit. Pull the hose out and make sure the house drain isn't backed up. If the standpipe overflows or drains slowly when you pour water into it, the clog is in the plumbing, not the washer. On a front loader with a drain pump filter (often behind a small door or the bottom drawer), drain the water from the small hose into the pan, then unscrew the filter and clear out lint, coins and hair ties. Screw it back in fully. On a front loader, wipe out the door seal and clear the small drain holes in its lower fold. If you saw a lot of foam, switch to HE detergent at the dose on the label. Plug the washer back in and run a Drain and Spin or Rinse and Spin with no clothes. On top-load HE models Amana says to press Start/Pause once to clear an F# E# code and again to restart; on front loaders, Amana says to unplug for 5 minutes, reconnect, and restart. If the water pumps out and F9 E1 doesn't come back, you've found it.

When should I call a pro for Amana Washer F9 E1?

The hose, house drain, filter and suds are all fine and F9 E1 keeps coming back. You can't hear the drain pump run, or it hums and no water moves. Whirlpool's tech sheet for this control has a drain pump test, but it involves live voltage checks. You suspect the pressure hose, air trap or pressure sensor. They're inside the cabinet. There's a lot of water in the drum and you can't safely get it out through the filter hose. The washer is under warranty. Contact Amana or schedule service rather than opening the cabinet.

Code: F9 E1🧺 Amana Washer

Amana Washer F9 E1 (E1 F9) Error Code: Long Drain Time (Meaning, Causes, Fixes)

Q: What does Amana Washer F9 E1 mean?

F9 E1 on an Amana washer means Long Drain: the washer took too long to pump the water out, typically more than 8 minutes. Many people read it as E1 F9, because the display alternates between the F9 and E1 halves of the code; it's the same error. Start with the drain hose (kinks, clogs, pushed too far into the standpipe, or taped in), then the drain pump filter and door seal drain holes on front loaders, and too many suds. If those are fine, the drain pump or the pressure hose inside the cabinet is next. Amana's front-load error code chart says F9 E1 indicates that drain times are longer than expected, typically over eight (8) minutes, and its top-load drn article calls F9 E1 a drain pump system problem, long drain. These Amana washers use the same F# E# control family as Whirlpool's, and Whirlpool's service tech sheet W10254474B explains the logic: if the drain runs for 8 minutes without the pressure sensor seeing the water drop to its reset level, the valves turn off and the drain pump stops. The washer drains for 4 minutes, pauses 5 minutes, then tries for 4 more minutes before it shows F9E1, while a normal drain takes less than 2 minutes. The same tech sheet says fault codes are displayed by alternately showing the F# and the E#, which is why owners search for E1 F9 as well. Suds slow draining, and a pinched or leaking pressure hose can make the washer think water is still in the tub. Older Amana front loaders with letter codes show nd for the same kind of drain problem instead.

Reviewed 2026-10-25 · Based on 6 manufacturer & service sources

What the code means

Amana's front-load error code chart says F9 E1 indicates that drain times are longer than expected, typically over eight (8) minutes, and its top-load drn article calls F9 E1 a drain pump system problem, long drain. These Amana washers use the same F# E# control family as Whirlpool's, and Whirlpool's service tech sheet W10254474B explains the logic: if the drain runs for 8 minutes without the pressure sensor seeing the water drop to its reset level, the valves turn off and the drain pump stops. The washer drains for 4 minutes, pauses 5 minutes, then tries for 4 more minutes before it shows F9E1, while a normal drain takes less than 2 minutes. The same tech sheet says fault codes are displayed by alternately showing the F# and the E#, which is why owners search for E1 F9 as well. Suds slow draining, and a pinched or leaking pressure hose can make the washer think water is still in the tub. Older Amana front loaders with letter codes show nd for the same kind of drain problem instead.

Likely causes

A kinked, crushed or clogged drain hose (Amana's first check)
The drain hose pushed more than 4.5 in (113 mm) into the standpipe or laundry tub, or taped into it with no air gap, so water siphons
A standpipe or drain hose outlet outside Amana's height limits (96 in maximum; Amana's pages give minimums between 30 and 39 in depending on the article and model)
A clogged drain pump filter, on front-load models that have one
Clogged drain holes in the front-load door seal (bellow)
Too many suds from non-HE detergent or too much detergent
A pinched, kinked, plugged or leaking pressure hose or air trap between the tub and the pressure sensor (from Whirlpool's tech sheet for this control family)
A failed or jammed drain pump

Safe DIY checks

⚠ Before you start

Unplug the appliance (or switch off its breaker) and shut off the water supply valves before removing panels or disconnecting hoses. Keep towels handy for residual water.

Pause or cancel the cycle, then unplug the washer before you touch the hoses or filter. Keep towels and a shallow pan nearby, because there may still be water in the drum.
Pull the washer out and straighten the drain hose. Look for kinks, crushed spots, and anything pinning it against the wall.
Check how the hose sits in the standpipe or laundry tub. It shouldn't go in more than 4.5 in (113 mm), it shouldn't be taped or sealed in, and there should be an air gap around it. Use the U-shaped hose form from the install kit.
Pull the hose out and make sure the house drain isn't backed up. If the standpipe overflows or drains slowly when you pour water into it, the clog is in the plumbing, not the washer.
On a front loader with a drain pump filter (often behind a small door or the bottom drawer), drain the water from the small hose into the pan, then unscrew the filter and clear out lint, coins and hair ties. Screw it back in fully.
On a front loader, wipe out the door seal and clear the small drain holes in its lower fold.
If you saw a lot of foam, switch to HE detergent at the dose on the label.
Plug the washer back in and run a Drain and Spin or Rinse and Spin with no clothes. On top-load HE models Amana says to press Start/Pause once to clear an F# E# code and again to restart; on front loaders, Amana says to unplug for 5 minutes, reconnect, and restart. If the water pumps out and F9 E1 doesn't come back, you've found it.

🛠 When to call a pro

The hose, house drain, filter and suds are all fine and F9 E1 keeps coming back.
You can't hear the drain pump run, or it hums and no water moves. Whirlpool's tech sheet for this control has a drain pump test, but it involves live voltage checks.
You suspect the pressure hose, air trap or pressure sensor. They're inside the cabinet.
There's a lot of water in the drum and you can't safely get it out through the filter hose.
The washer is under warranty. Contact Amana or schedule service rather than opening the cabinet.

Parts that commonly fix it

Always match the part number to your exact model.

⚙

Washer drain pump

Only after the hoses, house drain, filter and suds are ruled out. Match it to your Amana model number.

Search eBay →

⚙

Drain hose

Replace a drain hose that's cracked, crushed, or permanently kinked.

Search eBay →

⚙

Digital multimeter

For a technician-style check of the drain pump circuit with the washer unplugged.

Search eBay →

Sources

Last reviewed 2026-10-25. Always confirm against the manual for your exact model number.

Amana Washer F9 E1 (E1 F9) Error Code: Long Drain Time (Meaning, Causes, Fixes)

What the code means

Likely causes

Safe DIY checks

🛠 When to call a pro

Parts that commonly fix it

Washer drain pump

Drain hose

Digital multimeter

Related codes

Sources