Window AC Error Codes: Frigidaire, LG, Midea and GE

By Ray Bennett · Updated 24 September 2026 · 6 min read · Checked against the sources at the end

Window AC Error Codes: Frigidaire, LG, Midea and GE

Short answer

Most window and portable air conditioner codes are a sensor, which a one minute unplug sometimes clears, or water: P1 on Frigidaire and Midea means the bottom tray is full, and CH04 or FL on LG means more condensate than the unit can get rid of. Frigidaire's F1 and F2 are freeze protection. GE does not publish its codes at all and says every one means service.

A window or portable air conditioner shows a code on its small display when it stops. Most codes are a sensor or a board, a few mean the unit is full of water, and one light is only a reminder to clean the filter.

This page brings together what four makers say on their own help pages: Frigidaire’s room air conditioner articles, LG USA’s guide to air conditioner error codes, Midea’s portable air conditioner answers and GE Appliances’ note on error codes. They do not share one code list, so the brand matters.

Before you start

What to carry: a shallow pan or a towel, and a torch. Ten minutes.

Gas or electric? Electric. A window or portable unit is one box with its own compressor.

Reset it first. Frigidaire’s answer to most codes is to unplug the unit for up to 30 seconds and plug it back in. For a lit display that will not respond, it says unplug for one full minute. GE says a minute or two.

Know whether yours can be repaired. GE says its portable air conditioners and most of its window units are not serviceable and have no repair parts. Check the owner’s manual for the warranty before paying for a diagnosis.

Two things Frigidaire is firm about. Test the plug if it trips. Frigidaire says its air conditioners have a plug with a current leakage detection device, and not to use the unit if the plug’s test fails. The steps are below.

Never drill the base. Frigidaire says never to drill holes in the bottom of a room air conditioner to let water out. Unplug the unit before draining it or cleaning the filter.

Frigidaire’s codes

Code	What Frigidaire says it means	What Frigidaire says to do
AS	Room temperature thermistor failed	Unplug up to 30 seconds; call if it returns
ES	Indoor defrost thermistor or humidity sensor failure	Unplug up to 30 seconds; call if it returns
HS	Air discharge thermistor failed	Unplug up to 30 seconds; call if it returns
P1	The bottom tray is full	Drain it through the bottom plug, then reset
F1	Freeze protection engaged	Unplug up to 30 seconds; call if it returns
F2	Freeze protection	Let it defrost for 5 minutes
EC	Communications error	Unplug up to 30 seconds; call if it returns
LC	Communication error between indoor and outdoor units	Unplug up to 30 seconds; call if it returns
Filter light	Reminder after 250 hours of running	Clean the filter, press Filter Reset

The water codes

Three makers, three codes, one cause: water the unit could not get rid of.

Check 1Free, fifteen minutes

Drain it the maker's way

Frigidaire P1. Frigidaire says the bottom tray is full. Carefully move the unit to a place it can drain, remove the bottom drain plug and let the water run out, tilting it if needed. Then unplug it for up to 30 seconds to reset. The tray may already be full the first time it runs in a season.

Midea P1 on a portable. Midea says the bottom tray is full: connect the drain hose and drain the water away. If the code keeps coming back, Midea says to call for service.

LG CH04 or FL on a window or portable unit. LG says these units are designed to let condensate evaporate, and on rainy or humid days there can be more than they get rid of. Cooling still works. To drain it, unplug the unit, set a bowl of about 1.5 liters under the drain port at the lower rear, take off the cap and let it drain, then screw the cap back on.

If it happens even on dry days. LG says a CH04 or FL that keeps coming back in dry weather means the unit needs inspection.

Water dripping outside. Frigidaire calls it normal, especially when it is humid. Water dripping into the room, Frigidaire says, means an installation problem, so check the installation instructions: what else goes wrong with a window unit.

The filter light and the plug

Frigidaire's test for the safety device on the power cord. If the reset button does not pop up on test, the unit should not be used.

Check 2Free, twenty minutes

Clean the filter, test the plug

The filter light. Frigidaire says it comes on after 250 hours of running. Unplug the unit, take the filter out and wash it, let it dry, plug the unit back in and press Filter Reset.

The plug test. Press RESET on the plug head, plug the cord in, press TEST and the reset button should pop up, then press RESET to use the unit. Frigidaire says not to use the air conditioner if the test fails.

No power at all. Frigidaire’s list: check the outlet works with a small appliance such as a radio or a hair dryer, reset a GFCI outlet if it has tripped, check the breaker after a power cut, and check the reset button on the cord.

LG, Midea and GE

Check 3Free, five minutes

Find your brand's answer

LG. LG’s codes start with CH. Besides CH04 and FL, its guide covers mode conflicts, low refrigerant, fans and communication across its range: what LG’s CH codes mean.

Midea portable units. Midea lists E1 as the room temperature sensor, E2 the evaporator temperature sensor, E3 the condenser temperature sensor on some models, and E4 a display panel communication error.

GE. GE says its codes are there to help service technicians, that it does not publish a list because they all indicate a service issue, and to unplug the unit for a minute or two to try a reset. It names EP as one of them.

When to stop

Check 4A service call or a new unit

Know when to stop

A sensor code that comes back. AS, ES, HS, E1, E2 and E3 are sensors. Frigidaire says to contact it for support if a code returns after a reset.

F1 and F2 that keep returning. Freeze protection that trips again and again after a clean filter and a defrost needs a technician: why a portable or window unit stops cooling.

A new unit that misbehaves. Frigidaire says that for a unit installed in the last 30 days, go back to the installer, and after that, contact Frigidaire for service.

When repair is not worth it. GE says most of its window units and all its portable units have no repair parts, so a failed sensor or board can mean a replacement under warranty or a new unit.

What each one costs

The fix	Cost
Unplug and reset	Nothing
Tray drained, filter washed	Nothing
GFCI or breaker reset	Nothing
Sensor or board on a serviceable unit	A service call
A unit with no repair parts	Warranty, or a new unit

Questions people ask

What does P1 mean on a Frigidaire air conditioner?

The bottom tray is full of water. Move the unit to a place it can drain, remove the bottom drain plug, tilt it to empty, then unplug it for up to 30 seconds to reset.

What does AS mean on a Frigidaire?

The room temperature thermistor has failed. Frigidaire says to unplug the unit for up to 30 seconds, and to contact it if the code comes back.

What do F1 and F2 mean?

Freeze protection. For F1, Frigidaire says to reset by unplugging. For F2, let the unit defrost for 5 minutes, and call if it returns.

What does FL mean on an LG window or portable AC?

The same as CH04: more condensate than the unit can evaporate, common on humid days. Unplug it and drain it through the port at the lower rear. Cooling still works meanwhile.

How do I reset my window air conditioner?

Unplug it, wait, and plug it back in. Frigidaire says up to 30 seconds for most codes and a full minute if the display is lit but will not respond. GE says a minute or two.

Why is the filter light on?

On a Frigidaire it comes on after 250 hours of running. Wash the filter, let it dry, refit it and press Filter Reset.

Sources: Frigidaire room air conditioner support articles, LG USA "Guide to Error Codes", Midea portable air conditioner FAQ, GE Appliances "Air Conditioner - Error, Fault or Function Codes"