The water level in a Haier HLC1700AXW is set by the load and the options, and Haier's manual lists a Water + option among the available options, alongside Presoak, Prewash, Ex Rinse and Delay. The unit reports a level fault as E4 (after 8 minutes the selected level has not been reached: check plumbing and hose connections), FA (water level sensor circuit problem, service needed) and E8 (the water is above the warning level). A low level with no code is most often low household water pressure, closed taps or flood-safe hoses that restrict flow.
Differential
Likely causes of “Haier HLC1700 washer/dryer combo uses very little water or the water level looks wrong”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Low supply pressure or partly closed taps
What separates it A shallow fill and E4 show because of low supply pressure or partly closed taps
How to confirm Open the taps fully, and check the pressure at another faucet
- 2
Flood-safe hoses
What separates it There is a slow fill and Err5 because flood safe hoses are fitted
How to confirm Use standard hoses, and remove any flood safe hoses
- 3
A small load
What separates it The unit uses less water because the load is small
How to confirm Load normally; use Water + if you want more water
- 4
A level sensor circuit fault
What separates it FA shows because of a fault in the level sensor circuit
How to confirm Stop running the unit, and call service, since a level sensor fault needs a technician
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether Water Plus was selected for the cycle
Try in this order
0 of 5 completedOpen the taps
ReversibleOpen the taps, by opening both fully, before you start the cycle again, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check the hoses
ReversibleCheck the hoses, and use only straight, standard hoses on the unit, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Try Water +
ReversibleTry Water Plus, which is an available option on many of the cycles, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Check pressure
ReversibleCheck the pressure, by testing the other faucets in the house, and then test again to see whether it helped.
Read the code
ReversibleRead the code, since E4, FA and E8 each mean something different, so check Haier's chart.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Levels and codes together
- Haier's error table includes three level-related entries: E4 (after 8 minutes the selected water level has not been reached, check plumbing and hose connections), E8 (the water is above the warning level) and FA (water level sensor circuit problem). E4 is the one an owner can act on; E8 and FA both say stop running and service needed.
- Pressure and connection notes
- Haier's specification gives the working water pressure as 4.4 to 145 psi (30 to 1000 kPa), so household pressure below that range, or a Y-adapter sharing the supply, can lower the fill. Haier's combination chart also warns that flood-safe hoses restrict flow, and a restricted flow is the usual cause of a level that never reaches the selected mark.
- Water + and the cycle guide
- The Cycle Guide notes that not all options and settings are available for all cycles, so Water + may not be offered on a given cycle. If the option is missing from the cycle you chose, the level is simply what that cycle sets, and choosing another cycle or the Presoak option is the way to change it rather than a fault to repair.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the HWD100 combination washer/dryer.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If FA or E8 shows, stop running the unit and call Haier service on 1-877-337-3639
- !If E4 returns after fixing the supply, call service
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Haier's own manual for this unit, read from the operating instructions through the warranty, 2026-09-25.
Haier's own error-code table for its combination washer/dryers.
Haier's own support-content articles, each.
Haier's product page and a dealer listing for the capacity, cycle counts and dimensions.
Exact questions
Common questions
What does Water + do?+
It is a listed option that adds water to the cycle.
What does FA mean?+
A water level sensor circuit problem; stop running and call service.
Why is the level low?+
Low pressure, closed taps, flood-safe hoses or a small load.
Do I add water?+
No, do not add water yourself, since the unit adds the amount that it needs.