When the lid will not lock
F5E2 shows up when the washer tries to lock the lid for a spin and fails, so the cycle stalls rather than spin with an unsecured lid.
The meaning in one line
The Cactus Appliance washer code guide groups the pair: "The lid cannot lock (F5E2) or unlock (F5E3)." The same mechanical part — the lid lock — sits behind both failure directions.
Release, then restart
The source's fix is: "Nothing on the lid or in the slot; unplug two minutes to release it. A repeat is the lid lock." That is the useful detail — clearing the strike slot and cutting power for two minutes may free a stuck lock, but a code that keeps returning points at the lock itself rather than a one-off jam.
Non-official repair reference — this page is an independent summary of a technician's guide, not a Whirlpool or Maytag service manual.
Source
Source: Cactus Appliance — Whirlpool and Maytag Washer Error Codes · Checked 2026-11-12.