TCL window AC troubleshooting: E1/E2 codes, not cooling, dripping, won’t start

Start here

• E1 or E2 on the display: TCL says a sensor has failed. There’s nothing for you to reset or clean. Contact TCL customer service.
• Won’t start: check the plug, the fuse or breaker, and the RESET button on the power-cord plug, and allow about 3 minutes after power returns.
• Runs but doesn’t cool well: check for blocked airflow, the set temperature, the filter, and ice on the coils.
• Water dripping inside the room: the unit isn’t tilted correctly. It should slope slightly down from front to back.

Each of these is explained below, along with what’s normal and when to stop and call for service.

E1 or E2 on the display

TCL’s tables list “E1” and “E2” together with one cause, a sensor has failed, and one solution, contact customer service. They don’t say which sensor each code means, and they don’t suggest any reset.

Don’t open the unit to look for the sensor. Note the code and your model and serial numbers before you call. They’re on the unit’s model and serial number label; the label’s position varies by model, and your manual’s electrical-requirements section says where it is.

Which documents list E1/E2:

Your model	E1/E2 in TCL’s table?
TAW08CR19, TAW08CREB19W, TAW10CR19, TAW12CR19, TAW15CRE19	Yes
TAW…0N and TAW…0W models, TAW12CRB19, and 6W3ER1, 8W3ER1, 10W31, 10W3E1, 12W31, 12W3E1, 15W3E1-A, 15W9E1-A (window quick-start guides)	Yes
TWC-15CR/UH, TWC-18CR2/UH, TWC-22CR2/UH, TWC-24CR2/UH	Yes
TTW-…/UF and W…T9…-A through-the-wall units	Yes
TWC-06CR/UH, TWC-08CR/UH, TWC-10CR/UH, TWC-12CR/UH	No
TAW05CR19, TAW05CRB19, TAW06CR19	No

If a unit whose manual has no E1/E2 row shows a code, its manual has no explanation for it. Contact TCL support rather than relying on another model’s table.

The air conditioner won’t start

Work through these in order:

1. Plug. Make sure the plug is pushed fully into the wall outlet. TCL says to plug into a grounded 3-prong outlet. Don’t use an extension cord or a plug adapter, and don’t remove the ground prong.
2. Fuse or breaker. Check your home’s fuse or circuit-breaker box. Replace the fuse or reset the breaker if it has blown or tripped.
3. Power cut. After a power failure, the unit restarts by itself when power comes back. Allow about 3 minutes: TCL’s protective delay holds off normal cooling for around 3 minutes after the unit is turned back on.
4. RESET on the power-cord plug. The plug has TEST and RESET buttons. It’s a leakage-current safety device (LCDI): TCL explains that it cuts power to the unit if the cord is damaged and leaks current. Before you reset it, look along the cord. If the cord is cut, crushed or scorched, don’t press RESET; see the stop point below. Otherwise press RESET; TCL says you’ll hear a click when the unit is ready.
5. Remote. If the unit starts from its own Power button but not from the remote, see the remote section below.

Stop and call a qualified technician if the RESET button won’t stay engaged. TCL says to stop using the air conditioner in that case. Also stop if the power cord is damaged: TCL says a damaged cord must be replaced and that opening the plug’s sealed case voids the warranty. Don’t use the cord as an on/off switch.

It runs but doesn’t cool as it should

TCL’s table lists these causes, roughly from quickest to check:

• Airflow is blocked. Move curtains, blinds or furniture away from the front of the unit.
• The set temperature is too high. Lower it with ▼. The range is 61 to 88 °F.
• The filter is dirty. Unplug the unit, then clean the filter as described in TCL’s care section: wash it in warm soapy water or vacuum it, and let it dry completely.
• The room was very warm to begin with. Give it time to cool after you switch on.
• Cold air is escaping. Close open furnace registers and cold-air returns in the room.
• The coils have iced up. See the next section.

It’s also worth checking the mode. Fan Only moves air without cooling. In Eco, the unit stops when the room reaches the set temperature, and the fan can stop too. TCL asks you to wait at least 3 minutes between mode changes.

The unit is freezing up

Ice can block the airflow and stop the unit from cooling the room. TCL’s fix is to switch to a high fan setting (Fan mode on Hi, or Cool on Hi fan speed) and raise the set temperature. TCL’s tables mention a “mode dial” here, but on these electronic models fan speed is set with the Fan Speed button.

A dirty filter is one cause of frost on the coils, so clean it too. Our advice, beyond TCL’s table: if the unit keeps icing up after that, contact TCL support, and don’t chip or scrape ice off the coils, which can damage them.

Water is dripping

Where	What TCL says
Outside	Normal in hot, humid weather.
Into the base pan	Normal for a short time in dry areas, and for longer in humid ones. The pan collects the moisture taken out of the air.
Inside the room	The unit isn’t tilted correctly. It should slope slightly downward from the front to the back so water drains outside.

Correcting the tilt means adjusting how the unit is mounted, so follow the installation section of your manual. For window units, TCL recommends two people to lift and place the unit. For through-the-wall units, the TTW quick-start guide says the unit needs a rearward slope in its wall sleeve. TCL doesn’t cover re-levelling a sleeve that’s already in the wall; our advice is to have an installer do it.

Keep water away from the power cord and outlet. As a general electrical-safety precaution, if either is wet, don’t touch the plug: switch that circuit off at the breaker box first.

The remote doesn’t work

TCL lists two causes: batteries inserted the wrong way round, or flat batteries. Check the AAA batteries are the right way round, then replace them, using new batteries of one type. Meanwhile, you can use the unit’s own control panel, which has Power, Mode, Fan Speed, Timer and ▲/▼.

Sounds and behaviour that are normal

TCL lists these as normal:

• A pinging noise when water hits the condenser on rainy or humid days. It helps remove moisture.
• A click from the thermostat as the compressor cycles on and off.
• Water in the base pan after rain or humid days, which may overflow and drip outside.
• The fan running while the compressor is off.
• About 3 minutes before cooling starts after the unit is switched back on.

When to stop and contact TCL

Contact TCL customer service, or a qualified service technician, if:

• the display shows E1 or E2,
• the RESET button on the plug won’t stay engaged, or the power cord is damaged,
• the unit still doesn’t cool, or keeps icing up, after the checks above.

TCL’s US support number for window and through-the-wall air conditioners is 1-800-825-6747. It’s printed in the quick-start guides and was still listed for in-room air conditioners on TCL’s US contact page when we checked in October 2026. The quick-start guides also say not to return the unit to the store and to contact TCL first. Don’t open the cabinet, and don’t attempt repairs to wiring, the power cord or the refrigerant system. TCL’s manuals don’t give owners any instructions for those.