Revised LG dishwasher troubleshooting manual

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Here is an LG dishwasher troubleshooting manual to help you fix LG dishwashers problems (from not washing properly, LG dishwasher error codes – meaning and solutions- to troubleshooting the unit if it won’t start, we look at how to repair every fault)

Table of Contents

LG dishwasher troubleshooting manual – How to fix common LG dishwasher problems

LG dishwasher error codes (LG dishwasher fault codes – what they mean and recommended repairs)

LG dishwasher error code IE

Meaning – Water Inlet Error

Causes:

Water Supply Tap might be closed so no water is coming into the unit- check
Home Water Supply could be shut off so no water is coming into the unit- check.
Inlet Hose might be kinked or clogged or frozen- Check for a potentially kinked or clogged or frozen water inlet hose/pipe and remedy the issue you notice.
Water Pressure is extremely low- have someone check water pressure (should never go below 10psi)
Filter of the inlet valve probably clogged- reach for the inlet valve filter and clean it as per instructions in your owners manual
Inlet Valve is damaged- replace it(Here’s our recommended replacement Inlet Valve)
Hall sensor could have malfunctioned- replace(first test the frequency of the Inlet Water by launching the LG dishwasher Test Mode- see steps later).
Impeller of the Air Guide is likely bound- Swap out air braker.

LG dishwasher OE error code (LG dishwasher Error code OE)

Meaning – There’s a drainage issue(it is not draining fully)

Causes and How to troubleshoot LG dishwasher drainage fault (when LG dishwasher won’t drain)

Drain Hose is kinked or blocked- clear what is causing the kink or blockage(ensure drain hose is not clogged/kinked/pinched/frozen).
The Wiring connection is faulty- Check wiring connection and repair, if necessary
Drain outlet of the sump is likely blocked- Measure electric resistance of the Drain Motor(should be between 20-40Ω)
Drain Pump/the Motor or the circuit is faulty- Replace Drain Pump (check its price) and/or try to repair the Circuit. To be honest, you may have to change out the whole motor (check its price)
Filters are possibly clogged- Clean Filters thoroughly(Remove all larger food debris/items that are unlikely to wash out and then clean your dishwasher’s filter).

Do not forget to:

Check drain air gap and/or in-sink disposal as well for debris accumulation and clogs.
Confirm that garbage disposal is unplugged– it can be the cause if still plugged after installation.
Verify there’s no installation error with the unit’s drain hose– It may be too high, kinked, or even too long. Check and correct, as necessary.

Very important tip:

If the LG dishwasher OE error has vanished, it is advisable to clean the appliance completely.

Steps:

Clean filter(if applicable), then remove and carefully clean spray arms.
Next, run empty cycle –do the cycle with one cup of vinegar(a quality dishwasher cleaner will also work).

LG dishwasher E1 error code (LG dishwasher Error code E1)

Meaning – The appliance is leaking

Causes and How to troubleshoot LG dishwasher leaking water issue (when LG dishwasher leaks)

Water is leaking via the Hose connections– they might be loose so Redo the connections of the Hose.
Water is leaking due to a damaged part(s)- inspect and see what parts/points show signs of damages and attempt to repair the weak points. Otherwise, replace the relevant spoilt parts.
Motor Water Seal is leaking(of Sump assembly)- Make sure the seal is properly in place or Replace seal.
Height of your LG dishwasher Drain Hose connection (from sink-Drain Hose) was not placed over 20”– make sure it is reinstalled as per Installation Instructions(make it reach recommended Height).
Washing Pump Impeller has worn out causing the problem-Replace Washing Pump Impeller (order a compatible part).

LG dishwasher troubleshooting manual – More troubleshooting if LG dishwasher leaks

Ensure your Unit Is Level

Leaks could be occurring due to the unit being not leveled correctly

Check door gasket for any buildups or damage

The gasket could be the source of water leaking if it has food/grease buildup(it prevents tight sealing).

Check and also check the area of tub where gasket would seal for buildups and clean it all away.

Once gasket is clean, proceed to drying drain pan and then see if the error code disappears.

Replace LG dishwasher door gasket if torn/worn(it should stop the leak). Good thing is the part is cheap (See price).

Check spray arms too for potential buildup or damage

Inspect spray arms – you want to see if there are some buildup or blockages. Now, if present, go ahead and remove spray arms and then clean –use a soft brush + warm soapy water. You then re-install the spray arm and then dry drain pan. After that check if error code is gone.

Also:

Check the cleaning detergent

· Pods or tablets

Pods or tablets usually have the optimal amount of detergent. That said, if you use more than one tablet/pod, it can trigger excessive suds leading to water overflowing. Therefore, be careful.

· Liquid/Powder Detergent

Stick to the 2 clearly marked levels when it comes to liquid/powder dishwasher detergent. Avoid Filling entire dispenser beyond the 2 marked levels as it can as well as originate excessive suds leading to water overflowing

· Dishwashing liquid

Stay away from dishwashing liquid since it frequently creates too many bubbles, causing water to overflow(inside the unit).

LG dishwasher FE error code (LG dishwasher Error code FE)

Meaning – More water than required supplied(fill error) so drain pump was automatically turned on

Causes and how to fix LG dishwasher FE fault code

Inlet Valve is damaged– Replace LG dishwasher water inlet valve(check price).
Controller has malfunctioned– Try to repair it. Otherwise replace the Controller.

LG dishwasher tE error code (LG dishwasher Error code tE)

Meaning – Resistance of thermistor is not being out put normally (Thermal error)

Causes and how to fix LG dishwasher tE fault code

Inlet Water Temperature might be very high(over 194^oF)-Check water temperature(While in LG dishwasher Test Mode) and adjust to120^o
Wiring connection fault– Check all the wiring connections to the part.
Bad Thermistor – Replace (first check the Thermistor’s electric resistance (11~14k at 77^oF)

Quick Tip: You may have to change out the PCB(check current price)

LG dishwasher LE error code (LG dishwasher Error code LE) or LG dishwasher CE error code

Meaning- Motor is not working properly(circulation pump motor fault).

Causes and how to fix LG dishwasher LE fault code or LG dishwasher CE error code

Bad Wiring connection to the motor– Check (and fix) the wiring connection(the wiring harness that’s between the control board and motor could be troubled)
Washing Pump Impeller is locked-See what is restricting it and remove (clear the restriction)
Washing Motor Rotor has locked– Replace main wash motor
Blade has locked-Replace the PCB(check current price)

Other LG dishwasher fault codes

LG dishwasher bE error code (LG dishwasher error code 6e)

Meaning- improper detergent use or the appliance not leveled.

Repair- To resolve the error, use good dishwasher detergents(cascade, finish, etc.). Reset Cycle and restart a new cycle with appropriate detergent. Otherwise, see to it that the unit is leveled properly (from the front to the back and also side to side)

Also, are you seeing suds in your dishwasher tub?

If yes, pour about 4 to 7 ounces of milk inside a shallow bowl then place it on upper rack, and then run AUTO cycle on the appliance. The suds will bond to the fat content in milk, helping it to properly rinse out.

LG dishwasher CL code

This simply means Child Lock is active- depending on your model, you can deactivate CL by pressing Spray + Rinse buttons/icons for 3 secs simultaneously(with the door opened).

LG dishwasher 2H code

Shows estimated remaining time for the cycle(2H says less than TWO Hours remain). Your appliance will begin counting down time when the actual remaining cycle time is below 99 minutes, until the dish washing cycle is completed.

Not an error code!

LG dishwasher CR code

Not an error code too- just tells you it’s in test mode!

You can unplug the appliance for up to minutes to reset it, if you want the CR code to go off.

LG dishwasher AE Error code

Meaning- Water leakage issue

Repair- See how to fix LG dishwasher E1 error code above

LG dishwasher HE Error

Meaning- Heater circuit failed(heater error). Appliance unable to heat water or overheated water to above 149°F.

Repair- Replace the heater. Test heating element using a multimeter(with Ohm setting) first. If open, it is surely faulty. Check replacement heater price

Otherwise, if it looks good then check the thermistor or the main computer board – you may have to change them.

Quick Tip:

If you are seeing HE error code, pull out your dishwasher and then check on the left side where there are several tubes located. You will notice a clear box there with two(2) floats in it..note that there are some electrical wires connecting to the switches- these can sometimes be triggered by floats.

Now, the problem is here: Gunk occasionally gets built up right on these floats as well as in that clear box holding the floats.

The result? The floats could stop function from the build, meaning water won’t correctly feel up in the tub, making the heating element to overheat, ultimately occasioning the HE error. So check these and clear it out then reconnect everything. You may see no more HE fault code.

LG dishwasher nE Vario Motor Error code

Meaning- there’s a problem with vario motor / Diverter motor (which controls dishwasher’s spray arms).

Solution- The best way out is replacing the motor (It’s dirt cheap- see price)

LG Dishwasher PF error

Meaning- there’s a power problem (power failure)..either power outage/interruption

Now, If the error keep appearing when power outage happened in your area, press any key on control panel to try and clear the display. The code goes away after about 10 seconds.

To prevent the PF code:

Make sure your dishwasher is powered from a dedicated circuit-breaker at 120v,60Hz,AC only-minimum 15 amps.
Avoid using extension cords.
The unit need to be grounded.

LG dishwasher troubleshooting manual – repairing specific problems (flowchart method)

LG dishwasher not working when power button is pressed

LG dishwasher Wash Pump or Motor doesn’t run

LG dishwasher not clean cleaning dishes enough

If you see food soil remaining on dishes, follow the following troubleshooting procedure:

In other words:

Select correct washing cycle depending on soil level as well as type of dishware you’re washing– Improper cycle selection could cause bad washing.
Ensure Water temperature is not too low – Check your water supply connection/water heater setting here.
Try a recommended detergent– If proper dish-washing detergent wasn’t being used.
Check inlet water pressure– make sure water pressure is between 20 -120 psi.
Clean the unit’s spray arms-there’s always a chance the water jet holes are blocked(on spray arms).
Reload dishes– Improper loading can hamper cleaning. Additionally, double check that no dishes are blocking spray arms rotation or interfering with the detergent dispenser.
Clean filters– You might find it was because filters are clogged.

Quick Tip: For Cloudiness on glassware, you try to use a little less dishwashing detergent in addition to rinse aid to reduce the problem. That’s because the issue is typically brought by the combination of adding excessive detergent and using hard water.

What about gray or black marks on the dishes?

Again the best remedy is repositioning the dishes.

Why?

Because the marks are often from aluminum utensils rubbing dishes(during a cycle).

What about Coffee/tea stains?

If you see brown or yellow film on the inside of the surfaces of dishwasher, app a good stain removal product to get rid of the stains.

LG dishwasher not drying

First check then refill rinse agent dispenser(if empty).

The flowchart below explains everything:

LG dishwasher Power Button not going off automatically after operation

LG dishwasher noisy

Some noise level is to be heard during normal operation- especially as the detergent cover opens and also when the drain pump starts functioning at the start of drain cycle.

But if you’re hearing weird noises, do the following:

Adjust leveling feet– Perhaps the noise is due to the dishwasher not being level
Reposition the dishes– Also, noise may come as a result of the nozzle arm hitting against dishes so re-arrange them

LG dishwasher Sprays arms not rotating smoothly

Probable cause– Holes of the spray arms have been blocked by some food particles.

Solution– Clean holes of the spray arms thoroughly.

LG dishwasher troubleshooting manual – How to enter LG dishwasher test Mode

The exact button combination depends on the model.

For example, Press Start+ Power+ Auto buttons at the same time- on LDF5545ST/00 model

Meanwhile, on LG LDT5678ST dishwasher, pressing buttons “Power” + “High Temp” together engages the test mode.

Just check your service manual to be certain about which buttons to press to take it into diagnostic mode.

LG dishwasher troubleshooting manual – final words

If you have keenly followed this LG dishwasher repair manual and the fault won’t go away or if the issue your unit is experiencing has not been listed above, please reach out to LGE Customer Service via 1-800-243-0000(USA) or 1-888-542-2623(Canada)