Most LG dishwasher owners complain about their appliances failing, which is disappointing. Frankly, it can be expensive to fix most LG dishwasher troubleshooting problems, and that’s why you need a simplified guide.
I’ll share a troubleshooting guide you can use when your LG dishwasher doesn’t turn on, start (despite having power), clean, dry, or drain, and when its door won’t shut.
Moreover, we’ll look at how to put your LG dishwasher in diagnostic mode to help you discover hidden faults. And while speaking of hidden faults, I’ll share a quick guide to the common LG dishwasher error codes you can troubleshoot.
Let’s dive in!
In a hurry? Below is a quick guide to troubleshooting six common LG dishwasher problems:
Quick LG Dishwasher Troubleshooting Manual
| – | Problem | Likely Cause | Quick Fix |
| 1. | LG Dishwasher Won’t Turn On | Power outage, loose, disconnected, or damaged power cord, tripped breaker, faulty socket, or blown-up fuse | Check for power, firmly plug the cord, and reset a tripped breaker. Replace a defective power cord, socket, or fuse. |
| 2. | LG Dishwasher Won’t Start But Has Power | Electronic glitch, wrong cycle, failed water supply, or unlatched door | Reset the dishwasher, choose the correct cycle, ensure the dishwasher receives water, and properly latch the dishwasher door |
| 3. | LG Dishwasher Won’t Clean | Poor dish loading, inadequate rinse aid, wrong washing water temperature, insufficient water, hard water, or clogged spray arms | Re-load the dishes properly, refill the rinse aid, and adjust the washing water temperature to at least 1200F. Ensure the dishwasher has enough water, soften it if it’s hard, and unclog the spray arms. |
| 4. | LG Dishwasher Won’t Dry | Wrong cycle, blocked dishwasher vent, faulty fan motor or turbidity sensor, or burnt heating element | Choose a Heated-Dry setting, unblock the dishwasher vent, and replace a faulty fan motor, turbidity sensor, or heating element. |
| 5. | LG Dishwasher Won’t Drain | Clogged drain hose, sump filter, drain pump, garbage disposal, or air gap, or a faulty drain motor | Unclog the drain hose, sump filter, drain pump, garbage disposal, or air gap, and replace a faulty drain motor. |
| 6. | Dishwasher Door Won’t Close | Damaged hinge, door seal, door spring, door cable, or door latch | Replace a damaged hinge, door seal, door spring, door cable, or door latch |
Common LG Dishwasher Troubleshooting Problems
Below are the six most typical LG dishwasher problems you can troubleshoot yourself at home:
1. My LG Dishwasher Won’t Turn On
Your LG dishwasher won’t turn on because it lacks power, and that could be a result of any of these issues:
- Power outage – No electric appliance, including the dishwasher, will work if there’s an outage. So, you’ve to check if that’s the case.
- Loose, disconnected, or damaged power cord – The dishwasher won’t get any power if the power cord is not firmly plugged in or perhaps plugged out. Likewise, the dishwasher won’t power if the power cord is defective.
- Tripped breaker – A recent power surge might have tripped the circuit breaker, which may prevent the dishwasher from turning on.
- Faulty socket – If the socket or electric outlet is defective, the dishwasher won’t get any power, and as a result, it won’t turn on.
- Blown-up fuse – Other than tripping off the breaker, a power surge can blow up the power fuse, and once that happens, the dishwasher won’t power on.
Fix
First, confirm if there’s power. If it’s an outage, wait for the power restoration. However, if not, ensure the power cord is firmly plugged in, and the dishwasher is turned on.
If the circuit breaker is tripped off, flip it back on. As for a damaged power cord, faulty socket, and blown-up fuse, test them with a multimeter. The lack of continuity proves that the respective component is defective and thus needs a replacement.
2. LG Dishwasher Won’t Start But Has Power
Just because your dishwasher has power doesn’t mean that it’ll start. Sometimes, it won’t, and there are several reasons why, which include the following:
- Electronic glitch – Like every other appliance, the dishwasher may occasionally suffer an electronic glitch. Once that happens, it freezes, and that stops it from starting. This is, however, fixable by a reset.
- Wrong cycle – You must select the correct cycle to start running the dishwasher. For example, an option like Delayed Wash or Control Lock will stop the dishwasher from starting.
- Failed water supply – Your dishwasher has to receive water to start running. If the water supply is insufficient, the dishwasher won’t run.
- Unlatched door – If the dishwasher door is not firmly latched, then the dishwasher won’t start.
Fix
Start with resetting your dishwasher just in case there is an electronic glitch. Here are two LG dishwasher reset techniques to consider:
1st Option
Option 1 is the Hard Reset, which involves unplugging the dishwasher for 10-20 minutes.
2nd Option
Option 2 is the Soft Reset, which involves pressing Clear or Cancel on the control panel for at least 3 seconds.
If the reset doesn’t work, which means the issue was never an electronic glitch, check the cycle to ensure it’s the correct one and the water supply to ensure it’s turned on to the dishwasher. Lastly, check the dishwasher door and latch it firmly if that’s not the case.
3. LG Dishwasher Won’t Clean
Sometimes, your LG dishwasher won’t clean the dishes properly. Instead, the dishes will come out with water streaks and dirt spots. If that’s so, it could be due to one of these issues:
- Poor dish loading – If the dishes are poorly loaded into the dishwasher to block the spray arms, the dishwasher won’t clean them.
- Inadequate rinse aid – You must check the rinse aid level as it affects the drying and cleaning once it drops.
- Wrong washing water temperature – The dishwasher needs a washing water temperature of at least 1200F. If it’s lower than that, then the dishwasher won’t clean.
- Inadequate water – Your dishwasher won’t wash the dishes if it doesn’t receive water.
- Hard water – Hard water contains mineral deposits that may stain the dishes.
- Clogged spray arms – If the spray arms are food-clogged, the clog will dirty the dishes.
Fix
Properly load the dishes and refill the rinse aid if the level has dropped. Meanwhile, adjust the washing water temperature to at least 1200F and ensure the dishwasher receives enough water. If you use hard water, soften it and clean the spray arms if clogged.
4. My LG Dishwasher Won’t Dry
The drying phase is just as important as the cleaning phase, and a properly working dishwasher should dry the dishes after cleaning. However, due to these issues, the dishwasher won’t dry the dishes:
- Wrong cycle
- Blocked dishwasher vent
- Faulty fan motor or turbidity sensor
- Burnt heating element
Fix
Ensure you select Heated Dry for the dishwasher to dry and unblock the dishwasher vent if it’s blocked. If the fan is broken, replace it and use a multimeter to check if the turbidity sensor and heating element have continuity. If they don’t, replace them.
5. LG Dishwasher Not Draining
For your dishwasher to clean the dishes spotless, it has to drain appropriately. Some issues, however, can stop it from draining. One such issue is a clog, and your dishwasher will have difficulty draining if any of these components is clogged by food or debris:
- Drain hose
- Sump filter
- Drain pump
- Garbage disposal
- Air gap
Besides clogging, the dishwasher may fail to drain properly due to a faulty drain motor. So, you also have to inspect it to ensure it runs and is free from damage.
Fix
If the drain hose, sump filter, drain pump, garbage disposal, or air gap is clogged by food or debris, clean it. That should improve the drainage. And if the drain motor is defective (won’t run), replace it.
6. LG Dishwasher Troubleshooting Door Won’t Close
Remember, it’s vital for your dishwasher door to close firmly for the dishwasher to start and complete a wash cycle. Sometimes, however, damage to any of these parts can stop the dishwasher door from shutting correctly:
- Door seal
- Door spring
- Hinge
- Door cable
- Door latch
Fix
Consider replacing any dishwasher door components if they are broken or worn out. Doing so will enable you to latch the dishwasher door firmly.
LG Dishwasher Control Board Problem
Generally, many dishwasher functions could go wrong if the main control board has a problem. This component controls most of its operations, like the dishwasher’s brain. Once it fails, you can expect several LG dishwasher problems, which include the following already-discussed issues:
- Non-starting dishwasher
- Non-cleaning dishwasher
- Non-draining dishwasher
Additionally, your dishwasher control panel buttons would become nonresponsive, the dishwasher might start but only stop mid-cycle, or the dishwasher may display an error code.
Fix
Ideally, you should try and reset your LG dishwasher if there’s an issue with the control board. However, if that doesn’t work and the control board is defective, you should replace it.
LG Dishwasher Diagnostic Mode
It’s not often that you look at your LG dishwasher and tell the exact problem. Sometimes, the dishwasher malfunctions, and you can’t tell what’s causing it. If so, you should run diagnostics on the dishwasher to find an error code you can interpret to determine the fault.
Here’s how to put an LG dishwasher on diagnostic mode:
- Press Power + Start simultaneously
- Shut the dispenser door and then the dishwasher door
- Wait for the lights to come on
- Choose your preferred test mode from the seven available
- Run the test, wait for any available error code, and note it down
Alternatively, you can run a smart diagnosis on your LG washer by calling LG customer support or using the ThinQ app.
LG Dishwasher Troubleshooting Codes
You may get an error code after running diagnostics on your LG dishwasher. If so, you should know its meaning and find a solution.
Below is a table outlining the most familiar LG dishwasher error codes, their interpretation, and quick troubleshooting:
| Error Code | Meaning | Troubleshooting |
| PF | Power Failure | Reset the dishwasher |
| bE | Wrong detergent or washer imbalance | Use the correct detergent – and the correct amount and steady the washer |
| CL | Control Lock or Child Lock | Disable Control Lock or Child Lock |
| IE | Low water level | Adjust the water pressure, clear any kinks from the water line, and level the washer |
| OE | Drainage fault | Unclog the drains, filters, and drain pump |
| LE/CE | Motor error | Reset the dishwasher and replace the motor if that doesn’t work |
| AE | Dishwasher leakage | Replace the spray arms |
| FE | Water overfill | Check for possible blockage |
| HE | Overheating tub or non-heating water | Adjust the dishwasher water heating temperature |
| nE | Improperly positioned Vario cam | Appropriately set the Vario cam |
| Cr | Test mode | Restart the dishwasher |
Concluding Thought:
Now you know the commonest LG dishwasher troubleshooting problems. As seen, you don’t necessarily need a dishwasher expert to fix most of these issues, and the above guide should help you get started. However, if you can’t fix it, especially after running diagnostics, call an LG dishwasher expert first or LG customer support.