LG Dishwasher Troubleshooting Guide: Problems, Solutions & Error Codes

LG are a respected brand and are known to manufacture great appliances and their dishwashers are no exception. However, even the best get the occasional problem.

If your LG dishwasher has developed a problem, keep reading, because in this article we look at all of the common faults and find the best solution to solve that problem. As well as identifying and explaining what all of LG’s error codes signify.

LG Dishwasher Troubleshooting Problems

Let’s start by looking at the most commonly reported issues by LG dishwasher owners.

LG Dishwasher Problem	Likely Cause	Solution
Dishwasher leaking	Damaged door seal, faulty water inlet valve, faulty dishwasher pump, defective drain hose	Replace the parts that are faulty including; the door seal, water inlet valve, pump or drain hose
Dishwasher making a noise	Door not closed correctly	Rearrange dishes/racks, replace door latch
Dishwasher door doesn’t close	Dish etc obstructing the door, faulty door latch	Remove any obstruction, replace door latch
Dishwasher doesn’t drain	Blocked drain hose, blocked filter	Check drain hose for twists, kinks or blockages, clean filter
Dishwasher has power but won’t start	Faulty door latch	Replace door latch
Dishwasher motor not working	Faulty sump, wire loom trapped in the insulation	Replace the sump, prevent wires moving by placing teflon between the wire loom and the insulation panel

Now let’s look at these issues in more detail.

LG Dishwasher Leaking

If your LG dishwasher is leaking it needs to be fixed fast to prevent your home from becoming flooded. There are a few places your dishwasher could be leaking from including;

• A Defective Door Seal
• A Faulty Water Inlet Valve
• A Faulty Pump 
• Defective Inlet/Drainage Hose

You’ll need to check all of these in order to identify where the leak is coming from. If there’s no visible leak from the door seal, you’ll need to remove the bottom access panel to investigate further.

You should check the water inlet valve and the inlet hose and replace if either is leaking. Then you should check the drain hose too as this could be the cause of the leak. If the drain hose is leaking it will also need to be replaced.

When checking the pump, make sure that the impeller is intact as a broken impeller is likely to cause a leak. If this is the case, you’ll need to replace the pump.

LG Dishwasher Making A Noise

There are any number of worn out parts that could be the cause of an unusual noise in your dishwasher. However, the most likely cause is that the door latch has developed a fault.

This could be as simple as the door isn’t closed correctly due to a small piece of food or grime preventing the door closing fully. Check the doorway for any obstructions, food or dirt particles caught in the rubber seal etc.

It could also be caused by the spray arms being restricted by some incorrectly placed dish etc, the spray arm itself could be defective and need replacing (areas to check include the bearing, seals and rings) or the drain hose has become loose.

Identifying the type of noise will help in locating the problem. For instance; a buzzing or squealing noise is often caused by a defective water inlet valve, a grinding noise usually indicates that the chopper blades in the filter have a buildup of food and a droning noise usually indicates that the circulation pump is faulty.

LG Dishwasher Door Doesn’t Close

If the door on your LG dishwasher fails to close correctly, you should check for any obvious obstructions like one of the racks is not in position, there’s a large dish protruding, a pan handle is blocking the doorway slightly or a utensil has slipped out of place.

If you’re certain there is no obstruction, check the door latch and the hinges and replace as necessary.

LG Dishwasher Doesn’t Drain

All dishwashers can develop an issue with drainage at some point. There are a number of things you should check if your dishwasher fails to drain which include;

• Clogged Filter
  Your first place to check is the filter, if this has become clogged with food particles etc, it will impede the flow of wastewater from your appliance.
• Clogged Air Gap
  The air gap is designed to prevent waste water from re-entering the dishwasher and works by having a small but defined drop where the wastewater has to flow. Over time food, grease and grime can buildup and effectively block the air gap which will mean your dishwasher cannot drain.
• Clogged Drain Hose
  In some cases the drain hose can become twisted or kinked which can lead to a blockage. Check the drain hose for any twists and then ensure there are no blockages by removing the drain hose and running a plumber’s snake through the hose.
• Clogged Waste Pipe
  Your dishwasher’s drain hose is usually connected to the waste pipe under your sink either directly or indirectly through your waste disposal unit. You will need to check both of these for any blockages to ensure a clear flow of water from the drain hose of your appliance.
• Faulty Pump
  Over time, the drain pump can develop a fault, this can be checked and replaced yourself, but as it involves dismantling your dishwasher, we recommend getting an expert to do this for you.
• Faulty Check Valve
  The check valve or flapper as it’s also known can also develop a fault. It’s actually a non-return valve designed to allow water out of your appliance but not back in. If this becomes faulty it will need to be replaced.
• Defective Solenoid
  The solenoid supplies power to the drain valve and is vital in the drainage operation of your dishwasher. If it becomes defective, it will need to be replaced.

LG Dishwasher Has Power But Won’t Start

If your dishwasher has power, the LED screen is alight, but the appliance won’t start there are a few things it could be which are;

• The Door Isn’t Latched Fully
  If the door isn’t latched correctly your dishwasher will not start. It could be that there is an obstacle slightly blocking the door from closing which would then prevent the appliance from starting. Or the actual door latch could be defective and need replacing. You should also check the door sensor to ensure that it hasn’t developed a fault.
• A Defective Drive Motor
  If the drive motor is defective your dishwasher will light up, but it will be unable to start. You will need to get the drive motor replaced.
• Faulty Motor Start Relay
  The relay that supplies the drive motor could also have developed a fault, this is a job best left to an expert as it is quite intricate.
• Blown Thermal Fuse
  The thermal fuse is a safety device designed to prevent any damage to the internal components of your dishwasher in the event of it overheating. As soon as the appliance begins to get too hot, the thermal fuse will blow effectively cutting power to your appliance. It will need to be replaced before your appliance will operate again.

LG Dishwasher Motor Not Working

If the motor stops working on your LG dishwasher it could be due to the sump not working. Or it could be because there is a wire loom caught in the insulation.

You could need a new sump or you will have to prevent the wire loom from getting caught in the insulation panel. This can be done by placing a piece of teflon between the wire loom and the insulation panel. 

We recommend leaving this task to an expert as there are lots of panels etc to remove to access these parts.

LG Dishwasher Error Codes

Now we have some idea on how to solve the most common faults on an LG dishwasher, let’s take a look at LG dishwasher error codes.

LG Dishwasher Error Code	Issue
IE	Water inlet error
OE	Drain error
EI	Water Leak
FE	Excessive water usage
TE	Defective temperature sensor
LE/CE	Pump motor error
HE	Heater error
CR	Appliance is in test mode
AE/E1	Leak detected
2H	Indicates approximate time remaining for this cycle
CD	Cool dry activated

Let’s look at each error code in more detail.

LG Dishwasher Error Code IE

This error code indicates that there’s a water inlet error typically that the appliance never filled with as much water as it should in 10 minutes.

This could be caused by a twisted inlet hose, the tap isn’t open fully, or the water inlet valve is faulty. In some cases, it could be caused if your appliance isn’t level.

If all of the above is fine, check that the drainage hose isn’t positioned lower than the base of the unit as this can also cause this error code. The drain hose needs to be at least 10 inches higher than the bottom of the dishwasher to prevent water being siphoned from the tub.

LG Dishwasher Error Code OE

This error code indicates that the appliance didn’t drain within 5 minutes of the drain pump starting. This can be caused by the drain hose or sink’s waste pipe being clogged or the drain solenoid is defective.

Check the drain hose for any twists or kinks, and/or blockages. Then check that the waste pipe from the sink isn’t clogged. You will need a multimeter to check the drain solenoid and as it is difficult to access, we recommend calling in an expert to do this for you.

LG Dishwasher Error Code EI

This typically indicates that a leak has been detected or more specifically, that the wash pump motor has increased in speed because water is leaking from the tub. 

You will need to check that the drain hose has been installed at the correct height (at least 10 inches higher than the bottom of the dishwasher) and that the drain hose or the drain pump or tub is not leaking.

LG Dishwasher Error Code FE

This error code indicates that there is too much water entering the tub which is making the drain pump run continuously. This is almost always caused by a defective water inlet valve. 

You will need to replace the inlet valve and this should solve this issue. If not, it could be that the control board has developed a fault. We recommend getting an expert to fix this as the control board can easily be damaged.

LG Dishwasher Error Code TE

This indicates that the thermistor (temperature sensor) is defective. Start by checking the wiring connections on the thermistor and the control board.

You may need to replace the thermistor or the control board and as above, we recommend getting this done by an expert.

LG Dishwasher Error Code LE/CE

This indicates a problem with the wash pump motor. It could be a wiring issue or the wash pump itself that needs to be replaced. Either way, we recommend contacting an expert for this fault.

LG Dishwasher Error Code HE

This error code indicates a fault with the heater or the wiring between the heater and the control board. The heater will most likely need to be replaced but you should contact LG directly or call on an expert to check this fault.

LG Dishwasher Error Code CR

This error code stands for Continuous Run which usually means the appliance is in test mode. This is the mode used by service technicians and installers to ensure the appliance is working correctly. This is accessed by pressing and holding 3 buttons at the same time.

You should perform a hard reset to clear this but if this fails to clear it, you’ll need to contact LG or a qualified technician to solve this.

LG Dishwasher Error Code AE/E1

Either of these error codes indicate the appliance has a suspected leak. This type of leak is almost always caused by the appliance not being installed correctly, the wrong detergent being used or the appliance hasn’t been loaded correctly.

You’ll need to check the drain hose position in relation to the base of the unit (it should be at least 10 inches higher than the base of the unit), the condition of the drain hose (look for any leaks) or there could be a leak due to a defective door seal which will need replacing.

In some cases it could be that one of the racks, or a dish, pot etc has obstructed the door just enough to prevent it closing correctly. Or there is food or dirt particles obstructing the door seal allowing water to escape.

But this error code is usually caused by using an inferior quality detergent that has filled the appliance with soap suds. This can prevent the appliance from rinsing properly which then triggers the E1 error code.

LG Dishwasher Error Code 2H, 1H, 3H etc.

This is not an error code, it is simply an indicator as to how much longer the cycle has to run approximately. In the example above, this means 2 hours.

The “H” stands for hours remaining and the number is the estimated time left in hours.

LG Dishwasher Error Code CD

This is also not an error code. This code indicates that the appliance is currently running the “Cool Dry” cycle which is an additional cycle used during the “Quick” cycle.

How To Perform A Hard Reset On A LG Dishwasher

To perform a hard reset on your LG dishwasher all you need to do is disconnect the appliance from the power supply by removing the plug from the wall socket or tripping the circuit breaker.

Then allow 10 minutes to pass before reconnecting the power and turning your appliance back on. This should have cleared any temporary messages in the memory and you will be able to select any cycle and start your dishwasher.

SEE ALSO: What Does Dishwasher Salt Do? (and where to put it)

Frequently Asked Questions