LG washing machine displays error LE - what does it mean?

#lg-washing-machine-errors

Published: 10 Jan 2021

You loaded the laundry, selected a program and pressed “Start”. The LG machine took in water, but did not turn the drum and gave an LE error. If you have a direct drive model, you may have noticed that the drum is jerking as it tries to turn.

Usually the LE error lights up at the beginning of the program, but occasionally it can appear during a spin or rinse.

Error interpretation

The LE error tells us that for some reason the motor has blocked. Typically, this error indicates that there are some problems in the electrical network (external or internal), which is why the motor is blocked.

LE and 1E errors should not be confused; they have completely different meanings.

See also -
What does the UE error mean on an LG washing machine?

Call the master

To troubleshoot your LG washing machine, you can contact a company that provides washing machine repair services. It is convenient to search for companies on the Internet by filtering the request by the name of your city.

In order not to fall for scammers and not to doubt the quality of the repairs performed, you should contact companies that have been operating for several years and have many positive reviews. The cost of work to restore the functionality of an LG washing machine depends on the complexity of the breakdown and the complexity of the repair.

The average price is:

• replacement of the wiring harness – from RUB 2,000;
• door lock repair – from RUB 1,700;
• engine replacement – ​​from 2,600 rubles;
• repair of the control module – from 2,100 rubles;
• removing a foreign object from the tank – from 1,600 rubles;
• replacement of the tachogenerator – from 2,600 rubles.

After the repair, the customer still has a guarantee for the work performed.

In what cases can you fix it yourself?

• The door is not closed tightly. An unlocked door does not complete the circuit, which tells the equipment that the program cannot start. Try opening the hatch again and pressing it firmly until you hear a characteristic click;
• UBL contacts have been sent. To check the serviceability of this element, you need to remove the top cover from the washing machine and check the wires and contacts. If they just move away, you can reconnect them yourself. However, if the wire breaks or is chafed, it is better to contact a specialist;
• Failure in the control unit. Sometimes it happens due to power surges or other reasons, which indicates possible equipment overload. To debug, you need to disconnect the washing machine from the power supply for about a quarter of an hour. During this time, the electronic controller must resume its functions;
• Machine overload. Most often it occurs when using the “Silk”, “Wool”, “Hand Wash” modes. The LE error appears during the spin period, when the appliance is unable to cope with the weight of the laundry exceeding the permissible limit. You can resume work by stopping the program, removing some of the laundry into a separate container, or restarting with the spin operation. The remaining items should be placed for the same operation in the second run;
• The drum is blocked by foreign objects. During the washing process, a button, bra wire, or other small hard part may come off, keys, keychains, and similar small items that were not removed from your pockets in advance may fall out. They can get between the drum and the housing close to it and mechanically block the drum. Turn off the machine and try turning the drum in different directions by hand. If the drum does not rotate, then it is necessary to disassemble the tank and remove the blocking object.
• Unstable voltage of the electrical network. For correct operation of the equipment, a stable voltage is required, so if it decreases for a short time, the machine may respond with an LE error. A voltage stabilizer will help fix the problem.

Important:

The PF error accompanying problems with the LE code indicates the presence of power supply failures. Even when eliminating errors by rebooting the machine, it is better to take care of purchasing a stabilizer.

What you can do yourself

Without professional help, you can carry out basic manipulations that will eliminate the possible causes of the code:

1. Open and close the door. If it is not closed tightly, the drum is automatically blocked. You need to close the door until it clicks.
2. Turn off the power for 10-15 minutes. Unplug the cord from the outlet and let the device stand unplugged. This will help eliminate potential system errors.
3. Remove some of the laundry. The drum blocks if there is too much laundry. Operating an overloaded drum will speed up engine failure.
4. Check for blockage in the drum. Sometimes small hard objects get stuck in it and mechanically interfere with rotation. You need to unload the laundry and inspect the inside of the device with a flashlight.

Codes appear under different circumstances. Even insufficient voltage in the network can affect the operation of equipment.

Malfunctions requiring repair

There are some types of breakdowns that will be technically difficult to fix using ingenuity and available tools, and it is better to entrust this work to a specialist. The table shows malfunctions that could cause the LE error to appear on the display of an LG washing machine.

How to fix LE error on LG washing machine

In most cases, LE failure in a washing unit can be resolved at home. If the machine is generally in good working order, you just need to eliminate minor problems that interfere with its operation.

The door does not fit tightly

In older LG machines, when starting a wash, the LE error often occurs due to the fact that the door is not tightly closed. When the corresponding coding appears on the display, you must:

1. Open the hatch again.
2. If necessary, compact the clothing inside the device more tightly.
3. Close the door until it clicks.

After this, the LG machine will start working without any problems.

Electronic failure

Both old and new LG washing units may display an LE error due to a random failure of the control module. If the machine is generally working properly, and there is no reason to suspect serious problems, it is recommended to perform a simple restart. Namely:

1. Unplug the household appliance by unplugging the plug from the socket.
2. Leave the LG machine to stand for 15-20 minutes.
3. Reconnect the device to the network and put it into operation.

In some cases, restarting has to be done 2-3 times in a row.

If the LE failure appears frequently for no apparent reason, this may indicate that the control board is about to fail.

Drum overload

The LE error code on an LG washing machine may appear due to the fact that there are too many things inside the device, and their total weight exceeds the maximum permissible. If the unit is overloaded, you need to remove some clothes from it and wash the clothes in 2-3 steps.

Sometimes the tank refuses to rotate even with an acceptable load, when the laundry lies in an untidy lump. In this case, you need to manually distribute things around the drum more evenly.

Attention! If the machine is not designed to wash heavy clothes, it is better not to load blankets, jackets and coats into it.

Low current in the network

The LG washing machine operates without failures when the mains voltage is within 210-230 V. If the readings are significantly lower, the unit will not be able to start due to lack of energy.

If an LE error appears, you need to use a multimeter to check the voltage in the outlet. If it is really low, you need to connect the machine to another electrical output or install a current stabilizer. In an apartment with old wiring and frequent power surges, you need to start the washing unit while other household appliances are inactive and do not consume energy.

Test progress

To start the test mode on an LG washing machine, you must immediately press the following keys: “power on”, “temperature”, “spin”. An example is shown in the picture below.

If you have an LG without a Russified control panel, then you should hold down similar keys with the names “TEMP”, “SPIN” and “POWER”. After performing this simple step, you will see that the control panel of the LG washing machine lights up with all the lights just like a Christmas tree.

Now all we have to do is press the “start” button and the machine test will begin safely. Then a logical question arises: where will such a test begin, what will be checked and, most importantly, what should the user do? Everything is simple here.

1. As soon as you press the “start” button for the first time, the LG washing machine will begin to test the rotation of the drum in the opposite direction, that is, counterclockwise.

1. A second press of the “start” button will check how the drum will rotate when the pre-spin mode starts.
2. Press the “start” button a third time and the LG washing machine will check how the drum rotates at the maximum possible speed.
3. A fourth press of the same button will start checking the intake valve and pressure switch. This test will fill the machine with a full tank of water. Moreover, you can observe the filling process on the display in the form of a digital value. An empty tank is indicated by numbers, approximately 261-263, and when it is normally filled with water, you will see a number of approximately 230.
4. The fifth press of the “start” button activates a test of the heating element’s operation. Nothing changes on the screen.
5. The sixth press of “start” controls the water temperature. Again, everything is still on the display.
6. We press the “start” button again and the test of engine operation will start in normal mode, that is, clockwise rotation. The display will show changing numbers indicating the speed.
7. The eighth stage of the LG washing machine test is to check the heating element for quick on/off. The control chip activates the heating element several times for 3 seconds. At this time, the display will display a number indicating the temperature of the water in the tank.
8. And finally, pressing the “start” button for the ninth time will allow the washing machine to start checking the drain pump, which will immediately begin draining water from the tank.

Once the drain pump has removed all the water from the tank, the number on the display will increase from 230 to 261-263. If the water has not gone completely, then the final number 252-259 will appear on the screen. In this case, you will need to figure out why the water does not drain completely from the tank. By pressing the “start” button of the LG washing machine for the last time, we complete the test mode.

So, as you can see, there is nothing difficult about testing your LG washing machine yourself. The main thing is not to change the procedure described in this publication and then everything will go well. Good luck!

Recommendations

When an LE error code appears on the display of an LG washing machine and is looking for solutions to the problem, the following tips will help:

1. There is no need to rush to call a technician when you detect LE on the display. First you should reload the machine and calmly inspect it. Sometimes the problem can be solved very simply. For example, when a foreign object is visible from the drum and can easily be removed independently, interfering with normal movement.
2. Some parts that have failed should not even be attempted to be repaired - it is better to replace them immediately. For example, a hatch handle.
3. When installing new spare parts, preference should be given to quality parts.
4. If you lack knowledge and experience, you should not begin serious repairs to the components of the washing machine - it is better to entrust such work to a specialist.

You will find a lot of important and useful information about error codes for LG washing machines in this section.

P.E.

A PE failure may occur during washing, spinning or rinsing. In the future, the failure occurs constantly.

Water sensor problem

The presence of a PE code means a problem with the pressure switch. Due to a problem, the sensor cannot determine the amount of water in the tank.

Checking the water pressure in the water supply

Lack of pressure or excessive pressure often leads to an error. If you notice a failure, you should check the pressure level.

Pressostat performance

In most cases, the cause of the error is a broken pressure switch. If the pressure switch tube is clogged, it is enough to blow it out, but in other situations a replacement is required.

Why does this code appear?

The designation is displayed on the device display after the end of the running program. The washing machine displays an OE error if the waste liquid is not drained from the tank five minutes after the end of the wash cycle. It is not necessary that the water will not leave at all; perhaps the rate of its removal from the system is simply much lower than the standard.

What to do in such a situation? Experts see several reasons that can lead to this problem:

• clogged garbage filter and snail;
• kink or crack in the drain hose;
• failure of the pump responsible for draining the water;
• clog in the sewer pipe;
• Pressostat malfunction.

The list of probable reasons is quite long. To correct the situation, there is nothing else left to do but check every element of the washing machine’s drain system, and also make sure that the sewer network is not clogged.