How an LG appliance reports a problem
Most LG appliances will tell you what is wrong before they stop working. Laundry and dishwashers flash a short two-letter code, refrigeration shows an “Er” alert (often with the “Er” prefix dropped), and ranges, ovens and microwaves use an F-series. Reading the code correctly is the fastest route to an accurate LG repair, because each one points at a specific part — a sensor, a motor, a control board, a drain pump, an inlet valve, a door lock, or simply a duct that needs clearing or a feature left running. This page explains the genuine codes LG uses across the range; every appliance type also has its own detailed breakdown in the error codes library.
Washer codes
LG washers use a consistent set: IE water inlet or fill, OE drain error, UE/uE unbalanced load (uE rebalances, UE has failed), LE motor locked or drum stalled, dE/dE1/dE2 door lock, FE overfill, PE water-level pressure sensor, tE heating thermistor, CE over-current, and AE a leak detected at the base-pan float. PF is a power-failure recovery prompt, and on top-load models E6 is a clutch error. Our guides cover the IE code, the LE motor error, the dE door error and the PE/FE water-level codes. Status messages such as CL child lock and tCL tub-clean reminder are not problems.
Dryer codes and Flow Sense
LG dryers add Flow Sense duct-restriction prompts, which are information, not a broken part — the number is roughly the percentage of blockage. d80 is about 80% restricted, d90 cools and stops, and d95 stops immediately; the fix is to clean the lint filter and the full exhaust duct to the exterior. Thermistor failures appear as tE1 through tE4, and on ventless heat-pump dryers AE is a compressor failure (not a leak). nP and PS point at the 240V supply or cord. The d90/d95 guide explains the vent-blockage series in full.
Dishwasher codes
LG dishwashers report IE for a water-inlet problem, OE for a drain error, FE for overfill, LE (or CE on some) for the wash motor, HE for the heater, tE for a thermal failure, AE/E1 for a detected leak at the base-pan float, and PF for a power failure. CL is the child or control lock, not a problem. See the OE drain-error guide and the AE/E1 leak guide for the two most common.
Refrigeration “Er” alerts
LG refrigerators and freezers share a published “Er” list, and the display often drops the “Er” prefix. rF is the fridge fan, FF the freezer fan, CF the condenser fan, dH a defrost problem running over an hour, gF a water-flow or low-pressure issue, and IF the ice-maker fan. Ad is the auto-door motor (not auto-defrost), and the serious ones, CL E and CH E, point at a refrigerant leak. The Er IF / Er FF / Er rF guide walks through them, and our Ad-code glossary clears up a common mix-up. Sb Sabbath mode and OF F demo mode are not problems — but demo mode disables cooling.
Range, oven and microwave F-codes
LG ranges and ovens use an F-series tied to the RTD oven sensor (about 1080–1100 Ω at room temperature), the control board or the door lock. F1/F4 are oven thermistor failures, F2 is a runaway high-temperature condition (kill the breaker), F3 is a shorted keypad key, F9 is an oven that will not heat, and F10/F20 are door-lock failures. The oven F-codes guide and the F9 not-heating guide cover the set. Microwaves have their own family — F1 mainboard, F2 thermistor, F3 keypad, F11 inverter comms — while LOC child lock and DOOR not latched are status messages, not problems.
The categories with no codes
Two types deliberately have no digital problem display. LG range hoods are diagnosed entirely from symptoms — a blower that will not run, weak suction from a saturated grease filter or blocked duct, a light out, or rattling. LG cooktops carry only a thin code set (F3 touch key, H5 hot-surface, PF power failure) and are otherwise read from behavior, including the non-error case where induction will not heat because the cookware is not magnetic. The range-hood and cooktop pages describe these symptom-led diagnostics in detail.
When to reset and when to call
For most codes the homeowner step is the same: power-cycle the appliance — unplug it for one to five minutes, or trip the breaker for thirty to sixty seconds — and watch the panel. Locks, demo mode, a one-off PF and a Flow Sense prompt usually clear or resolve with simple maintenance. A persistent sensor or board failure, a motor or compressor code, a drainage failure, a defrost problem or a refrigerant-leak alert calls for an experienced technician with genuine LG parts. Our technicians diagnose every LG code across laundry, refrigeration, cooking and dishwashing; you can confirm your model on the manufacturer’s site at lg.com/us. When you are ready, schedule your repair and our team will confirm the next available visit.