Seeing an LE error code on your LG washer is usually a worry, as the user manual states that it’s a problem with the motor. Before you reach for the phone to call a technician, it’s worth knowing that there are other more benign faults that could be causing the problem.
What Does the LE Error Code Mean
An LE error indicates that your washing machine motor has locked.
This can be due to several different problems, including packing too much laundry in at once and disrupting the drum balance, a malfunctioning hall sensor, or a worn drum rotor.
What Causes LG’s LE Error Code
There are four primary scenarios that trigger the LE error code, including a heavy load, an unbalanced load, a faulty hall sensor, or a worn rotor. Before attempting to work through the troubleshooting guide below, it will be beneficial to understand each of these potential causes in more detail.
Heavy Laundry Load
It often comes as a surprise when people hear that your washer is designed to lock-up and not spin if the washer senses that the laundry load is too heavy. This is simply the result of multiple heavy items in the drum, or by simply overloading the machine above the designated weight capacity of the drum.
Most people won’t think too hard about what they put in their washers. They only want to clean their dirty clothing and move on with life, so this issue occurs more often than you might expect and consequently triggers error codes, or on some machines just prevents the drum from spinning.
To avoid this problem, just operate your washer within its capabilities, and this includes loading. Refer to the instruction manual that accompanied your appliance for its maximum laundry load.
If you cannot find your manual, you can use the 1-hand rule: if all of your clothes fit in with one hand’s height still remaining between the top of the clothes pile and the top of the drum, then you’re good to go!
Unbalanced Laundry Load
The clever people who design washing machines engineer them in a way that presumes most people wash a mixed load of clothes. Some light, some heavy, a few shirts, maybe a few towels. Which seems logical.
What they don’t account for is three pairs of running shoes, maybe a load full of heavy bath towels or a load with just three napkins in, and so on. This type of loading can cause an ‘unbalanced’ load. A load that pulls the drum out of a well-aligned spin around the motor axis, and potentially damages the motor or rotor.
Foreign Objects
It’s possible to get the LE code if a foreign object is located within the tub, maybe a coin, or a piece of wire trapped in the drum.
Faulty Hall Sensor
The hall sensor monitors the speed of the rotating drum and detects something called the “Hall effect.” If you were interested, this occurs when a magnetic field perpendicular to an electric current produces a potential difference across that conductor, measuring precisely how quickly it is turning…Yawn! Okay in simple terms it just measures the speed of the rotating drum.
The Hall sensor is situation next to the door mounted on the stator. Although the sensor itself remains stationary while the drum revolves during a wash cycle, this device will pick up signals from the moving rotor and transmits them to the washer main control module (computer).
When you see an LE error code when a program is running, there’s a good chance that it’s due to a failing Hall sensor.
If a Hall Sensor fails completely your may not start at all. To guarantee that faulty sensors are not preventing the motor from starting, it will need to be tested for continuity. In this article’s following section, I will teach you how to do exactly that!
Worn Rotor
The rotor is an important part of a top-loading washing machine. As its name suggests, this component rotates the washtub. It works together with another component called the a stator, and together they create a strong electromagnetic field that rotates the tub. There are several magnets located on the rotor. These magnets can become defective sooner or later. When this happens, your washer might stop spinning.
The appliance will lock the motor and register the problem as an LE error. If the Hall sensor is working properly and you put a normal load in the machine, the only logical explanation for why it isn’t working properly is due to a worn rotor.
If you’d like to know more about the drum rotor and how it can lead to an LE error code, I suggest that you watch the video below.
![[LG Front Washers] LE Error Code](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/8xwQoq4BGt4/0.jpg "How To Fix an LG Washer LE Error Code 1")
How To Fix LG Washer LE Error Code
1. Reduce Heavy Wash Load
If you’re trying to alleviate the LE error code, the first and easiest action to take is reducing your laundry load. Make sure that you can fit a hand in between the clothes pile in the drum, and the top of the drum when loading. This will ensure there’s still plenty of space for air and water circulation during the wash.
2. Inspect and Balance the Load
Make sure that you carefully inspect the laundry load to figure out if it’s balanced and within the stated load capacity. To keep the load balanced avoid washing large heavy objects on their own, otherwise they will gather on one side of the drum and spin erratically. Add a few smaller items to spread the weight of the load across the drum, allowing for an even spin.
- Check there is a combination of light and heavy items.
- Check for any twisted or tangled clothes and untangle them and maybe switch a few items to a different wash load
- Empty out any clots in the drum and check for any foreign object loose within the drum, and remove it.
- Avoid washing running shoes or other items on their own. The excess water in the drum can slosh around destabilizing the drum’s centrifugal rotation.
3. Test The Hall Sensor
If you have checked the drum for underloading or overloading, the next step is to test the hall sensor. Testing the hall sensor is a fairly technical process, so unless you are a confident working with circuit work I would recommend at this stage you call in a repair professional to perform the checks.
If you are interested in performing the checks yourself, here’s a simple guide on how to conduct the test:
- Begin by disconnecting the washer from its power source, to avoid any risk of electric shock.
- Pull the appliance away from the wall so that you have enough room to stand behind it.
- Disconnect the two water supply lines located on the back of the washer.
- Remove the mounting screws on the panel, followed by the panel itself. You should now be able to see the rotor, a large circular component that rotates the washtub.
- You will have to remove the center bolt from the tub in order to remove the rotor.
- There are six bolts that hold the stator. Remove all of them, as well as the stator.
- You will notice a plastic motor sensor connected to the stator. This is the Hall center.
- Remove the sensor and grab a multimeter to test the component for electrical continuity.
- Set the resistance on your multimeter to 10 kOhm and connect its probes to outputs 1 and 5. You should get a reading of 5-15 kOhm if the sensor is in good condition. Repeat the same process for outputs 2 and 5.
4. Inspect the Drum Rotor
The LE error code often indicates a problem with the washer’s drum rotor This generally means that the washer’s motor isn’t functioning as it should and will need inspecting.
If you have already tried adjusting the way you load your washer and inspected the hall sensor, then a problem with the rotor is the next likely cause.
Apart from seeing the LE error code on the washer’s control panel, other indications of a rotor problem include:
- Washer not spinning or agitating: The drum fails to rotate during the wash or spin cycle.
- Unusual noises: You may hear grinding, scraping, or rattling sounds coming from the washer during operation.
- Not draining water: The washer might have difficulty draining water properly.
To test if the drum rotor is faulty, you can follow these steps:
- Unplug the washer: Always make sure the washer is disconnected from the power source to prevent electrical accidents.
- Access the rotor: Remove the back panel to access the motor rotor, which will be located at the rear of the washer.
- Inspect for physical damage: Next you can visually examine the rotor, looking for signs of damage. Check to see if it is split or loose has components, check for excessive wear, or burning smells. If you see any of these signs, the rotor needs to be replaced.
- Check electrical connections: Make sure that all electrical connections to the rotor are secure. Loose or disconnected wires will also trigger an LE error code.
- Measure resistance: Using a multimeter set to the resistance (ohms) setting, measure the resistance across the motor’s windings. Consult the washer’s manual or contact LG support to obtain the correct resistance values for your specific model. If the measured resistance significantly deviates from the specified range, it indicates a faulty rotor.
Seek professional help: If you’re unsure how to perform any of these tests or if the rotor needs replacement, I would recommended that you to contact a qualified for assistance.
Watch the video below for a visual guide on how to replace the rotor.
Verdict: Fixing LG Washer LE Error Code
When you see the LG washer LE error code, the first thing that you should do is inspect the laundry load. Make sure that it isn’t too heavy or unbalanced. If everything is okay with the load, you should check out if components like the drum rotor and hall sensor are working properly.
Citation
LG – LE Error Code
Andy has over 8 years of experience working on residential household appliances, performing diagnostics, and repairs across most major brands. He graduated from the Denver Institute of Technology, is NASTeC certified, and has worked for Mr. Appliance. Andy has contributed to features on major publications including Better Home & Gardens, Family Handyman, and Yahoo.com.
