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An LG dishwasher will flash its lights to get your attention. Still, it takes a bit of time to understand what your appliance is trying to tell you.
LG dishwashers have SignaLight cycle indicator lights on their front panels. Those lights flash to show if the machine is in use or has active errors. Besides that, a failed heating element, drain pump, or control panel can also cause the dishwasher’s light to flash.
Through this guide, you’ll learn to understand why your dishwasher is flashing its lights and what you can do to fix it.
How Do You Fix The Flashing Lights On LG Dishwasher?
Flashing lights on LG dishwasher typically means a problem with one of the components, but that’s not always the case.
Below, you’ll find details about why your dishwasher lights are flashing and what you need to do to fix the problem:
SignaLight Cycle Indicator Lights
About this: Before you troubleshoot your LG dishwasher for problems, you must first understand the model you have. Many LG dishwasher models come with SignaLight Cycle Indicator Lights on the unit’s front.
These lights are part of the machine’s design to inform you of the machine’s status. For example, one of the lights will flash when the dishwasher is in the middle of a cycle. Besides that, the lights can also show you what stage of that cycle the appliance is currently in.
What’s happening: As you can see from the description above, flashing lights aren’t always signaling a problem with your LG dishwasher. Instead, you could be seeing the appliance flashing its light to let you know a cycle is running or that a cycle is about to end.
That way, you don’t have to open the dishwasher door to see what’s going on inside.
The user manual for your LG dishwasher model is the best reference here. In addition, you can find information about how many flashing lights your unit is supposed to have and what their flashing means.
How to fix it: There’s nothing to fix here. To repeat what was written above, the SignaLight Cycle Indicator Lights will flash depending on the dishwasher’s status.
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Read: 5 LG Dishwasher Problems You Need To Know
Failed Heating Element
About this: Your LG dishwasher has a heating element at the bottom of the compartment. The element plugs into the compartment’s bottom at two points and looks like a big metal ring.
That element generates heat using electrical resistance. When the dishwasher needs to heat itself up, it’ll send an electrical current through the heating element. The resistance in that metal material will convert electricity to heat, which is used for cleaning and drying your dishes.
What’s happening: So far, you’ve seen why your LG dishwasher lights will flash for non-problematic reasons. Now, we’ll look at the reasons that represent a problem.
The first problem is your LG dishwasher lights flashing because the heating element has failed. That will happen if the outer layer of the heating element is broken or has somehow developed a hole.
Besides that, it’ll also happen if the heating element has suffered an electrical fault due to something like a power surge.
No matter the root cause, a faulty heating element can’t work correctly to support your dishwasher’s cleaning process.
How to fix it: Firstly, check that the heating element is correctly connected to the dishwasher at both ends. The element may have come loose, causing the lights to flash as a warning.
That means the heating element has failed. You’ll have to replace it with a new one. Start by disconnecting the existing one at both ends and pulling it out. Then plug the new one in the same way as the old one.
Read: How To Fix LG Dishwasher Which Has No Power?
Faulty Drain Pump
About this: LG dishwashers rely on pumps to move water wherever needed. Once the water has been used to wash your dishes and needs to be removed, a drain pump at the bottom will drive the water out.
That’s called the drain pump, and it’s there to remove used water from inside the dishwasher quickly.
That way, the dishwasher can refill itself with clean water to continue and complete the washing cycle.
What’s happening: The drain pump in your LG dishwasher can eventually fail. When that happens, the dishwasher’s control panel lights will flash to let you know that the component is not working.
Firstly, the drain pump can fail from straightforward wear and tear. However, that cause is only likely if you’ve been using the appliance for at least several years.
Besides that, the pump can also fail when foreign objects get stuck inside it. Alternatively, a power surge can also damage the pump from within, causing it to stop working.
How to fix it: A faulty drain pump needs to be checked a little closer before you can decide what to do about it. For instance, the problem of foreign objects stuck inside the pump can be cleared pretty quickly.
However, internal damage from an electrical fault is not repairable. So, unfortunately, you’ll have to purchase a compatible replacement to install in your dishwasher if you want to continue using it normally.
Read: How To Fix LE Error Code On LG Dishwasher?
Problematic Touchpad Or Control Panel
About this: The touchpad and control panel are how you communicate with your LG dishwasher. That’s where you input your desired setting and choose the cycle you want to use for cleaning your dishes.
When you push buttons on the touchpad or control panel, those parts will then send electrical signals to the rest of the appliance. As a result, the dishwasher will follow your instructions and wash your dishes.
What’s happening: The final thing to consider when your LG dishwasher is flashing its lights is that the touchpad or control panel is faulty. That means the other components in your dishwasher are in excellent working condition.
When the touchpad or control panel becomes faulty, it’ll behave erratically. One of those unusual behaviors is flashing its lights for no particular reason.
How to fix it: Dishwasher touchpads and control panels don’t fail often. But when they do, you must replace them with a new one. The erratic flashing lights mean the internal components have failed and can’t be repaired.
Read: How To Reset CL Error Code On LG Dishwasher?
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Need a bit more help understanding what’s going on? Here are a few more helpful questions and answers to help you out.
What Are The 3 Lights On Front Of A LG Dishwasher?
The 3 lights you see on the front of your LG dishwasher are its SignaLight cycle indicator lights. The red one flashes error codes, the white one shows when the unit is in use, and the green one will turn on when the cycle is complete.
How Do I Reset My LG Smart Dishwasher?
Resetting your LG smart dishwasher is done by disconnecting its power source for a full minute. When that time passes, plug the appliance back in and let it restart normally.
Read: What Means NE Error Code On LG Dishwasher?
What Does Snowflake Mean On LG Dishwasher?
When you see the snowflake indicator on an LG dishwasher, you must refill the rinse aid.
Do LG Dishwashers Have Heating Elements?
Yes, LG dishwashers have heating elements. You’ll find it at the bottom of the compartment.
How Do You Check The Heating Element On A LG Dishwasher?
You can check the heating element by removing it from the appliance and testing it with a
