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Are you finding that your LG washer won’t turn on? You would be on a relatively short list. LG is a reputable Korean company that makes a wide range of home appliances. They work exceptionally well most of the time. But no appliance is perfect.
If a Direct Drive LG washer won’t turn on, a common cause is internal electrical or electronic issues. In many cases, it’s a problem with the main control board, noise filter, or the POWER BUTTON microswitch.
In this article, we will take a closer look at what causes those problems and how to fix them.
Possible Reasons why A Top-loading or Front-loading LG Washer Won’t turn on
When it comes to troubleshooting washers from LG or any other brand, the problems and solutions tend to differ depending on whether it’s a top-loading or front-loading washing machine.
That’s true most of the time, but not in this case. If an LG washer won’t turn on, it’s likely to be the same issue, whether in a top- or front-loading machine.
So, as long as you’re using an LG washer, the information you’ll find here will be helpful.
Main Printed Circuit Board (PCB) Or Control Board Malfunction
What it is: Many home appliances these days rely on what’s known as a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) or control board. The easiest way to describe the control board is as the ‘brain’ of the entire LG washer.
The PCB comes in the form of a small circuit board. Built onto the board are many smaller electronic components.
Together, they coordinate all the different parts in the machine to put your clothes through the washing cycle.
The PCB is so critical to the LG washer’s operation that if it was faulty for any reason, one or more of the machine’s functions would no longer work.
Why it fails: A clear sign that there’s probably something wrong with the PCB is when the washer will work and not work intermittently.
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But, of course, if the problem is severe, the entire machine will not turn on at all.
There are several reasons why a control board might fail. The most common among them is age.
So, if your LG washer has been in use for a long time, it could simply be that the circuit board has suffered from wear and tear and requires a replacement.
Besides that, it’s also possible that environmental factors are to blame. Perhaps the PCB was somehow exposed to too much heat, moisture, or dust.
Electrical surges, such as those that happen during thunderstorms, can also cause damage to the PCB.
The least common reason for the PCB failing is defects or poor design.
While it is still possible, the likelihood is relatively low when it comes to reputable brands like LG, which have high-quality control standards.
How to fix: Before attempting any kind of fix, the first thing you should do is try a reset of your LG washer.
That is commonly referred to as the “5-second reset”, and it’s effortless to do. Follow these steps:
- Disconnect the power supply by unplugging the washer.
- Press the power button and hold for 5 seconds.
- Press the play/pause button and hold for 5 seconds.
- Plug the washer back into the power supply.
For some users, this reset is all that’s necessary. For others, it may only work as a short-term solution, or it may not work at all.
If that’s the case, then the problem may be with the noise filter (explained later in this article), or you might need to replace the control board.
Replacing the control board is a fairly straightforward process. Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Disconnect the power supply to the washer.
- Refer to the user manual and locate the control board. Typically, it’s behind the front control panel.
- Remove the necessary panels to gain access to the control board.
- Take a picture of the control board before removing it. That way, you’ll have a reference photo you can use later.
- Remove the control board and put in the new one. Then, put the electrical connectors back precisely the same way as before. Refer to the photo you took earlier to avoid any mistakes.
- Replace the access panels you removed earlier.
Noise Filter Failed
What it is: Electrical appliances like your LG washer also have an electrical component known as a ‘noise filter’.
That name can be pretty confusing to many people, so let’s try to clarify what it means.
The ‘noise’ that the name refers to is electromagnetic noise which is basically fluctuations in voltage.
Even though the noise might happen at low amplitudes, it’s still not something that you want disrupting your washer’s electrical circuits.
In some cases, those fluctuations can be quite dangerous and damaging to your washer, which is why many models rely on a noise filter.
Simply put, the noise filter prevents any electromagnetic noise from entering the electrical circuit and causing any problems.
Why it fails: There are two clear signs that your noise filter has failed. First, you might actually hear audible static noises from the washing machine.
Or, more likely, you’ll find that the control panel on your LG washer won’t turn on.
Typically, a noise filter might fail if it has either worn out or short-circuited. Like any other component in your LG washer, long-term use can lead to parts getting worn out and needing replacement. That includes electrical parts like the noise filter.
But what if the washer is not very old? Well, the noise filter may have shorted out. A common reason for that would be a power surge during a thunderstorm.
Either way, whether old and dead or shorted out, the noise filter needs to be replaced.
How to fix: Before performing any repairs to a washer, you must disconnect the power and water supplies. That’ll reduce the risk of injury and prevent electrical shock.
Then, follow these steps:
- Refer to the user manual or any technical sheet that the manufacturer may have included with the washer. That will help you locate and identify the noise filter, which might be in different locations depending on your washer model.
- Then, remove whichever panel will give you access to the noise filter. You might find the noise filter assembly mounted on the washer’s sidewall with screws or bolts that need to be removed. Disconnect the wire harness, as well.
- Then, simply mount the new noise filter in place and reconnect the wire harness.
- Last, secure any panels you removed and reconnect the machine to its power and water supplies.
Power Button Microswitch Lost Connection
What it is: As the name suggests, a microswitch is simply a tiny switch that doesn’t take much effort to actuate. If you have a bad microswitch, it’s possible that your LG washer won’t turn on.
That’s why appliances like your LG washer will have a microswitch behind each of the buttons you press to input your settings.
When you press on a button, say the power button on your washer’s control panel, what you’re doing is applying pressure onto a microswitch.
That will send a sort of signal to the control board, telling the washer what to do.
Why it fails: If your LG washer won’t turn on, it could be due to a failure of the microswitch behind the power button.
Here’s another way to look at it:
Your washer is probably working just fine. It’s just that when you press the power button to turn it on, the machine isn’t getting the signal to turn it on and do its job.
Here’s an easy way to troubleshoot this problem. If nothing happens when you press on the power button, then try turning the cycle selector.
Usually, turning that knob will automatically turn the washer on as well.
So, if your LG washer won’t turn on when you press the power button, but does when you turn the cycle selector, then you’ve just narrowed the problem down to the micro switch behind the power button.
How to fix: Unfortunately, it’s not possible to replace just a single power button microswitch.
That’s because all of the various microswitches are part of a single control panel.
This is not unique to washers made by LG, as most leading brands also use a similar design for singular control panels.
So, if there’s a problem with one or more microswitches or the cycle selector, the most practical solution would be to replace the entire control panel.
As usual, any repairs that you do to your washer must start with disconnecting the power and water supplies to prevent injury or electrocution.
Then, follow these steps:
The first step would be to remove the top panel of the washer. Doing that will give you the access you need to remove the entire front panel of your LG washer.
As part of the process, you’ll also be gently removing the soap dispenser tray, as well as any screws or plastic tabs holding the panel in place.
- The existing control panel will be mounted in place with screws as well as electrical connectors. An excellent idea would be to take a picture of the control panel before removing it, so you know where everything goes later on.
- Once you’ve mounted the new control panel in place, reconnect the wire harness. Then, you’ll work backwards by replacing the front panel and soap dispenser tray.
- Last of all, you’ll need to secure the washer’s top panel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Read: Maytag Washer Control Panel Problems
I got a new top washer and it is not tanning on
I replaced both the Main Control PCB and Display Assembly PCB without any luck to fix my top loading WT7305CW machine. Turns out a piece of foil under the “on” button did the trick. My factory authorized LG technician never considered this. Just more sacrificial parts. Lesson learned? Scour the web before calling a service tech.
Hello…I have an LG True Balance front loader washer…a few months ago, I went to put my clothes in the dryer and found they were sitting in a few inches of soapy water, and the washer was bricked. It wouldn’t power up for anything. I assumed the worst and since I can’t afford a huge appliance repair right now, I started doing my laundry at the laundromat. That’s fun. Anyway, my ex-husband thought maybe it was the power source, so he took a drill, plugged it in, and as soon as he turned the drill on, it blew up…like it got a power surge or something. So I locked out/tagged out the outlet and chalked it up to 50 year old wiring. This week I had an electrician out. He plugged a lamp in. Turned it on. It worked just fine. So did everything else he plugged in. The outlet was working fine…because of course it was…lol….anyway, he said to replace the power cord to the washer….does that sound plausible? I’m thinking if it got a surge, wouldn’t the motherboard be fried? It wasn’t storming or anything the day it stopped…but obviously something happened
I can do a hard reset on my LG direct drive washer model #wt5480cw but I have to do it after load. We
Hi, I have no power and a hard reset doesn’t work, also spinning the dial doesn’t work.
I get a clicking noise for a long while when I click the pause button, and then it stops. Is this a problem with the lock? If so, what is the fix?
Hi There,
We just bought a new LG combination washer – dryer unit Model Number
Wkg101HVA.It will not turn on.
There is power to the electrical outlet.
The dryer works,but it the Washer control board.
Originally it worked when we just got it today.Now it wont.
Then only change in circumstance was that our house had a generator installed to the breaker box for winter power outages.So, the Breaker box was modified.
Please advise.
To be clear,the Washer wont turn on.The washer control panel wont light up.
We tried the 5 minute shut down process,but it did not help.
I hope that helps.
Please advise.
Please contact LG support, i have no answer/solution for you
Hi, my washing machine was working perfectly until I was doing my last load. I am not sure if it displayed an error message because I didn’t hear the alert that it was done and so I assumed I must have not heard it as the time had passed and just put it off to dry my load. When I opened the door, I realized that the water had not drained and the load had probably not completed the cycle as the softener was not used and on top of that it is not coming on anymore. What could the problem be?
Update. I have had no power issues with my lg top load washer. I plugged it into a surge protector as some other people have that have had no power issues. And unbelievably it works. Have not had an issue since I plugged it into that surge protector. Explain why?????
I have a lg top load washer. I have no power issues. If I unplug the machine and plug it back in. It will power on sometimes. Most of the time I get a spark when plugging it back in. If I don’t get the spark it will not power back on. I have to unplug it multiple time to get the spark sometimes. What is the problem?
The problem with the main control board. Replace it
We have LG model WT7600HWA and have replaced the noise filter as well as the electronic control board. We still have no power. What else could be causing this problem?
Probably, Wiring issue?
Do you have power in the receptacle? Do you have input/output power on the noise filter?
Plug it into a surge protector. Plug surge protector into wall outlet. Try it.
I have a LG Washer that sometime I have to do the reset as you you stated. Unplug press the buttons and plug in I note a spark on plugging in. The model is a WT7800CW . What are you feeling on this. Thank you for your time and understanding.
I have the same problem. Any know what the fix is?
Plug it into a surge protector. Plug surge protector into wall outlet. Try it.
Hi there,
I have a front loading LG washer that had an unbalanced load. It was actually quite scary as it sounded like it could break through the walls. It shut off about the same time I made it up the two flights of stairs so I don’t know if it was me or automatic. I emptied the washer and now it gets power and makes noise when the power button is pressed, but no other buttons or lights are working or coming on. I tried a hard reset while it was turned off and made a few attempts at holding the child lock button for 3 seconds. Same thing still. Power button makes noise but nothing else is responding.
Hi Eugene,
We own a 9 year old Lg WT5070CW top load washer. We noticed that the load we put in at 7p last night. After 10p we noticed the load wasn’t complete and “15” minutes just kept flashing. We couldn’t pause or unlock the machine after several attempts. I tried the hard reset, got nowhere. I have a repairman coming tomorrow. I’m guessing, because of its age, it will need to be replaced. What are your thoughts? Is there a way to unlock the lid to get our clothes out?
Thank you for your time!
Depends on the issue your machine has, it’s time to replace or maybe to fix it. You need to run diagnostic mode to see what kind of error codes and problems you have to deal with
I have a LG front load Dryer DLE2301R. It won’t start anymore. The power button does not work. Any buttons or displays don’t light up anymore. The dryer has power since the light inside turns on when I open the door. What could be wrong with it? The main board needs replacement? The door switch not working properly? The thermal fuse not working? The start switch is damaged ?
If lights on the display do not light up, it is either user control board failure or main control board
Hi,
So I should not try to even switch the thermal fuse? When the fuse is blown, does it cut electricity to the control board?
I tried to find the control board but I don’t find it. Do you know where I can find it?
Thanks
Control board is discontinued for your model, but Check this info 6 Reasons Why LG Dryer Won’t Start
I have a LG W7300CW that isn’t turning on. I can’t seem to find a control board replacement. Do you know where I can find one?
Here is a control board for your model
Hello I have an LG washing machine wm5000hva touch screen. It was glitching and going on and off while in use. When you plug it in it sparks and always has since I got it. I could get it to come on before the repair man touched it. He charged me $145.00 but did not fix anything on it. Now it will not even turn on at all. It has power going to the power board but it just smells like burning plastic. I feel like people keep taking advantage of me. I cant afford to spend lots of money to trouble shoot the washer. Any thoughts on what it could be?
The Control board is failed.. You need a new one.
After conducting reset (holding Start/Pause for 5 cycles) – works for one cycle. Then will not turn back on again and need to reset again. What are your thoughts
Need a new main control board for sure.. What is the model number of your washer? I can find a right part for you
hi there
just fitted new brushes now the machine does not want to agitate for wash or spin what could be the cause
Whats the model number of your washer?
Drum Sensor.check
I finally sourced a Main control board for my LG front load washer… but replacing it (had already tried replacing the control board in the front) didn’t work. It just won’t power on! Any ideas what else to try?
Did you check output power on the noise filter? These two parts such as control board and noise filter needs to be check first. By the way, did you do any troubleshooting before replacing the board?
My top load LG washer is getting power. It makes the noises for turning on and off, but the display and none of the knobs and buttons are working. What could be the problem?
1. One of the buttons is jammed
2. user interface panel failed
3. Child lock is ON
I replaced main power panel and control panel and still not workingshould I replace the noise filter as well?
I dont know … But from my experience, every time when i replaced main control board it fixed the problem
If you have a resistance tester, you cab check your Line Filter yourself before spending the money on a new one.
1) Unplug washer, remove top cover.
2) Locate filter by following the power cord from where it enters the washer to the first assembly it connects to. This is your line filter,
3) Unplug the two connectors (red and white) by pressing the tab and pulling out. If you wish to test the assembly in place, skip the next step
4) Remove the one philips screw at the top center and pull the assembly towards the front of the washer, Assembly will fall free.
5) Use your tester set to Ohms of resistance and test Red Pin 3 (top most of the three) to White Pin 1 (top most or furthest left). Now test Red 1 to White 3. Both tests should read 0 Ohms.