Top 3 Reasons Why Your LG Washer Won’t Turn On

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:

1. Disconnect the power supply by unplugging the washer.
2. Press the power button and hold for 5 seconds.
3. Press the play/pause button and hold for 5 seconds.
4. 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:

1. Disconnect the power supply to the washer.
2. Refer to the user manual and locate the control board. Typically, it’s behind the front control panel.
3. Remove the necessary panels to gain access to the control board.
4. Take a picture of the control board before removing it. That way, you’ll have a reference photo you can use later.
5. 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.
6. 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.

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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:

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Then, simply mount the new noise filter in place and reconnect the wire harness.
4. 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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Last of all, you’ll need to secure the washer’s top panel.

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