LG dryer not starting

Common reasons your LG dryer is not starting

The most common reasons your LG dryer is not starting are a faulty thermal fuse, failed door switch or a broken drum belt.

65% of the time it's the
Thermal Fuse

18% of the time it's the
Door Switch

8% of the time it's the
Drum Belt

9% of the time it's the
Something else

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Most common repairs needed to fix a LG dryer

Thermal Fuse Replacement

A faulty or blown thermal fuse can keep the dryer from starting. The thermal fuse is a safety device mounted on the blower housing that trips when the dryer overheats. The thermal fuse in most electric dryers prevents the motor from running. In some gas dryers, a blown thermal fuse will also prevent the motor from running. A clogged exhaust vent system often causes the dryer to overheat and the thermal fuse to blow. When the dryer won’t run, have a Sears Home Services Technician visit your home and fix the dryer. The technician will replace the thermal fuse if it’s blown.

How to replace a thermal fuse in an electric dryer

Door Switch Replacement

If your dryer is not starting, a failed door switch could be causing the problem. The door switch detects when the dryer door is shut. A failed door switch won’t sense whether the door is closed properly. The dryer won’t start even through the door is closed when the door switch is bad. Have a Sears Home Services Technician check your dryer when it won’t start. The technician will replace the door switch if it is defective.

How to replace a dryer door switch

Drum Belt Replacement

When your dryer won’t start a cycle, a broken drum belt could be causing the problem. The drum belt wraps around the dryer drum and connects to the drive motor pulley. The drive motor rotates the belt to spin the drum. Over time, the drum belt becomes worn and can break. A switch on the idler pulley prevents the motor from starting when it senses that the drive belt is broken. When the dryer won’t start, have a Sears Home Services Technician check your dryer and replace the drum belt if it’s broken.

How to replace a dryer drum belt

What to expect when you experience an LG dryer not starting issue

How is the not starting problem fixed?

Correcting most not starting problems usually involves replacing the thermal fuse, door switch or drum belt. However, there are many potential causes, so a thorough diagnosis is key to fixing the problem. An accurate diagnosis is essential to understanding how much the repair will be.

Sears Home Services recommendations for a dryer that is not starting

When the dryer is not starting it can be for many reasons. To avoid replacing unneeded parts we recommend having a Sears Home Services professional perform diagnostic tests to identify the root cause of the problem. Our technicians are experienced at diagnosing all types of dryer failures.

What to look out for with a dryer not starting diagnosis

Diagnosing modern appliances without proper knowledge and training can be difficult. Without using proper diagnostic techniques, fixing your dryer problem will only be achieved through changing parts on a hunch. Appliances, especially in the last 10 years, have become extremely advanced, and many models have electronic parts that are difficult to test. DIY repairs on the latest appliance models are becoming increasingly difficult.

LG Dryer Says Check Filter and Won’t Start Troubleshooting

It’s normal for an LG dryer Check Filter light to blink when your program a cycle. This is a reminder to clean the lint screen before starting each cycle. If you haven’t already cleaned the lint screen, pull it out and clean it then press the Start button. The Check Filter light should stop blinking as the dryer starts.

The Check Filter light won’t prevent the dryer from starting. Other problems can prevent your LG dryer from starting.

Follow these troubleshooting tips when your LG dryer won’t start.

Make sure that you close the dryer door fully. Press in on the dryer door and see if the cycle starts. Check for obstructions keeping the door from closing fully. Push any garments blocking the door into the dryer drum so it closes properly.
Check the control panel for the Control Lock being enabled. The cycle won’t start if the Control Lock is enabled. Press and hold the Lock button to disable the Control Lock if you find it turned on.
Look for an error code flashing on the control panel display. For example, a code such as dE indicates that the door switch in the dryer is defective. Look up the error code being displayed and follow the troubleshooting steps to clear the code on your dryer so it starts.

If these basic troubleshooting tips don’t help you resolve the starting problem, schedule dryer repair service and we’ll send a Sears Home Services technician to your home to fix the dryer.

How to Fix an LG Dryer that Turns On but Won’t Start

Fixing an LG dryer that turns on but won’t start may be as simple as disabling the Child Lock on the control panel. If you find the Control Lock enabled, press and hold the Lock button for 3 seconds to disable that feature.

When the dryer won’t start even though the Child Lock isn’t on, the control board could be locked up due to a power surge through the electrical lines. Follow these steps to reset the electronic control board in an LG dryer:

Unplug the dryer to completely disconnect electrical power.
Press and hold the Start/Pause button for 5 seconds.
Plug the dryer power cord back in to restore electrical power.

The dryer may work properly after resetting the control.

If the dryer still doesn’t work after resetting the control, press in on the dryer door to make sure it is fully shut. If the door won’t shut properly, check for garments blocking the door from closing. Clear the garments and shut the door then try to start the dryer.

If the dryer won’t start with the door fully shut, you’ll likely need to schedule dryer repair service. Failures such as a blown thermal fuse, broken door switch, broken dryer belt, bad drive motor, failed control panel, defective electronic control board or a wiring failure could be preventing your LG dryer from starting. Our Sears Home Services technician will diagnose the starting problem and get your LG dryer running again in no time.

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