What to check yourself
Step 1. Unplug for ten seconds and try again
LG asks for this first. A single bad reading from the thermistor latches the code, and a reset clears it if the sensor is fine. If it returns on the next hot cycle, the sensor or the heater is genuinely at fault.
Step 2. Check the hot tap if the machine uses one
Machines plumbed to both hot and cold can report a temperature fault when the hot supply is closed or the water heater is off, because the water never reaches the temperature the cycle expects. Open the tap and run a hot cycle before anything else.
Step 3. Note whether it happens only on hot cycles
Useful information and free to gather. A fault that appears only on warm and hot cycles points at the heating element. One that appears on every cycle including cold points at the thermistor, because that is read regardless of whether heating is called for.
What a technician will look at
Described so you know what you are paying for, not as steps to repeat.
Thermistor replacement
The temperature sensor is a small, inexpensive part, and it is the more common of the two failures. It sits on the tub where a technician can reach it with the panel off.
Heating element replacement
If the element itself has failed, usually from scale in hard water areas, it has to come out. Straightforward work for a technician, but it involves draining the machine and working around live connections.
When to call a technician
Once a reset has failed and the hot supply is confirmed good. There is no owner level fix beyond that: both the thermistor and the element sit inside the machine.
What the repair costs
| Repair | Part only | Fitted by a technician |
|---|---|---|
| Reset, opening the hot supply | - | Free |
| Thermistor replacement | - | $120 to $300 |
| Heating element replacement | - | $180 to $400 |
A new machine of the same class runs $500 to $1,500. Once a quote passes about a third of that on an older appliance, the repair stops making sense.
Codes people confuse this with
Questions people ask
- The washing still comes out clean. Do I have to fix it?
- Not urgently, but do not assume everything is fine. Modern detergents work well in cold water on ordinary laundry, so the difference is invisible day to day. Where it matters is towels, bedding and anything you wash hot for hygiene rather than for stains.
- Which is it, the sensor or the element?
- The pattern tells you before anyone opens the machine. Only on hot cycles points at the element. On every cycle including cold points at the thermistor, which is read all the time. Mention which one you are seeing when you call and the visit gets shorter.
Which machines this applies to
Applies to
LG front load and WashTower machines that heat their own water. Washer dryer combos show DHE, HE or SE for heating faults on the dryer side, which are separate repairs.
Last checked
2026-08-09