LG washing machine not spinning

What is actually happening

A spin needs three things to be true: the water is gone, the door is locked, and the load is balanced. If any one of them fails the machine skips the spin rather than risk it. Where the wash itself is fine and only the spin fails, the two usual culprits are worn motor carbon brushes on older belt-driven machines, or a load that the machine cannot balance.

The LG fault codes that point at this

A LG washing machine will usually tell you what it thinks is wrong before anyone opens it up. These are the codes we hold for this make that relate to not spinning:

• DE — Your LG washing machine can't confirm the door is shut and locked, so it won't start filling or spinning.
• LE — The machine has tried to spin the drum but the motor isn't turning the way the control board expects, so it stops and shows LE.
• OE — Your LG washer hasn't managed to empty the water out within the time it expects, so it has stopped with a drum full of water.
• PE — Your LG washing machine can't tell how much water is in the drum, so it stops rather than risk under- or overfilling.

If yours is showing one of those, that is a much shorter conversation than a general fault — tell us the code when you book and the engineer can often carry the part.

The usual causes on a LG washing machine

• Worn carbon brushes on the motor — typical life is seven to ten years, and the machine will often wash but not spin
• Water left in the drum from a drain fault, so the spin is never attempted
• An unbalanced load — one heavy item such as a towel or duvet on its own
• A snapped or slipping drive belt: the motor runs, the drum does not
• A failed door interlock, so the machine will not commit to a high-speed spin

What you can safely check yourself

1. Redistribute the load by hand and run a spin-only cycle — a single heavy item is a common and harmless cause
2. Check whether water is left in the drum; if it is, this is a drain fault first and a spin fault second
3. Listen during the attempted spin: a motor that revs while the drum stays still points at the belt

Common questions

Why is my LG washing machine not spinning?

The machine washes normally but the clothes come out soaked, because the drum never reaches spin speed. A spin needs three things to be true: the water is gone, the door is locked, and the load is balanced. If any one of them fails the machine skips the spin rather than risk it. Where the wash itself is fine and only the spin fails, the two usual culprits are worn motor carbon brushes on older belt-driven machines, or a load that the machine cannot balance.

Can I fix a LG washing machine not spinning myself?

Redistribute the load by hand and run a spin-only cycle — a single heavy item is a common and harmless cause. Check whether water is left in the drum; if it is, this is a drain fault first and a spin fault second. Listen during the attempted spin: a motor that revs while the drum stays still points at the belt. Beyond those checks this one normally needs an engineer.

What LG error codes mean not spinning?

LG washing machines report this through their own fault codes. The ones that point at not spinning are DE, LE, OE, PE. If your machine is showing one of those, that narrows it down considerably — each has its own guide on this site.

How much does a LG washing machine repair cost?

£66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Other LG washing machine faults

• washing machine not draining
• washing machine leaking water
• washing machine making a loud noise
• washing machine not heating the water
• washing machine door will not open
• washing machine will not turn on

Repairs we cover near you

• Washing Machine Repairs — what we charge and how it works
• Washing Machine Repairs in Nottingham
• Washing Machine Repairs in Arnold
• Washing Machine Repairs in Beeston
• Washing Machine Repairs in Bulwell

Written by the engineers at ASAP Repairs from our own repair notes. See also our general guide to washing machines not spinning and our LG repairs page.