LG refrigerator guide
LG refrigerator error codes: what each one means
The common LG refrigerator codes in one table: what each points to, what you can safely try, and when it needs a technician. Checked against LG’s own code lists and service manuals.
Updated October 24, 2026 · by the US Pro Repair technicians (EPA-608 certified)
How to read the code
- LG shows a marker (E, Er or r) in one temperature window and the code in the other, so the same fault can read as “FF E”, “E FF” or “Er FF”.
- The display’s digits mislead: IF can look like 1F or F1, IS like 1S or 15, Sb like S6 or 5b.
- While a code is showing, the buttons may stop responding. That is not the lock: an LG fridge shows the lock as a padlock or a LOCK light, never as “CL”.
- 88 88 is a display test, not a fault. “O F F” is demo mode: the fridge won’t cool until you exit it.
- On many models some codes appear only when you hold Freezer and Ice Plus (Express Freeze) together for 3 seconds.
The codes
| FF (FF E, Er FF) | Freezer fan isn’t running, usually iced in. Do a manual defrost (below). If there’s no frost, or the code comes back, it needs service. |
|---|---|
| rF (rF E, Er rF) | Fridge-section fan. Same steps as FF. |
| IF (IF E; reads as 1F or F1) | Ice-compartment fan, often frosted over. Manual defrost; check the French-door gasket and that the doors line up and the fridge is level. |
| CF (CF E, Er CF) | Condenser fan at the back. Without it the compressor overworks. Unplug and vacuum the rear cover (don’t remove panels); it needs a technician. |
| dH (Er dH, F dH, r dH; also d1, d2, H1, H2) | Defrost failed: heater, thermal fuse, drain or board. Unplug for 2 minutes so it retries; if it’s back within about an hour, do a manual defrost and call. |
| FS, rS, r2, dS | Temperature sensors: freezer, fridge (upper and lower) and defrost. Power reset; if it returns, the sensor needs replacing. |
| IS (reads as 1S or 15) | Ice-maker sensor. Power reset, then service. |
| HS, SS, rt | Humidity, pantry-drawer and room-temperature sensors. Service. |
| CO (CO E, Er CO) | Main board and display aren’t talking; can be a power glitch. Switch off for 5 minutes. If it returns, it’s the wiring (often at the door hinge) or a board. |
| Od, Sd, C1 | Wi-Fi module, sub-board or dispenser-to-display link. Power reset, then service. |
| gF | Water flow sensor or water pressure. Unplug for 60 seconds, plug straight into the wall, open the supply valve fully and unkink the line (LG wants 20–120 psi). If it stays, service. |
| It, E ID, E IU | Ice-maker motor or assembly. Service. |
| CH (CH E, Er CH) | Sealed system, high side: most likely a condenser leak. See the section below. |
| CL (CL E, Er CL) | Sealed system, low side: most likely an evaporator leak. Not the lock. See the section below. |
| 22, 33 | LG’s list says compressor relay; the same digits also appear in the control board’s test mode after service. Power-cycle; if it persists and the fridge isn’t cooling, call. |
| 67 | A door isn’t closing: remove what’s in the way and check the gasket. |
| 88 88 | Display test. Not a fault. |
| O F F | Demo mode: lights on, no cooling. |
| Sb (S6, 5b) | Sabbath mode: alarms and dispenser off. It ends on its own after 96 hours. |
| dr, Ad, AS | Auto-open door motor. Service. |
Other codes on LG’s list (CI, IU, F2, US, LS, E1, E2, Id, gS) point to an internal part. LG’s advice: unplug for 5 minutes, and if the code returns, stop using the fridge and call for service.
CL E and CH E: the refrigerant codes
- CL with E or Er is a low-side leak, usually at the evaporator; CH is the high side, usually the condenser. Either way the fridge is losing, or about to lose, its cooling.
- Not always a leak: the code can show for a while after a door was left open for a long time or after power problems, and after a sealed-system repair until the freezer drops below 14°F (about a day).
- What you can do: close the doors fully and switch the fridge off for 5 minutes. If the code returns or the fridge warms up, it needs a sealed-system technician; there is no owner fix.
- If the fridge is under 5 years from purchase, LG’s warranty covers the sealed system, parts and labor.
How to reset an LG refrigerator
- There is no reset button: switch it off at the plug or the breaker. About 5 minutes for most codes, 2 minutes for dH, 60 seconds for gF.
- Fan and ice codes (FF, rF, IF) need a manual defrost instead: unplug, empty it, doors open for at least 8 hours (LG allows up to a day in summer and three in winter for heavy ice), no hair dryer. Then give it 24–48 hours to cool down.
- Fan codes can clear themselves: when a fan doesn’t respond, the board retries, shows the code for 30 minutes and tries again.
LG Smart Diagnosis
- Wi-Fi models: in the LG ThinQ app open the fridge, then Useful Features → Smart Diagnosis.
- By phone, when an LG agent asks for it: lock the panel, open the right door, hold the phone to the speaker on the right door hinge, hold Freezer for 3 seconds until three beeps, and keep the phone still while the tones play.
Common questions
Is CL on my LG fridge the child lock?
No. On LG refrigerators the lock shows as a padlock or a LOCK light. CL with E or Er is LG’s code for a low-side refrigerant leak: switch off for 5 minutes, and if it returns, call a technician.
What does FF E mean on an LG refrigerator?
The freezer fan isn’t running, usually because it’s iced in. Do a manual defrost; if there’s no frost or the code comes back, the fan or the defrost system needs service.
How do I clear an error code on an LG fridge?
Switch it off at the plug or breaker for about 5 minutes (2 for dH, 60 seconds for gF). If the code returns, the fault is real.
What do 88 88 and O F F mean?
88 88 is a display test. O F F is demo mode: the fridge won’t cool until you exit it — the steps are in our not-cooling guide.