LG Dryer Not Heating – Possible Issues And Solutions (Gas and Electric)

LG is one of the top brands of large home appliances which includes several models of clothes dryers.

If you have one and you are currently experiencing a problem with it not heating up, it could be one of the following causes.

There are a number of reasons why your LG Clothes Dryer may not be heating up and leaving your clothes partially or completely wet at the end of a full drying cycle.

We included the several most common causes that we could find for this issue.

We also included an instruction for testing and repairing each of possible causes.

Thermal Fuse is blown – Gas and Electric

The Thermal fuse is included in the power circuit of the LG Clothes Dryer as a safety device.

It is designed to shut down the power to the heating element in an electric dryer in the event of an overheating condition.

It is also is used in a gas dryer that will shut down the burner in a gas dryer.

In order to test the thermal fuse, you will need to have a multimeter to test the fuse for continuity.

In order to test the fuse, you will need to gain access to the back of the dryer.

The first thing you will want to do is unplug the unit and remove the vent hose from the back of the dryer.

Pull it away from the wall and using a ¼” nut driver remove all of the screws that are holding the two back covers.

After removing the covers and finding where the heating element unit you will remove the screw holding the Thermal Fuse in place and remove the wires connected to the fuse.

Once removed, you can test the fuse with the multimeter and check for continuity, and if there is no continuity you simply replace the fuse.

If you need to replace the Thermal Fuse you can order part here.

If you already have the fuse you simply put the new one in place and tighten the screw that holds it in place and reattach the wires.

Put the covers back on and tighten them all with the ¼” nut driver. 

Reconnect the exhaust hose and plug the power cord back in and test it.

Resettable Hi-Limit Thermal Fuse Tripped – Gas only

Lg Gas Dryers comes with additional safety thermal fuse.

Purpose of this particular thermal fuse is to cut power to the ignitor in case of overheating.

Overheating usually caused by: clogged vent line or if you never do the service cleaning for you dryer for many years.

In order to reach and reset this ignitor, you need TURN POWER OFF FIRST and then remove dryer exhaust on the back.

Remove one screw which holding it and pull exhaust out.

Through that opening you will see thermal fuse with black button.

Push the button and reset fuse. You should hear a click.

After that you can put everything back and test it out.

Ignitor failed – Gas

If ignitor will fail, gas not ignites and there will be no heat.

So if you press START button and dryer will start, but not producing heat, failed ignitor is one of the reasons why its not heating up.

If you need new ignitor click here.

Gas burner valve assembly- Gas

There is a gas valve with coils that allows gas to flow through the burner and produce heat.

There 2 coils on the valve. Primary and Secondary.

You need to check continuity on both using multimeter.

If one of them fails and shows zero resistance, the gas valve will not open and there will be no heat.

Need a Part? Click here

Heating element burnt out – Electric

In an electric LG dryer, the heat for drying the clothes that are in the rotating drum is provided by an electric heater element.

The heater unit consists of one or more heater coils and if one or more of the coils are burnt, it will prevent the clothes from drying completely or drying at all.

Need a heating element? Click here.

Heating Element Replacement

In order to be sure that it is the heating element that is causing the problem, you can test the heating element with a multimeter or simply inspect it looking for a burnt condition on either of the heater coils.

In order to check for this, you will need to gain access to the inside of the dryer.

To be safe you will need to unplug the power cord and disconnect the exhaust hose from the back of the dryer.

Pull the unit away from the wall and using a ¼” nut driver and remove all of the screws that are holding the two back covers.

Remove the covers and locate the heater unit at the lower portion of the dryer.

Disconnect the wires and remove the screws holding the heating unit in place.

Then remove the heater unit from the dryer and inspect it carefully for any signs of burning to the heating coils.

You can also test it using the multimeter and check it for continuity.

If you see any evidence of burning or the test determines a lack of continuity you should replace the heating unit.

If you need to replace it you will need to contact the manufacturer to order a new one.

When you get the new one you simply put it back into the dryer and put the screws back in place and tighten.

Then you will want to put the covers back on and put the screws back in place and tighten them.

Plug the power cord in and hook up the exhaust hose.

Move the dryer back in place and turn the dryer back on to see if it heats up.

Vent line clogged

The LG Dryer features an exhaust vent opening that connects it to the house exhaust vent using a flexible exhaust hose.

This is another of the safety features that LG includes in all of its clothes dryers.

If your dryer is not heating up there is a strong possibility that the flexible hose could have either collapsed or it is heavily clogged with lint that got passed the lint screen inside the drum area.

There are a couple of areas that you will need to check for clogs in order to be sure that there are no obstructions.

The best way to check this is to unplug the dryer and disconnect the exhaust hose and pull the dryer away from the wall.

First check for any build-up of lint where you connect the hose to on the dryer.

Then check the hose to be sure that it did not collapse anything along the full length of the hose.

The last place to check is the opening where the exhaust exits the house.

The hose needs to be replaced you should be able to get a new length of flexible hose and replace.

Once you have the new hose connect it and tighten the clamp that holds it in place.

Plug the power cord back in and push it back against the wall and test it.

Failed Control Board – Gas and Electric

The least likely of the causes would be the main control board and it should be the last thing that you check.

Unlike most of the other components that are easily tested with a multimeter, the control board is much more difficult to test.

LG is one of the top brands of large home appliances which includes several models of clothes dryers.

If you have one and you are currently experiencing a problem with it not heating up, it could be one of the following causes.

There are a number of reasons why your LG Clothes Dryer may not be heating up and leaving your clothes partially or completely wet at the end of a full drying cycle.

We included the several most common causes that we could find for this issue.

We also included an instruction for testing and repairing each of possible causes.

Thermal Fuse is blown – Gas and Electric

The Thermal fuse is included in the power circuit of the LG Clothes Dryer as a safety device.

It is designed to shut down the power to the heating element in an electric dryer in the event of an overheating condition.

It is also is used in a gas dryer that will shut down the burner in a gas dryer.

In order to test the thermal fuse, you will need to have a multimeter to test the fuse for continuity.

In order to test the fuse, you will need to gain access to the back of the dryer.

The first thing you will want to do is unplug the unit and remove the vent hose from the back of the dryer.

Pull it away from the wall and using a ¼” nut driver remove all of the screws that are holding the two back covers.

After removing the covers and finding where the heating element unit you will remove the screw holding the Thermal Fuse in place and remove the wires connected to the fuse.

Once removed, you can test the fuse with the multimeter and check for continuity, and if there is no continuity you simply replace the fuse.

If you need to replace the Thermal Fuse you can order part here.

If you already have the fuse you simply put the new one in place and tighten the screw that holds it in place and reattach the wires.

Put the covers back on and tighten them all with the ¼” nut driver. 

Reconnect the exhaust hose and plug the power cord back in and test it.

Resettable Hi-Limit Thermal Fuse Tripped – Gas only

Lg Gas Dryers comes with additional safety thermal fuse.

Purpose of this particular thermal fuse is to cut power to the ignitor in case of overheating.

Overheating usually caused by: clogged vent line or if you never do the service cleaning for you dryer for many years.

In order to reach and reset this ignitor, you need TURN POWER OFF FIRST and then remove dryer exhaust on the back.

Remove one screw which holding it and pull exhaust out.

Through that opening you will see thermal fuse with black button.

Push the button and reset fuse. You should hear a click.

After that you can put everything back and test it out.

Ignitor failed – Gas

If ignitor will fail, gas not ignites and there will be no heat.

So if you press START button and dryer will start, but not producing heat, failed ignitor is one of the reasons why its not heating up.

If you need new ignitor click here.

Gas burner valve assembly- Gas

There is a gas valve with coils that allows gas to flow through the burner and produce heat.

There 2 coils on the valve. Primary and Secondary.

You need to check continuity on both using multimeter.

If one of them fails and shows zero resistance, the gas valve will not open and there will be no heat.

Need a Part? Click here

Heating element burnt out – Electric

In an electric LG dryer, the heat for drying the clothes that are in the rotating drum is provided by an electric heater element.

The heater unit consists of one or more heater coils and if one or more of the coils are burnt, it will prevent the clothes from drying completely or drying at all.

Need a heating element? Click here.

Heating Element Replacement

In order to be sure that it is the heating element that is causing the problem, you can test the heating element with a multimeter or simply inspect it looking for a burnt condition on either of the heater coils.

In order to check for this, you will need to gain access to the inside of the dryer.

To be safe you will need to unplug the power cord and disconnect the exhaust hose from the back of the dryer.

Pull the unit away from the wall and using a ¼” nut driver and remove all of the screws that are holding the two back covers.

Remove the covers and locate the heater unit at the lower portion of the dryer.

Disconnect the wires and remove the screws holding the heating unit in place.

Then remove the heater unit from the dryer and inspect it carefully for any signs of burning to the heating coils.

You can also test it using the multimeter and check it for continuity.

If you see any evidence of burning or the test determines a lack of continuity you should replace the heating unit.

If you need to replace it you will need to contact the manufacturer to order a new one.

When you get the new one you simply put it back into the dryer and put the screws back in place and tighten.

Then you will want to put the covers back on and put the screws back in place and tighten them.

Plug the power cord in and hook up the exhaust hose.

Move the dryer back in place and turn the dryer back on to see if it heats up.

Vent line clogged

The LG Dryer features an exhaust vent opening that connects it to the house exhaust vent using a flexible exhaust hose.

This is another of the safety features that LG includes in all of its clothes dryers.

If your dryer is not heating up there is a strong possibility that the flexible hose could have either collapsed or it is heavily clogged with lint that got passed the lint screen inside the drum area.

There are a couple of areas that you will need to check for clogs in order to be sure that there are no obstructions.

The best way to check this is to unplug the dryer and disconnect the exhaust hose and pull the dryer away from the wall.

First check for any build-up of lint where you connect the hose to on the dryer.

Then check the hose to be sure that it did not collapse anything along the full length of the hose.

The last place to check is the opening where the exhaust exits the house.

The hose needs to be replaced you should be able to get a new length of flexible hose and replace.

Once you have the new hose connect it and tighten the clamp that holds it in place.

Plug the power cord back in and push it back against the wall and test it.

Failed Control Board – Gas and Electric

The least likely of the causes would be the main control board and it should be the last thing that you check.

Unlike most of the other components that are easily tested with a multimeter, the control board is much more difficult to test.