LG Refrigerator Door Problems & Solutions
Refrigerators have become more user-friendly, and given the latest features in most units, even the functions/buttons on a door are highly advanced.
But who thought that one day you might be locked out of a refrigerator because you pressed the wrong button or activated a wrong command? These features and different refrigerator parts come with their fair share of problems, so it’s essential to know how to fix them.
Today’s guide looks at the common issues related to LG refrigerator doors. Knowing about these problems and their solutions will guarantee that you won’t have to spend money on costly repairs.
Common LG Refrigerator Door Problems
There could be many things wrong with the door in an LG refrigerator, from a faulty door alarm to leakage. We have discussed most of these issues below and highlighted the steps to resolve common LG refrigerator problems.
A. Removing An LG Refrigerator Door
To remove LG refrigerator doors and get to the root of any problem, follow these 7 easy steps.
1. Switch Off The Water Valve
The first step is turning off the water valve to cut the water supply to the LG fridge. This will reduce cleaning time and make the process less messy.
2. Cut The Power
You should never remove the LG refrigerator door while the unit is connected to the power outlet. So, disconnect the cord for safety and empty the compartments, which makes it easier to move the LG refrigerator.
3. Disconnect The Water Line
Behind the refrigerator is the water line, which you should disconnect by pressing a tiny gray clip on the top of the collet. Then, detach its water hose gently and unscrew the Phillips screw on top of the LG refrigerator door.
The screw holds the hinge cover in place, and removing it will allow you to access the water line.
4. Electrical Connections
Another important step is disconnecting all electrical connections, especially the large connector and the smaller 6-pin connector. For the latter, you can press the tab by holding it down before pulling the connector loose.
But removing the large connector is slightly different, as you will have to hold down the tabs at either end to disconnect it. And remember to gently tug the wires to prevent damaging them.
5. Removing The Hinge
You will find a ground wire running across the head of the LG refrigerator door, and you can remove it by unscrewing the Phillips screw with a suitable screwdriver. After that, turn the hinge lever counterclockwise before using the flat side of the screwdriver to lift the hinge.
This will give you ample room to pull out the wires before removing the hinge.
6. Detaching The Left Door
Start by removing the left-sided door first by lifting it carefully because it’s the heavier of the two. Get someone to help you while you loosen the bottom hinge before removing it completely.
7. Right Door
For the right door, you will have to remove the hinge cover as you did for the left door. Then detach all the wire harnesses by turning the lever clockwise to unscrew the hinge.
Follow the same steps to remove the wires and disconnect the hinge. After this, cautiously lift the right door of the bottom hinge and lean both doors gently against a wall.
B. LG Refrigerator Door Alarm
It’s very easy to fix a faulty door alarm that’s constantly beeping, and you will need to follow just two simple steps.
A Lock Key/Alarm is present on the refrigerator’s top surface as a function on the control panel. Just press this button once to prevent the alarm from going off – this same step also comes in handy to lock or disable a door alarm.
Usually, LG refrigerator door alarms start beeping when you fail to close the door all the way through. The alarm sounds at regular intervals, but you can use this technique to disable the alarm even when the door is open.
C. LG Refrigerator Door Leaking
When an LG refrigerator door leaks, there might be an issue with the ice bucket or the in-door ice maker. You may notice that the LG refrigerator ice maker is no longer freezing, or the ice bucket is leaking due to cracks or holes in the structure. In such instances, you will have to replace these components after making some basic inspections.
Start by lowering the freezer temperature because a higher temperature might cause more ice to melt. If the temperature is already in the optimum range, check the water filter as it may not be properly installed or might have cracked, resulting in the refrigerator door leaking.
We recommend removing the filter and checking the head for damage. You can also remove the items kept in the door as one or more water-laden food items might be responsible for the leakage.
D. LG Refrigerator Door Adjustment
There are two steps to adjust the door in LG refrigerators:
1. Leveling The Unit
Sometimes the LG refrigerator might be uneven, and you should remove the grill underneath the unit in such a scenario. With a Phillips screwdriver, unscrew the holding screws to the right and left of the grill to expose the leveling screws at the front of the fridge.
Using a flathead screwdriver, you can level the fridge by turning the screws counterclockwise to lower the unit. Or you can turn them clockwise to raise the fridge but be patient because adjusting the unit might require several turns.
Once you are done, check the alignment and open and close the doors just to be sure. You can even use a leveling gauge for greater accuracy.
2. Fixing The Door
If you fail to adjust the door by the above method, look for the adjustable nut under the refrigerator door, below the right bottom hinge. Use the wrench available with the user manual to adjust the door height by turning the nut.
Before that, unthread the keeper nut, then turn the adjustment nut to the right to raise the height of the door or turn it to the left to lower it. Once you are satisfied with the alignment, thread the keeper nut again and secure the adjustment nut.
E. LG Refrigerator Ice Maker Malfunctioning
After you notice an issue with the door ice maker, it’s essential to tackle the problem methodically.
1. Freezer Temperature Settings
The temperature of the freezer compartment should not be more than 19 degrees Fahrenheit. Anything higher than this will severely impact how much ice the machine produces. We suggest setting the temperature much lower, between -4 degrees and -24 degrees Fahrenheit, ideal for ice makers to perform at optimum capacity.
2. Switch On The Ice Maker
Although it may seem silly to discuss this, you will be surprised how often an ice maker switches off on its own. We have seen that an ice maker may inadvertently turn off after frequent use, so you should be alert.
If its power switch is on, but the ice maker isn’t running, switch it off before turning it on again to solve the issue.
3. Water Supply
When people move their ice maker or install a new model, interruptions in the water supply are pretty common. That’s why you should check whether the water valve is open for easy water movement through the pipes. Disruptions to the water line can affect the performance of the ice maker, so be sure it’s in good condition.
A simple technique is filling a glass with water to determine the force of the water and its quality.
4. Reset Your Door Ice Maker
Here we will discuss the two most common ice maker models – ones with power switches and those without one.
i) Ice Maker With Power Switch
If the ice maker has a power switch, remove the ice bucket and make sure your ice maker is working. Place your ice maker on a towel to soak the dripping water before attaching it again for testing.
You will find the ice maker power switch beneath the ice tray. Push and hold the button for three seconds, and wait for the unit to start turning.
ii) No Power Switch
You will find a tiny hole on the left-hand side of units that don’t come with a power switch, but they have a test mode. Pass a thin metallic wire or paper clip to operate the test mode housed within the hole.
Press it down for 3 seconds and check whether the arm of your ice maker is turning to determine if everything is fine. This ensures that resetting it will lead to ice formation but remember you will not be able to activate the test mode frequently for new units. You will have to unplug the power cord for 30 minutes and try again in such a scenario.
Only when the refrigerator is operational for over a couple of hours is it possible to activate the test mode multiple times.
5. Servicing
For newly installed units, you will have to wait 24 to 36 hours before ice production begins. But when nothing works and your ice maker doesn’t produce ice, it would be best to contact LG customer care for maintenance.
F. LG Refrigerator Door Mullion
The main problem with the door mullion is it doesn’t close properly at times due to damage, in which case you will have to replace it. If it comes to that, open the door and remove the mullion attached to the door liner to reveal the two screws holding the mullion in place.
Start by unthreading the screws while securely holding the mullion’s top part down before gently pushing it from underneath. This will allow you to detach the hinged part and the tab on the bottom end of the mounting plate.
When you stretch the mullion enough, it will expose a wire harness – at this point, detach it while holding down the mullion. Get rid of the damaged mullion and attach the wire harness to the new model.
Place the wire harness in the vacant slot before lining the mullion by ensuring that the mounting plate tab aligns with the projection. For the next step, you will need to open the hinge at the bottom of the fridge while rotating the top hinge to slide them over the projections.
Press down on the center and push it over the door liner until the screw holes line up. After this, gently keep threading the holding screws without tightening them too much. Once the mullion fits into the door liner, close the door and make sure that it shuts properly.
G. LG Refrigerator Door Closes Too Fast
Some consumers complain that their LG refrigerator door closes too fast, usually when the unit is tilted far back. An easy solution would be to adjust the leveling screws to align the door or check the food items inside the fridge.
If you stuff the door compartment with too many items, it could close quickly due to the added weight. Remove some food items and level the floor of the fridge to balance the unit better.
H. LG Refrigerator Door Hard To Open
A long time of no activity can make an LG refrigerator door hard to open, but it’s not a big deal. Opening the door allows humid or warm air to pass through, which creates a vacuum as the air cools inside the fridge.
Unless the air pressure equalizes, it becomes challenging to open the door, so wait for a while and try again. If you can’t open the door after a while, there might be an issue with the door seal.
We have seen dirt and dust stick to the seal and door frame, affecting its smoothness when opening or closing the door. Once you open the door, inspect the seal and use warm, soapy water to remove the debris.
Also, some people stuff the refrigerator compartment with food without arranging them properly. This impacts the opening and closing mechanism of both doors, and rearranging the interior should help.
You might even find it challenging to open the door after installing new units. Instead of panicking, read the user manual about leveling and aligning the refrigerator door.
I. LG Refrigerator Door Water And Ice Dispenser
A major issue with ice and water dispensers of LG refrigerators is leakage. To solve this issue, you can either fix the dispenser flap, level the fridge, or remove trapped air in the water line.
Looking for a new LG? Check out our LG Side-by-Side Refrigerator Review, LG Instaview Door Review and our Best LG Fridge Under $3000 review
Other Door-Related Issues Of LG Refrigerators
Here we have highlighted some lesser-known issues related to LG refrigerator doors and narrowed down the steps for troubleshooting such problems.
1. Door Switch Not Working
The first step is activating the door switch and checking it with a multimeter for continuity. You will need to replace a switch that doesn’t show resistance or continuity, so unplug the refrigerator from the power source before removing the door hinge cover.
We found that a single screw holds down the cover, and unthreading it will allow you to remove the cover easily. Then, disconnect the wire harness connected to the door switch, detach the retaining tabs, and remove the faulty switch.
Place the new switch in the empty slot and attach the wire harness. And to securely attach the hinge cover, open the refrigerator door and screw it down before connecting the power cord to the outlet to check whether the switch is working.
2. LG Fridge Noise Problems
If your LG fridge is noisy, it might be due to improper unit leveling or faulty door alignment. It would be best to call LG customer support or refer to the instructions manual to solve these issues.
Usually, the noise originates from the hinges of the door when they become dry. We suggest applying a bit of grease to reduce friction and promote lubrication. You can also use cooking oil to prevent the doors from emitting further noise.
Some units come with a latch beneath the door that gets dirty after several weeks, and you will have to clean it to prevent further noises.
3. LG Refrigerator Door Opens Wider Than Usual
When the LG refrigerator door opens wider than expected, please check for one or all of the points mentioned below.
A. Door Stops
Among the many LG refrigerator parts, door stops prevent doors from opening wider than 130 degrees. But if they open wider, read the instructions manual to see whether you can adjust the door stop.
You can also buy door stop kits separately when they are not provided with the unit.
B. Customized Door Stops
It is possible to make customized door stops when you are unwilling to make additional purchases, or LG doesn’t have a compatible door stop for your fridge. Some people use normal door/floor stops, or you can arrange the furniture in a way that prevents the doors from opening too far. This may not be ideal, but it’s certainly effective.
C. Door Reversion
You might be unaware, but there’s a chance that the doors of your LG fridge were reversed during installation. Users with an LG french door refrigerator will not face this issue as the doors have a narrow design, and it’s challenging to reverse them. For other models, it would be best to check the user manual for door reversion and correct it if necessary.
4. LG Fridge Door Pops Open
Sometimes you may notice that one door opens while the other is still closed, and to determine whether it’s a major issue, notice how long the door stays open. A door opening slightly is not a big deal because when you close a refrigerator, it sucks in excess air.
This air then looks to escape and exerts pressure on the door, causing it to pop open.
When the door opens immediately after closing it, there might be a problem with the seal. Clean a dirty door seal with mild soap, warm water, and a clean cloth before wiping it gently so that the moisture doesn’t freeze and lead to further issues. However, when the seal has deteriorated in quality and lost its suction power, it’s time to replace it.
5. Door Panel Malfunctioning
Check its control lock, which may have been activated accidentally, if you find that the door panel isn’t working. This prevents the buttons from responding, so you will have to use another button to activate the controls.
Press and hold this control panel button for three seconds or longer, which should help reset the door panel. But if the control panel needs resetting, open the right door to press the Refrigerator button and Ice Plus option simultaneously. Hold these buttons for five seconds until you hear the panel beep, following which it shows the current temperature before resetting.
6. Door Gasket
Common problems with the door gasket include dust accumulation and loosening or weakening of joints.
Mix mild soap with warm water and gently scrub the gasket with a clean cloth to remove all the accumulated debris. Be patient because, at times, the dirt sticks to the gasket stubbornly, and you will have to use the wet cloth on the dirty areas to loosen the dust particles.
When the gasket is loose, you can use an adhesive to fix it or replace it in case it’s broken.
Conclusion
This is not an exhaustive list; you can face other door-related issues when using an LG refrigerator.
We have covered most of the common problems to help you resolve them quickly. But if you find that the steps mentioned above are not helping, don’t hesitate to call a licensed technician or LG customer care.
However, when the fridge is old or damaged beyond repair, it would be wise to get a new one to prevent unnecessary expenses.