LG washing machine hatch won't close

In LG automatic washing machines, the drum door is equipped with double protection against opening during the washing process. To begin with, this is a mechanical lock - the door cannot be opened without pressing a special “tongue”. An additional safety measure is a special latch that securely fixes the hook in the socket, preventing accidental opening.

It happens that the machine simply stops blocking the hatch, and the user cannot start the wash. Let's figure out why the door of the LG washing machine does not close? How can you deal with this problem yourself?

What exactly could have broken?

There are several options why the drum door does not close. To identify the reason, try to understand exactly how your “home assistant” behaves. Try to close the door and analyze the situation.

• If the door does not close completely, it feels like something is blocking it, two options are possible. Firstly, the loops could be skewed, and that is why the hook does not fit into the special groove. Secondly, the “tongue” itself has probably moved out of place. Then you will need to disassemble the sash and adjust the rod that holds the hook.

• When the door closes but there is no click, you need to check the guide. If it is deformed, the part will need to be replaced.
• If the sash slams, but there is no blocking, there are three possible reasons. The first is that an element of the control unit has failed, so the “brain” of the machine does not function correctly. The second is that the UBL is clogged, in which case you can try to remove and clean the blocker. Third, the lock is broken and will need to be repaired or replaced.

When it comes to electronic reasons, the washing machine cannot work normally due to problems inside the machine. This includes breakdowns of the UBL and the main control module. That is, the door slams, but the hatch does not lock, the “brain” does not give such a command, and the washing does not start.

Mechanical causes are any external problems. The drum door may not close due to a broken handle, misaligned hinges, deformed guide plate, or damaged tongue. In this case, the sash will not be able to slam shut tightly.

Modern LG washing machines can independently perform diagnostics and notify the user about problems that have occurred in the system. Certain errors indicate problems with the door. Thus, the fault code dE indicates an open leaf, and LE informs about problems with the locking.

The handle is broken

The plastic handle of the case is quite vulnerable. After several years of use, or if the “home assistant” is handled carelessly, the fragile material may become damaged. Therefore, you should not slam the door forcefully, allow children to play with it, hang wet things on the hatch, or try to open the machine by force before it unlocks.

Experts recommend that beginners take photographs of all their actions when repairing a washing machine. This will help you avoid mistakes when reassembling the machine. Replacing the door handle is carried out in several stages.

• Turn off the power to the automatic machine.
• Remove the door from its hinges and place it on a horizontal surface.
• Disassemble the hatch into parts: remove the screws around the circumference, use a blunt knife to separate the plastic halves and pull out the glass.
• Remove the metal pin holding the handle in place.
• Replace the broken part with a new one and reassemble the locking mechanism and the door itself in the reverse order.

When the metal rod is removed, the mechanism will split into 4 parts. This is a broken plastic handle, pin, “tongue” and spring. Install a new handle and assemble the locking device. It is advisable to compare the position of parts using previously taken photographs.

The tongue is deformed, the loop is skewed

If you periodically press and pull on the door with force, you can eventually deform or even break the retaining hinge. Also, the reason that the drum flap does not close may be incorrect installation of the equipment. If you do not adjust the machine level, it will vibrate strongly during operation, which will lead to damage to fragile components.

Inspect the machine, try to visually assess the degree of “distortion”. Try to adjust the hinge by tightening the loose bolts. If it is clear that it is severely damaged, then you will have to install a new part.

Sometimes the reason for the sash not closing is a non-functioning hook. When the metal rod wears out or becomes dislodged, the tongue no longer fits into the “socket” and locks there. In addition, the element may break completely, since it is constantly under stress when opening and closing the door.

• To replace the elements of the locking mechanism, you must:
• De-energize the SMA;
• Remove the door;
• Unscrew the connecting screws around the circumference of the hatch;
• Halve the sash into pieces, pull out the glass;
• Get a metal pin;
• Replace broken mechanism parts;
• Reassemble the door in reverse order.

What to do if the cause of the problem is not mechanical damage to the machine? You will have to work with the electronic devices of the machine.

Something happened to the castle

The door locking device is a rather complex mechanism. Its task is to ensure the tightness of the system and prevent the hatch from opening during washing. The device is under voltage throughout the entire cycle, so it heats up.

Usually the UBL breaks down due to power surges in the network. Another reason is user impatience. During washing, the plate heats up, and after the end of the program it needs a couple more minutes to cool down. Some people don’t want to wait, and begin to forcefully pull the door, trying to quickly gain access to clean things. As a result, the elements of the locking mechanism fail.

 

It is easy to replace the UBL with your own hands. You can buy a new sensor on the Internet or in a specialized store. The main thing is to focus on the model of your washing machine. The algorithm of actions will be as follows:

• Turn off the power to the washing machine,
• Turn off the tap responsible for the water supply,
• Remove the outer clamp securing the drum cuff,

• Bend the rubber seal on the right side and unscrew the 3 bolts holding the UBL,
• Press out the latches securing the device and remove the lock,
• Disconnect the wiring from the lock,

• Connect the wires to a working UBL, put the device in its place,
• Fix the blocker with screws,
• Straighten the rubber cuff and return the ring-collar to its place.

This is how the blocker is replaced; there is nothing complicated in the upcoming repairs. After installing the new device, connect the machine to the network and try to start the cycle. If the door locks and the washer start drawing water, then the job can be considered successfully completed.

When none of the above helps to return the machine to operation, it is probably due to damage to the electronic module. It is better to entrust diagnostics and repair of the control board to specialists. It’s not worth getting into the “brain” of the washing machine without the necessary knowledge and experience, otherwise you can only worsen the situation.