Many Problems with LG Dishwasher

[wetguymd]

I bought an LG Steam Tall Tub (model LDF7932ST) from Homo Depot and have had nothing but trouble. First, when they installed it they didn't do it correctly and the mounting screws fell out and it was hanging out of the cabniet. After having them come back and redo it the same thing happened again within 2 days. The last time the guy showed me how they have damaged the sides of the cabniets due to not using the correct screws.

I replaced a wonderful old Kitchenaid that had electrical problems. I need my butt kicked for not having this repaired! Thankfully I still have it. It washed wonderfully and this new one, while very quite just doesn't get the dishes as clean and since it doesn't have the hard food disposal you basically have to wash the dishes before.

Tonight I opened the door to add a dish after I had turned it on and found that it doesn't stop when you open the door! I had water spraying all over the place. Does anyone know if this is how they are made or is there a major problem? I can tell you if I have to call them to come back it won't be to repair it but to remove it out of my house. I can't imagine this is how its suppose to be.

 

[norfolksouthern]

Congratulations, wetguymd. You are now a born again appliance collector.

NorfolkSouthern

 

[frigilux]

I have a steam tall-tub LG, model 9810. Mine has a hard food disposal, and really, so should yours. I wasn't aware that any LG models had filters you have to clean manually. I never pre-rinse anything; in fact, I barely scrape the dishes. There's never any residue left on dishes. It's the best-cleaning dishwasher I've ever owned.

Mine also stops as soon as you pull the door open.

Something is wrong with your machine, and you should have them replace it, especially since it's been damaged through faulty installation. Consumer Reports has remarked that LG dishwashers have been prone to repairs. I've had mine for a year, use it heavily, and so far it's been reliable.

I have soft water and use Cascade Action Pacs and Cascade Complete liquid gel.

 

[frigilux]

Here's a list of features for your model. You'll notice it has a food disposer.

 

[peteski50]

LG

One bad experience that I had being a LG owner is the combo washer dryer I had - nothing but heart aches - and I dumped that piece of trash 2 years ago and am now happy for it. Their service is the worst ever. Stay away from LG. If you want the full story read LG service nightmare under google. Good Luck
Peter

 

[frigilux]

I bought my dishwasher from a local LG dealer that does all their own servicing, which is the only reason I considered purchasing an LG product. If you're going to buy from Home Depot, who don't do their own repairs, I'd look for a different brand. Like Pete, I've read about many instances of people having bad experiences with LG's own service department.

 

[laundromat]

timed fill

If you don't have good water presure,your problem may stem from that.When it's low,the dishwasher will try to work but the water is not circulating properly at the correct volocity. I have great presure here and can tell when there's plenty of water in my dishwasher because I can go in front of it and hear the water circulating and splashing around.

 

[wetguymd]

hard food

While it does have a "hard food disposal" its not the same as the Kitchenaid had. This will grind up small stuff but they recommend not putting alot of food particles in there. With the other one I could put a full plate, not that I ever did, of food in there and it would take care of everything. The guy that did that last re-install is also in service and said that the power of the motor is no where as strong as the old Kitchenaids.

I do have very good water pressure and also have a water softner and use the Cascade Action Pacs.

I know its moves water around and saw that first hand when I opend the door and it didn't stop spraying.

 

[frigilux]

Your service man is right, these machines have very small motors compared to your KitchenAid. Since the tub only fills with about 1 gallon of water and sprays one rack at a time, a smaller motor can be used. This allows the machine to be more quiet and it uses less electricity.

I've had KitchenAids, and they are great dishwashers, but my LG (using the steam option and the soak cycle) cleans pots/pans better. I have no explanation for why your machine isn't cleaning well, as you have soft water and are using a top-notch detergent. Mine cleans like a champ!

You'll probably be happier with a different brand. No sense in keeping a dishwasher that you're not happy with.

 

[spankomatic]

I say "take it back". Sounds like a problem dishwasher. Get rid of it while you still can. Go for another brand. What was the model Kitchenaid you took out?

Jim

 

[andrewinorlando]

I had a problem with my LG 9810 where the filter had actually calcified, so much so that water could not pass through it sufficiently to clean. I used CLR to clean the filter, which sits directly under the wash arm. The problem was caused by excessive detergent use, as found in the detergent packs, which contain way too much detergent for the small amount of water these machines use. I removed the filter from the sump by removing the screws that hold it down and soaked the assembly overnight. The filter itself is not detachable. LG service recommended using only the proper amount of powdered detergent (i.e., very little) and not using detergent packs. This seemed to have solved the problem. I always use the extra rinse now, just in case, to make sure the soap is removed. Some cycles (like normal) give only one rinse under most circumstances.

The other potential problem with these machines is that their vario motors fail. The vario motor moves the gateway that directs water to the upper versus lower wash arms. If the motor fails in between, both arms will try to wash at the same time, but there is insufficient water pressure to clean. It is a $15 part from LG, but requires the machine to be removed to repair as it sits underneath next to the main wash pump motor. When mine failed, I could hear it trying to move (it would make a clicking sound). So, I ran the machine's diagnostics, and sure enough, it told me the vario motor had failed. A new motor did the trick, and the machine is back to washing as usual. I have to agree with Eugene...it washes better than any other machine I've owned, most especially pots and pans. They are also very easy to fix when needed. They all use the same pump assmebly, and the food disposer blade can be found under the wash impeller. It is a very hard stainless steel.

Hope that helps if you should decide to fix it. I have a service manual for the 9810 machine, which includes the diagnostics cycle. Don't know if it is similar to yours or not.

 

[frigilux]

Andrew---I believe we bought our LG 9810's at about the same time, didn't we? I get a little nervous that yours has already required repairs! Consumer Reports didn't have enough responses to rate its reliability, but said that based on the limited information they had, the machines were among the least reliable. (On the other hand, LG washing machines were listed as being very reliable.)

When washing a load of pots/pans, I use more detergent than the manual recommends. I fill the main wash compartment full with Cascade Complete Gel, then squirt an equal amount in the bottom of the tub for the pre-wash.

For other loads, I use 1 Cascade Action Pac or Cascade Complete 3-in-1 Pac.

So far, I haven't noticed any problems with a calcified filter, but I also have very soft water.

I've only chosen the Extra Rinse option once, the very first time I used the machine. I've never really noticed a need for it. I love the steam option. I use it with really grungy dish loads and always with pots/pans loads.

I also use the 160-degree rinse more than I ever did with my Frigidaire or Maytag dishwashers. The LG heats the water very quickly, so it doesn't add much time to the cycle. In fact, I never purge cold water from the line before starting a cycle with the LG. Always had to with my other machines or it seemed to add a noticeable amount of heating time to the main wash.

My LG endures very heavy use. I almost always leave the door open overnight so the interior dries. I don't like to leave it closed up and warm/damp inside. I close it when I get up in the morning. The blue interior lights (LEDs) make for a nice kitchen nightlight.

I don't usually notice when it switches from washing the bottom rack to the top rack. When I had a TOL 2005 Frigidaire, the switch was very obvious. The LG is so quiet I forget it's running, even when I'm working in the kitchen.

Knock on wood, my 9810 soldiers on without incident!

 

[andrewinorlando]

Eugene,

We did buy ours around the same time. I got mine at a tent sale, and the only reason I bought it was that it was marked down from $1500 to $579! And I thought it was a nifty machine with a huge capacity! They discontinued these machines last year and replaced them with a less expensive model...guess they didn't sell too well due to price? Hell, you could get a Miele for that price!

Anyway, these machines use anywhere from 1 gallon to 1.5 gallons in a typical fill, depending on the cycle and what the sensor feedback to the controller has been. According to the diagnostics indicator, they have a HI and LOW water level threshhold which is based on the cycle and soil level. Since I have moderately hard water here, the extra rinse option has come in handy and I believe that in combination with too much detergent helped to calcify the filter over the course of the year.

The only problem I've had with the machine so far is the vario motor. The machine's diagnostics are pretty ingenious and make it simple to determine if a component has failed. According to the service manual, the main pump motor is a 150 watt unit and the heater is a 1250 watt unit, making it very quick and easy to heat the water. The machine's timer does not pause to heat water, but rather continues washing while it does this.

Check your e-mail, Eugene. I'll email you a copy of the manual. You will need to install the .djvu viewer, which is a free download online to view it. You can run the diagnostics cycle on your machine for fun! And there is also a cycle breakdown chart with times for each phase of each cycle in there. Each page is a single file though, so it looks bigger than it is.

Reading the service manual, I can see why LG service isn't the best. The manual gives little information on troubleshooting problems like I had when I noticed that my dishes were not cleaning on the top rack. The bottom would always be clean, but on the top, none of the glasses would clean, and there would be crap all over the outside of the dishes. It would be up to the technician to figure out what to check, given that their list of pointers is fairly meaningless.

 

[frigilux]

Thanks, Andrew! I love manuals, especially when you get a detailed breakdown of cycles and that sort of thing. I'll also run a diagnostic "cycle".