- Appliances
- Dishwashers
CL
LG CL on a dishwasher: control lock on
Risk level
Low
Usually safe to check without specialist tools.
Urgency
Low
Quick answer
On an LG dishwasher, CL means the control lock is on, not a fault. Hold the CL button for 3 seconds to turn it off or, depending on the model, hold Half Load and Energy Saver together for 3 seconds.
Safety first
Stop and check this first
- If you have children, turn CL back on after choosing the programme: LG offers it so the buttons ignore accidental presses.
Safe checks you can perform
- CL button for 3 seconds
- Half Load and Energy Saver combination
- Panel response after unlocking
Leave these tasks to a qualified professional
- Do not attempt this professional task: Control panel check
- Do not attempt this professional task: Lock and unlock test
What a technician must be able to justify
Technician visit
These are the steps they must carry out and show you. Tick them as they work: if steps are skipped, do not accept a part swap.
These are not instructions for opening or handling the equipment yourself. They are the checks that should support a technical conclusion.
Control panel check
What they doIf the lock does not clear with LG's presses, the technician checks the buttons and control panel with the maker's procedure.
They must show youwhich buttons do not respond and the panel test.
In writingthe diagnosis and, if the panel is replaced, its part number and the reason.
Lock and unlock test
What they doAfter the repair, they turn the lock on and off and start a programme to check the panel responds.
They must show youthe lock turning on and off and a programme running.
In writingthe test and its result.
Before accepting a part or repair
Nothing has been shown yet. Do not accept a part swap based on the code alone.
Follow these steps
Note: Follow the documented order. An error code identifies the affected system, but it does not prove by itself which part has failed.
CL button for 3 seconds
- Who:
- you, no tools.
- How:
- hold the CL button for 3 seconds, as LG says.
- Result that matters:
- whether CL disappears from the display.
- If it disappears:
- the lock was on; you can use the panel now.
- If there is no CL button or it stays:
- try the alternative combination.
- Evidence to keep:
- nothing special.
Evidence: [LG Dishwasher] Guide to Error Codes
Half Load and Energy Saver combination
- Who:
- you.
- How:
- hold Half Load and Energy Saver together for 3 seconds, the alternative LG gives.
- Result that matters:
- whether the lock clears.
- If it clears:
- done.
- If it stays:
- check your model's manual for which buttons control the lock.
- Evidence to keep:
- note of the buttons you tried.
Evidence: [LG Dishwasher] Guide to Error Codes
Panel response after unlocking
- Who:
- you.
- How:
- with CL off, select a programme and press start to check the buttons respond.
- Result that matters:
- whether the panel works normally.
- If it responds:
- it was only the lock.
- If it does not respond or CL will not clear at all:
- book service to check the panel.
- Evidence to keep:
- photo of the display and a note of which buttons do not respond.
Evidence: [LG Dishwasher] Guide to Error Codes
Still not solved
If the error persists, stop here. See what the technician must do and show you.
Where this code applies
A code is meaningful only inside the right product and version context.
Primary scope
- System
- Appliances
- Brand
- LG
- Product type
- Dishwashers
Known code variants
- C L
- Child Lock LG
- CL bloqueo infantil LG
- CL Child Lock
- CL lavadora LG
- lavavajillas LG bloqueo CL
- LG Child Lock
- LG CL bloqueo de controles
- LG CL control lock
- LG dishwasher CL
- LG dishwasher CL lock
- LG lavavajillas CL
- LG washer CL
What it means
LG's error code guide defines CL on dishwashers as control lock. It stops the buttons responding, for example around children, and is turned on or off by holding the CL button for 3 seconds or, on models without that button, Half Load and Energy Saver together for 3 seconds. While it is on, the panel ignores input, which can look like a fault. If the buttons still do not respond after unlocking, the issue is no longer the lock and may be in the control panel.
Warnings and stop conditions
- Loweditorial warning
If you have children, turn CL back on after choosing the programme: LG offers it so the buttons ignore accidental presses.
Evidence: [LG Dishwasher] Guide to Error Codes
Symptoms and causes
Probable causes · in order
- Lock turned on by accidentCommon
The most common case: the button or combination was held for 3 seconds while using the panel. Confirmed if CL clears when you repeat the press.
Evidence: [LG Dishwasher] Guide to Error Codes
- Control panel not respondingLess common
If the lock does not clear with the 3 second press, the problem is in the buttons or panel. The technician checks it.
Evidence: [LG Dishwasher] Guide to Error Codes
Virtual technician
Does CL still appear after these checks?
Answer a few questions to narrow down the likely cause and the safest next action. Guidance only - it never replaces a professional.
Sources and technical references
- 1
[LG Dishwasher] Guide to Error Codes
LG Electronics · 2025 · official_doc
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