FIXED LG Washer WT1101CW LE Error Stuck Basket

[Grasor]

Model Number

WT1101CW

Brand

LG

Age

6-10 years

Afternoon All,

TL/DR: LG WT1101CW top loader starts the 'Load Balancing' procedure but appears the wash basket is stuck. Loud hum for about 40 seconds then LE error shows up. Already replaced stator and hall sensor.

Long Version:

About 10 days ago wife tells me washing machine is broken. I pull up the LE error code on the display online and most issues point towards the motor components; specifically the stator or hall sensor. I call LG because those parts are under warranty. They inform they will send me the parts, but I have to work through an appliance technician. I pay $99 for a technician to come over who in 5 minutes verifies I need a new stator assembly. Thanks. He then quotes $500 labor to replace the stator and I politely send him packing.

I call LG, complain about their warranty stating nothing about having to go through a tech and request they mail the parts directly to me. I'm informed they can't send me the parts, have to go through an appliance repair service. I remove and replace the stator in 7 minutes 34 seconds which is something like $4000 an hour rate given the prior quote I received. I fire up the washing machine and...the problem remains. I verified all of my connections. The rotor will not spin by hand. The wash basket will not spin by hand. It's like it's completely locked up even when not powered on.

Video of start to finish. You can hear the humming.

Any thoughts as to my issue?

Thanks,

Grasor

 

[Grasor]

Well, my evening freed up, so I decided to hit this again but from the top. My goal was to just remove the wash basket and see if anything was stuck in there, but I found my issue before I got that far. I may still remove the basket to clean it.

Seems the splash guard/tub ring was severely damaged and was binding on the wash tub. See video.

From the look of things, I would guess the basket went extremely out of balance and the Washer Basket Balance Ring rubbed against the Washer Tub Ring. I don't think these pieces are meant to be attached to each other, but I honestly can't tell. I did pull them apart in the garage, and they are two separate parts (AAJ72909602 & ACQ81430901). The side of the external basket is also scraped up badly. I measured it and it's 1/4" out of round but honestly, I don't know if that's a change from the factory, I can't see how it would bend. So, I'm going to buy the parts and see how it spins by hand.

It looks like a ~$200 in parts may get the washer back to work. Plus a discussion with my wife about overloading the washing machine


FYI...removing the top of the washer was easier than expected. I tried a putty knife like others with similar models have used online, but stopped when I noticed the two removable plugs on either side of the control panel. Inside were two long screws. I removed those, then four on the back and the lid came off easily. One of the long screws in the front was stripped (bolt tip rusted), so I had to pull up while using the drill to unscrew.

I did have to set the top on the drier, since the wiring was still connected, but overall wasn't nearly as much of a pain as I thought it would be.

 

[Jake]

Yes, it sounds like you found the problem.

For others following your thread, Here's the parts diagram for your model:

Parts for LG WT1101CW: Tub Parts - AppliancePartsPros.com

Parts for LG WT1101CW: Tub Parts in stock and ready to ship today. 365 days to return any part.

click.linksynergy.com

#K000 is the top cover assembly
#K061 is the balance assembly

Also, here is the service manual for your model: Dropbox - LG WT1201 WT1101 Washer Service Manual.pdf

Let us know how it goes.

Jake

 

[Grasor]

@Jake

Thanks for the Service Manual! I'll report in after I get the parts installed and see how things look.

 

[Jake]

Ok, sounds good.

Jake

 

[Grasor]

Update: Parts came in today. I set to work on the washing machine with the intention of just dropping in the balance ring the same way I removed it. By hand, without tools. However, upon inspection, I think it's supposed to be held in with screws/bolts from the outside of the wash basket. The balancer has holes for it, and looking closely at the parts diagram, I see a screw/bolt that looks like it's supposed to be inserted to hold the balance ring to the wash basket. The wash basket has corresponding holes for this hardware where the balancer holes look like they will line up (I don't know yet, have to remove wash basket). A video I'm watching at ApplianceVideo.com for a model WT1001CW (very similar to this WT1101CW) clearly shows what the narrator calls "#10 bolts" holding the balance ring to the wash basket.

My old ring did NOT have any hardware holding it to the wash bucket. I see no signs of the hardware sheering off the plastic. So if it was supposed to have hardware securing it to the basket - it did not. If it was supposed to, then I'm thinking I know a bit more as to what happened to this machine.

Jake, can you confirm? Is the WT1101CW model's balance ring supposed to be held in by hardware or is the balance ring just pressed into the wash basket and left to the various Gods?



What kind of bolt/screw is that? Machine? Sheet metal?


This holds the project up a couple of days while I wait for Amazon to deliver a 38 mm deep well socket so I can remove the wash basket If this balance ring is supposed to have hardware, I have to remove the wash basket to get the hardware in. Will have to source hardware locally.

FYI: Removing the wash plate was a bit of a pain. It was stuck to the splined shaft and there's no real great way to grab it by hand. I opted to run a 1" ratchet strap below it and then worked it out by myself. I found placing it under the "thicker" part of the wash plat helped prevent bending. Also, it's nasty under there and will be cleaned thoroughly.

 

[Jake]

I don't see any hardware that holds the balance ruing in place on your model.

What's odd is even in the service manual it doesn't mention how to replace the balance ring: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1s1BZPKPToQRRaWmn_YrnOoqqxNJ0miLM/view?usp=sharing

Here's the Whirlpool one, which is very easy:

Jake

 

[Grasor]

Finished repairing the washer last night. Is working just fine now.

I did remove the wash basket and took down to the garage to deep clean and assemble the balance ring. There is no doubt in my mind that this needed hardware installed. I'm not sure how the original ring held on for so long previously. I didn't see any form of adhesive and I just don't see how the tub would have had enough tension to hold it in for long. I surmise someone was asleep at the factory that day. I won't cry about it too much, since it did last almost 8 years before failure. I would guess it was just sort of resting on the top of the wash basket and it finally got to a point where the machine went out of balance enough that it lifted up and started to ride the top of the wash basket. The friction between the balance ring and the splash guard above caused those two pieces to melt together before the drum seized and the motor 'LE' error kicked in preventing further damage.

I found that #12 x 3/4" sheet metal screws with a hex cap were the best fit for the mounting holes. I could get a slightly larger 1/4" x 3/4" sheet metal screw in but found it unnecessary and worried about cracking the new balance ring (I tested the screws on the old part). The wash tub has a small square cut out next to one of the hardware mounting holes as a guide pin/alignment tab. Snugging the screws was all that was needed.

After reassembling back into the washer, the new assembly passed a hand spin, then a power spin, test. I then pulled out the drain pump and flushed all of the plastic remnants out of the pump and the connected hose. It was a mess in there, but now the pump is a lot quieter.

Overall this wasn't too difficult of a project. I did lose about $100 hiring the tech to come out and his diagnosis was incorrect but I also thought the cost was worth it if I needed a new motor covered under warranty. The hang up was having to go through another several hundred to come back and put it in. Plus it was the wrong diagnosis anyway. So won't be doing that again.

Tools I had to get or items that were helpful:
1. 38 MM Deep Well Socket (<$20 on Amazon)
2. An Impact (much easier to remove wash tub 38 mm nut with this tool)
3. The Service Manual (Thanks Jake!)
4. Photos of each part of the disassembly process since the diagrams aren't the most helpful.
5. A ratchet strap to remove the wash plate and the wash tub, both of which were stuck.
6. The WT1001CW balance ring replacement guide at ApplianceVideo.com (cost $7.50 to rent for a week). The model is very similar to this one.

Thanks again to Jake for the guidance.

 

[Jake]

Excellent, glad to hear you got it fixed.

Thanks for the update and the added information you posted!

Jake