If Your LG Refrigerator Keeps Showing You An E Here's What It Means

Technology in the kitchen has come a long way since the days of iceboxes and basic electric mixers. Tasks that once took people hours now take mere minutes, like those refrigerators that essentially function as supercomputers, allowing you to play Spotify, write a digital grocery list on the outside door, or turn them see-through with one simple touch. Having a high-tech fridge is all fun and games until it starts malfunctioning and spitting error codes at you, like the LG brand's dreaded E code.

If you own an LG refrigerator and see a small code in the corner that reads (E) FF, it means that there's a problem with the freezer fan motor, which may be caused by ice buildup on the compartment motor fan. The (E) rF code points to the refrigerator compartment fan motor, which may be malfunctioning for any number of reasons, such as a problem with the circuit breaker or power surge damage from an outage. In both cases of the (E) FF and (E) rF codes, customers typically find that they manifest as an issue with the ice box/ice maker or water dispenser of their appliance. Considering LG might be one of the most overpriced appliance brands, no one likes to see this substantial investment in your home malfunction.

While spotting the E code on your LG refrigerator may seem daunting, there are a few ways you can try to fix it. If you're noticing an ice buildup on the compartment fan motor and suspect this may be the cause of the E(FF) code, LG recommends emptying the appliance and allowing it to defrost. Once your perishable items are safely transported to another refrigerator or one of these 11 best wheeled coolers, give the appliance 24 hours to completely defrost in the summer or 72 hours to defrost in the winter. Then, plug it back in, allow the temperatures to drop, and see if the code disappears. 

When it comes to the (E) rF code, LG recommends a quicker solution by means of the good old "on and off" method. Unplug the appliance, or even flip the circuit breaker, then plug it back in again after just a few minutes — not long enough to let the contents defrost, though. This should eliminate the code, but if it doesn't (in either circumstance), LG advises cashing in on the appliance's warranty by requesting an LG serviceman. 

Sometimes, the root cause can be unexpected, as one Redditor discovered. "The root cause of my issue turned out to be the condenser fan shroud was installed such that it was jammed in the fan preventing it from spinning," the commenter said. "The repairman fixed that and it started working normally. Time will tell if the unit overheating due to the issue caused issues with other components." LG doesn't exactly have the best reputation online, as another Redditor noted, "[LG] makes a garbage product and then rips you off on the cost of the replacement parts" — unsurprising considering LG is named one of the most unreliable refrigerator appliance brands, according to reviews.