FFLG · Refrigerator · Fridge

LG Refrigerator error code FF

Freezer fan fault

Needs attention soon
Also written as Er FF, ER(E) FF, F5

Quick answer

On LG Refrigerator (2010s onward), FF is a fault. It means freezer fan fault. A first thing to check: Fan motor bearing failed, a common long-life failure.

Applies to
LG Refrigerator
LG refrigerator codes · Refrigerator · 2010s onward
Type of code
Fault
Urgency: Needs attention soon
First safe check
Listen at the rear of the cabinet for a fan that runs when the compressor runs, and for a scrape or grind as it turns.
Checked

What FF means on this model

The fan that moves air through the freezer section is not running normally, and frost around the blade is a common cause rather than a failed motor. Without that air the freezer warms even though the compressor keeps running.

Symptoms you will notice

  • Freezer warms up while the fresh food compartment stays cold
  • Ice builds up on the freezer floor or the rear wall
  • A humming noise from the back of the cabinet that stops when the compressor stops
  • Code appears on a regular schedule

Common causes

The code tells you what the control detected, not which part failed. These are the causes we see most often, roughly in order of likelihood:

  • Fan motor bearing failed, a common long-life failure
  • Ice bridging between the evaporator coil and the fan blade
  • Fan blade or motor housing assembly frozen in place
  • Defrost heater not clearing the coil as it should, so ice returns every cycle
  • Main board not receiving the fan speed signal
  • Ice maker or packaging obstructing the fan after a shelf move

What you can safely check

These are homeowner-level checks. None of them need you to open a live electrical compartment or work on gas.

  • Listen at the rear of the cabinet for a fan that runs when the compressor runs, and for a scrape or grind as it turns.
  • Check that no food or packaging is touching the rear wall where the fan sits.
  • Look for a heavy frost build-up on the freezer floor that keeps returning after a defrost.

Do not do these

  • ×Do not chip ice off a coil with a knife or a screwdriver. A puncture in the coil line means a sealed-system repair.
  • ×Do not reach the fan area with the power connected.

When to call a technician

Book a technician, do not keep resetting it

This fault will not clear on its own. Every power cycle gives the control one more failed attempt, and repeated attempts are what turn a cheap part replacement into a seized or contaminated system.

  • If the appliance has stopped mid-cycle, is making a noise you have not heard before, or smells burnt, stop reading here and call. Those are symptoms of something the fault code does not describe well enough.

The fan on many French door and side-by-side models is accessible after removing a rear cover, which is moderate work. Built-in and panel models are technician territory.

What it costs to fix

Parts

Freezer fan motor $40 to $120. Fan blade assembly $30 to $90. Defrost heater $30 to $80.

Labor

One to two and a half hours, longer on a built-in or French door model with a rear cover.

DIY or technician

The fan on many French door and side-by-side models is accessible after removing a rear cover, which is moderate work. Built-in and panel models are technician territory.

Typical US part and labor ranges, 2026. They vary by region, model and contractor, so treat them as a planning figure, not a quote.

Scope of this code

Code table
LG refrigerator codes
Models in scope
LG Refrigerator, 2015 onward
Checked
Confirm on your own unit
Find the model number on the data plate, then check this code in the service manual for that model. Manufacturers revise code tables between model years, and a revised board can renumber a fault.

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