CLLG · Refrigerator · Fridge

LG Refrigerator code CL

Child lock is on

Normal, not a fault

Also written as Er CL

Quick answer

On LG Refrigerator (2010s onward), CL is a normal display state, not a fault. Not a fault. The panel is locked so a child cannot change settings or start a defrost. It releases with the same hold that set it. A first thing to check: Normal self-test after a software update.

Applies to: LG Refrigerator; LG refrigerator codes · Refrigerator · 2010s onward
Type of code: Status or setup value; Urgency: nothing to fix
First safe check: Leave the machine powered and undisturbed until the code clears on its own.

Checked 2026-09-26

What CL means on this model

Not a fault. The panel is locked so a child cannot change settings or start a defrost. It releases with the same hold that set it.

Symptoms you will notice

Display shows the code while the drum turns slowly through a speed range
Code appears straight after a power cycle or a child lock being released
Cycle will not start while the code is showing

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:

Normal self-test after a software update
Triggered by a power interruption that reset the stored reference values
Sometimes deliberate, when the machine is being prepared for delivery or testing

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.

Leave the machine powered and undisturbed until the code clears on its own.
Do not interrupt it, because interrupting a calibration is what sometimes causes the code to persist.

Do not do these

×Do not cut the power mid-calibration, and do not call a technician for it before it has had time to finish.

When to call a technician

Worth scheduling, and worth your own checks first

You can usually keep living with this for a short while, but it will not fix itself. Do the safe checks below first, because a tripped switch or a blocked airflow is a five-minute fix that would otherwise cost you a service call.

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.

Nothing to do but wait. If it has not cleared in a reasonable period, power off and on once, then leave it again.

What it costs to fix

Parts

No parts.

Labor

No labour, provided the machine finishes the cycle on its own.

DIY or technician