The short answer
On a LG dryer, a dryer that tumbles but does not heat usually comes down to a restricted exhaust duct rather than anything deeper in the machine: the duct is the one part of a dryer that the owner owns and the manufacturer does not, and a restricted run explains more dryer faults than every internal component combined. That keeps it an owner check first, not a service call. Start here: clear the whole vent run to the outside first, because LG's control reacts to duct restriction and will shorten or stall cycles rather than overheat.
What you are seeing
- A drum that turns normally with cold air at the outside hood
- Loads that come out as damp as they went in
- A cycle that ends on time with a wet load
- Heat for the first few minutes and then nothing
- Not this fault: A drum that does not turn at all, which is a drive fault
- Not this fault: A cycle that ends early with a warm load, which is a sensing fault
- Body: LG builds this dryer as a drum carried on rollers with felt seals front and rear, a dual blower path, moisture bars in the drum front and a duct-restriction indicator. That architecture decides which of these you see first.
- Also check note: If these fit better, the fault is a different one.
Likely causes, in order
- A restricted exhaust duct — Why this rank: LG measures duct restriction and reduces heat or ends the cycle early, so a blocked run presents as a cold or short cycle rather than as a burnt smell.
- A drifted temperature sensor — Why this rank: Where the control reads temperature rather than switching a thermostat, a sensor that has drifted makes the machine run the wrong strategy.
- The resistance heating element — Why this rank: The LG heater assembly and its thermistor are read by the board, so an open element is reported rather than merely felt.
- A blinded lint filter — Why this rank: The LG filter sits directly under the sensor bars.
- An open thermal fuse — Why this rank: The fuse is a one-shot device that opens when the exhaust overheats.
- Body: Ranked for a LG dryer specifically.
What to check, in order
- Body: The order follows the ranking, and the ranking follows the platform. First: disconnect the duct at the wall and compare the flow at the machine with the flow at the outside hood. It goes first because lG measures duct restriction and reduces heat or ends the cycle early, so a blocked run presents as a cold or short cycle rather than as a burnt smell. Second: note whether cycles end early rather than running cold throughout. With the first check clean, this is what the LG platform makes next most likely. Third: feel the exhaust air after several minutes of a heated cycle. Only after those three is it worth reaching for a blinded lint filter: it costs more to get at, and it does not explain the first three coming back clean.
Checks you can make
- Disconnect the duct at the wall and run the dryer on air-fluff. A strong steady flow at the machine with weak flow at the outside hood puts the restriction in the run, not in the dryer. — Tools: screwdriver — Time: about fifteen minutes
- Pull the lint filter and wipe the two metal sensor bars behind it with a little rubbing alcohol on a cloth. A softener film there is the usual cause of a cycle that stops early. — Tools: cloth, rubbing alcohol — Time: about five minutes
- Take the lint filter to a tap and run water onto it. Water that pools on the mesh rather than passing straight through means the filter is blinded by softener film and needs scrubbing. — Tools: warm soapy water, soft brush — Time: about ten minutes
- Body: Stop at the first step that would need a meter on live terminals or a sealed assembly opened.
Before you open anything
Safety
Treat a dryer complaint as a fire question first. Heat, lint and restricted airflow are the combination that starts laundry fires. Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Clear the whole duct run, not just the machine end. A restricted duct is the condition behind most dryer heat faults and behind most dryer fires. Never run the machine with the duct disconnected for longer than a brief test, and never vent it into the room.
When to call
The line is not difficulty, it is what the next step costs and risks. Call when: the vent is proven clear and there is still no heat at all
What this page omits
This is generalized information: it ranks causes for the LG dryer range as one platform, not for a single model. Where a page exists for your specific model it is the more specific one and takes precedence over this. The narrower pages below cover the other presentations of this symptom.
Entries: - [LG Dryer: Abnormal Noise or Vibration](/blog/lg-dryer-abnormal-noise) - [LG Dryer: Will Not Start or No Power](/blog/lg-dryer-wont-start-2) - [LG Dryer: Water Leak](/blog/lg-dryer-water-leak)
Related pages
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
