My LG dishwasher has been leaking water out of the door, leaving a puddle on the floor and threatening to do some serious damage to the hardwoods underneath! After searching on the internet and finding a number of other folks that have the same problem and solutions that all seemed to point to having to buy a new door for it, I decided to do a little reverse engineering and see if I could figure out what was going on. The other common answer for the leaking problem (with the common response being that it doesn’t fix the problem) is a new door gasket. The good news is that I solved my problem for less than $40 using just a phillips screwdriver in about 20 minutes (once I had the part). I hope my solution might help you too.
Diagnosing the Problem
The door was leaking on the lower left side, filling up half of a small cereal bowl with each cycle. Upon a closer inspection, leak was coming from a plastic attachment which turned out was the venting system for the drying cycle. It didn’t have anything to do with the door gasket at all. The problem was the Vent Fan Motor and Case Assembly
The Fix
Removing the door panel shows the venting system running down the left side of the door and attaching to a casing assembly at the top left.
Taking the door panel off is easy. Open the door and remove the screws from the sides of the door. I suggest that you place something between the door and the floor to support the panels when you remove the screws so as not to bend the metal anywhere. Also one of my readers mentioned to look for 2 hex sheet metal screws on the bottom of the outer door panel (one on each side) that may also need to be removed so as not to bend the panel.
The panel will also have sharp edges, so be as careful not to accidentally cut yourself as you are not to bend it!
Along the inside top edge of the door are four screws, two on each side of the latch area. The two outer screws hold the door panel (you need to remove them to get the panel off). The two inner screws connect the control panel cover and you’ll need to remove these as well, but take the door panel off first. Once you get the panel screws off, the panel will need to slide down slightly (toward the bottom of the door, or back toward the dishwasher if the door is open and horizontal) to come off.
Here’s a closer look at the connections:
The bundle of cords running from the bottom right to the control panel are held in place with a “twisty-tie.” To remove the control panel, you will need to untie the twisty-tie and also disconnect the wires from the casing assembly as seen above. They attach to the small red apparatus on the right side of the casing assembly (this is actually the culprit) as well as to the white apparatus in the middle of the assembly. I used a sharpie to note how the connectors attached.
Here’s a picture of the control panel on the floor.
The casing assembly is attached to the vent and is held in place by the Vent Cover which twists to un-attach the casing assembly. Yes, it’s kind of hard to do because there’s not much to grip with your fingers.
Once the vent cover is removed, the casing assembly will fall off. But at this point, it’s still probably connected to the vent. So gently disengage the casing assembly from the vent. You may want to unscrew the small black screw (toward the bottom right side of the vent chute) holding the vent to the door. That may make it easier to remove the casing assembly.
As best as I can tell, this dishwasher uses a venting system to dry the dishes (which in my experience is only moderately effective). The little red apparatus on the casing assembly activates the seal in the vent cover so that when the wash cycle is engaged the cover is sealed and when the dry cycle starts, the seal is disengaged.
Turns out that the inside of the red apparatus rotted out and the seal was not doing it’s job. The evidence would indicate that when the wash cycle was going, the vent cover was catching water from the sprayer and dripping down the vent and out onto my floor.
At this point, you’ll simply attach the new casing assembly, the one you bought either through my Amazon.com affiliate link: search for part #ABT35083801, or from AppliancePartsPros.com.
Don’t freak out about the black inlet hose. It doesn’t really attach to anything (at the bottom). It’s just set in the bottom right side of the door, next to the foam spacers.
Next, re-connect all electrical connections, the control panel cover and the door and you’re done. Make sure you test it by running through a cycle and watching it to make sure it’s not another problem.
I hope this helped you fix your dishwasher and save a few bucks.
P.S. If your door breaks, like mine did, I can help you fix this too!
101 replies on “Help! My LG Dishwasher LDF6920ST Is Leaking Water”
Ed,
Ten years later, and your fix-it post is still paying dividends. I have a different (now discontinued) model LG dishwasher, but it had the same problem and took the same replacement actuator. By the way, the packaging did identify the part as an actuator : ), and I could still order it through the Amazon link you posted. Dishwasher is on its post-repair test run right now . . . and no leak! Thank you very much for your help.
Hi Laura, wow, that’s great to hear! Thanks for sharing that and I’m glad you it fixed!
Ed
Thanks for all your information Ed. We have an ldf7920ST dishwasher that is leaking from the bottom vent as well. I will take the vent apart to make sure that everything is sealing good there but my question is, if the vent is removing the moist air from the dishwasher, where would it go except to the bottom of that vent channel. As well, what does that 90 degree snap on piece at the end of the vent do? Our dw is new when we built the house but now looking, it doesn’t have that angled piece but has the tangs to snap one on. Are these pieces available separately? Thanks for any help you can shed.
Dan
I just wanted to tell you thank you for great guidance and putting the time in details. I was freaking out about the black inlet hose until I found your article. Thank you so much
Great! I’m super glad it helped you. Thanks for the note!
Can anyone tell me what size of hex I need to remove the 2 fasteners at the bottom of the door? I have tried even the smallest ones I have and they seem too large, it seems almost like a rivet.
Yeah, don’t worry about replying to this one. I went ahead and removed the door, after getting under there and taking many pictures and such, they were rivets! I could not locate the hex head fasteners so I just decided to try and see what happens, no hex heads to be found and the door came off without issue. Lining it up to put it back together was a pain but it finally came together with a little grunting and such; no damage to the door. Running a test cycle now, thanks to Ed and all the commenters.
Hello, I have a LG dishwasher model WZ-6807WFL. The door was leaking on the lower left side. The actuator (wax motor) of vent diaphragm was damaged. Now I changed the wax motor, and at present the fan and wax motor are safe, but during drying cycle, fan system isn’t working. what is the problem? Please help me to remove the fault. May the high limit thermostat have any role related to this failure. Thanks
Hi there,
I am having a similar problem, however the LG technician that came out said it is the gasket of the vent fan motor, but this gasket still looks brand new, suspecting it must be the motor.
Could you see where the leak came from? Mine is right below the the gasket on the inside of the door. You advise with be appreciated. Thank you.
I have an LG D1452LF dishwasher that I purchased in 2013. Great machine, been very happy with it in general. About 18-months ago I got an OE error that resulted in the replacement of the drainage pump by the service agents. Wasn’t too expensive being out of warranty it was for my account. A couple of weeks ago Ithe machine displayed an E1 error. The bottom “tray” was full of water and all the components were wet. Fortunately the repair/replacement was covered by the LG 10-year warranty as the entire sump assembly had to be replaced and I was only charged for the call-out fee. Machine is working again but is now leaking a small puddle on the left corner as you look at the unit. Internet research suggested it could be the vent assembly. Instead of paying for another call-out I tackled the issue myself with advice and comments from this page. The rubber ring gasket of the door vent wasn’t seated properly. I discovered the rubber ring gasket appears to be slightly oversized and is quite tricky to seat without a small loop/bluge developing – which is what I noticed when I took the door panel off. The loop/bulge had been caught by the vent cover which had somehow worked itslef half loose – may have been during the replacement of the sump assembly as the machine was opened and turned upside down for that repair. I had to gently massage the rubber ring gasket back into the groove effectively spreading the excess around to prevent the loop/bulge that wants to form. Got it done and the machine doesn’t leak anymore! Thanks for the advice and assistance from this page – greatly appreciated.
And it’s leaking from the vent again! Guess I spoke too soon. The size of the leak has certainly reduced. I again removed the door panel and the vent blower assembly to see if the ring gasket still wasn’t sealing/seated properly. I noticed quite a bit of built-up scum inside the assembly where the black drainage tube connects. I removed the drainage tube and it isn’t blocked and neither is the plastic tube tip it connects to but adjacent to the tube tip inside was a lot of scum. Impossible to reach with anything mechanical. Flushed the unit with vinegar which loosened and removed just about all of this scum. I injected vinegar into the assembly via the plastic tube tip. Bearing in mind the actuator is pressing the diaphragm closed at this time. I did notice that vinegar leaked out from this actuator which would suggest perhaps that it is not sealing itself when in the shut position, wouldn’t it? I tried depressing the diaphragm and cleaning around the edge as much as I could – very limited access. I made sure the ring gasket was seated and positioned correctly around the lip of the vent hole in the door panel. Everything has been reattached and appears to be tightly fitted. Busy running machine again to see if leak persists. If it does then I guess I am left with no other option but to replace the entire vent blower assembly that includes the actuator and diaphragm, I hope. Fingers corssed the problem has been sorted though. Sorry for the long waffling posts – hoping this helps answer those who have experienced similar problems with the vent leak or perhaps someone can suggest something else I have not checked or looked at yet.
Absolutely stoked to say that my dishwasher is no longer leaking! :o) The build-up of scum inside the vent blower assembly was obviously preventing water/condensation from draining via the small black drainage pipe and was being directed down the vent chute and dripping onto the floor. Seems like the ring gasket and actuator are working just fine. Long may it last.
Great news! Glad you got it cleaned out and the leak is gone. Thanks for posting!
Ed
Thanks for the help. I suspected something was up with the venting after in noticed the vent diaphram was offset (the puddle was only showing up randomly). Your post confirmed that i needed to take apart my dish washer, but i knew exactly where to check after i read it. My “Actuator” failed in exactly the same way. It looks like a deign flaw. The casing looks to me made from a Phenolic resin. Phenolics are Hygroscopic, meaning they absorb moisture naturally from the atmosphere and swell. They are excellent for electrical applications in dry environments.
After replacing the door gasket didn’t work I followed your directions and took the door panel off. The black drain hose didn’t seem to be blocked (I blew through it) and the red wax motor looked in new condition, so I put everything back. I don’t know what I did, but magically the leak is now fixed.
I had previously changed the drain pump, which wasn’t actually broken, because it was making a noise due to a broken mulching blade that was rattling around. Next was a broken door spring and finally the leak. Cross fingers that nothing else goes wrong for a bit.
Sorry for the late reply, but thanks for the post. I hope that it’s still working for you!
Ed
Hi Ed
Just took door apart on leaking front LDF7920ST.
Black drai hose and actuator clear,
Will start it tomorrow see if it’s ok..If not I’m thinking bottom seal
will keep in touch nice site by the way!!!
So glad to have found this blog post (actually it was my wife who did the research). Count me among the many who had a clogged black tube. Blew it out, put it all back together, no leaking! The repair guy who came out was fairly unfamiliar with the brand and tried valiantly to fix it. I made sure to email this page to him so he might be able to help another customer down the road who’s not into DIY.
Thanks so much for the note and glad this post helped you out!
Thanks for this post. My dishwasher was leaking and I thought it was the door seal, which I replaced. Did not solve the problem. Leak was in lower left hand corner of the door and your diagnosis was in fact the problem. For others reference, there is a company out there/website called repairclinic.com. Not only can you order parts, but they have videos posted to show how to execute the repairs.
Tom. Z
Thanks for the note! Glad you fixed it.
I just wanted to thank you as well for the detailed instructions! Last week our dishwasher started leaking, just as others have, from the lower left corner. After opening ours up, my husband and I found that the black drain tube was the culprit. Clogged completely up! After a vinegar soak and a flush of the hose, our dishwasher leak is gone!
DIY dishwasher repair: about 30min of our time.
Finding this amazing post, and not having to call a repair service: Priceless!
Thanks again!
Thanks! I’m really glad you found it helpful.
Hey Ed, your a champion!!
Followed your introductions, turned out to be clogged up vent, hose etc. Cleaned everything up, put it back together and she’s as dry as a bone! You beauty!!
Thanks mate!
Jason
I have an LG ldf7932st dishwasher that was leaking at the bottom of the door from the vent chute. I followed the suggestion that the drain tubing could be plugged. I attempted to blow air through it and found there was nothing restricting inside of it. I ordered a replacement vent fan for $50. When I removed the original fan, before I threw it away and replaced it, I stuck a small screwdriver up the drain hole in the fan that the drain tube was attached to. Low and behold the screwdriver broke through soap and minerals that clogged the drain hole. I reassembled the door and now no leaking vent duct. Now my decision is to hang on to the new fan or return it.
Hi Dave, I’d run it through a couple of times to make sure no more leaks & if not then return the fan. Save yourself $50!
Thanks so much for your helpful information! I used your directions to both replace this part, and to repair some broken high-tension cords that keep the door opening smoothly. This was a HUGE help!
TO ANYONE READING AND BENEFITING FROM THESE INSTRUCTIONS: If you want to support this person, order your replacement parts using the links on this page. He has an Amazon Affiliate account, which means that if people use his links to purchase the replacement part, he receives a small payout (Amazon shares a percentage of the purchase with him). It doesn’t cost you anything, but it helps support these helpful instructions that, personally, have saved me $100+!
Thanks again
I have LG dishwasher LDF7920ST, will this part ABT35083801 will fit my machine? As you have specified that your machine is 6960ST and mine is 7920ST.. Please let me know soon, I need help!
That solenoid you refer to is-i think- a wax motor. Do a “youtube” search for it. Very interesting. Also thanks for these directions, part #’s and diagrams. My only problem is the dishes never dried from day one. Had to replace a simple part that was redesigned and too expensive .
Has anyone looked into buying just the actuator part? Mine has failed for the second time, and it seems foolish to have to but the entire assembly just to get the one part that failed.
Many thanks for the post Ed.
Like a previous reviewer, I believe the plunger on the valve vent part to be the culprit and not the solenoid. Cost of part alone was less than the service visit charge itself without part and time to install on top of. Took me about and hour going slowly and checking the post here and there.
2 things that may or may not be of concern.
1. There were 2 small hex head sheet metal screws on the bottom of the outer door panel, one on each side, which I needed a small wrench for to fully remove door. Not sure if that was in your original post, but you can seriously bend the panel trying to remove if you do know they’re there.
2. Be careful after you get door panel off, as with any other formed stainless steel parts, this one had some pretty sharp edges. I have duller kitchen knives than the inside panel edges on this.
Other wise, pretty smooth sailing. Got the part from Appliance link you provided.
Hope this bumps up your page views,
NYCrob
Thanks for the note and suggestions! I just made an edit to the post to point out the hex screws on the bottom. Great catch!
Just wondering how much issue you had with the hex head screws. I just tried the hex heads before I got too deep into this and they will not move. I don’t want to strip them. Just wondering if these gave you much grief. Thanks.
Hi Doug, sorry for the late reply! I didn’t really have trouble with the hex head screws, but when I run across that in other projects, I usually use a spray penetrating oil on the frozen screw or nut, give it a little time to seep in and do it’s work, then remove it. I hope that helps and that you’re able to get the screws out.
Thanks,
Ed
Well Ed,
I will gladly add my voice to the thank you choir directed at you. My culprit wasn’t exactly the same as yours (actuator) but rather the rubber disc that this same actuator pushes against the casing assembly (was a tad loose and not tightly pressing against the casing assembly) to keep water from flooding out. Long story made short, the same part still needed to be changed to fix the problem.
Thanks for sharing your costly information to others; I too am a big DIYer and strive to help others saving money (On car repairs, renovation, etc…), time, and, lastly but not least, FRUSTRATION! 🙂
Thanks again Ed!!!
Thanks a ton for your post as to how to fix the door leak in an LG dishwasher.
Great job on your part. Thanks.
An aside, I am going to buy new appliances for another house. The chatter on the internet seems to apply that LG and Samsung have the most features (& style) for the money. When I went to the parts store to get the door part, I asked the counter person which brand is best. He said:
1) they are all terrible compared to older models.
2) he said that Samsung and LG may have the worst replacement parts system. There can be large delays in getting Samsung parts (sometimes). LG sometimes discontinues parts availability after as little a 3 years. He said that recent changes in Federal Laws allow them to do that (I can’t remember if he said 2000 or 2006).
What brand would you recommend for kitchens and laundry rooms? ([email protected])
I also posted this on your home site – my bad- I initially could not find the reply segment for the leaking door post.
Thanks for the note Skip & I appreciate your sharing what the appliance folks said. I haven’t bought new appliances in a while because I keep fixing the old ones! I did buy a Whirlpool dryer a few years ago and it’s been good. I’ve had a Kenmore washer forever that’s built like a tank. I also have a relatively new GE fridge. I’m very happy with it except that the ice maker in the bottom drawer freezer conked out after about 1 year and a half. However, it was a self contained unit that was easily replaceable for about $100 (not that I was happy about it, it was just easy). My theory is that the length of time the manufacturer is willing to warrant their products is a good indication of how long they think it will last.
Thanks for your time and wonderful directions! I took my dishwasher apart and found no plugs in anything. All parts looked fine. I have repaired this stupid dishwasher before and not sure I want to put any more money into it. I will run it tomorrow morning and cover it with duck tape to see if it leaks. If not I saw the part was $31 and $6 for shipping on Amazon , so I think I will repair it one last time.
Great post, gave me the confidence to dive in. Looks like my problem was just a stopped up drain tube. The seal on the plunger that blocks off the vent during washing does not make a perfect seal thus some water enters the fan chamber. The purpose of the black drain hose is to remove this water. Buildup of soap and scum had blocked this hose so the water ran out the vent at the bottom left of the door instead of down the hose back into washer. Thanks again for good information!!
I had the same issue with the drain tube having an obstruction. While in there clearing the blockage in the tube I cleaned around the vent seal since I had everything apart. Everything is working fine now and didn’t have to spend a dime to fix it. Thanks for all the info … saved me a pile of money on service and parts.
Friends, I have opened the vent cover on top right of the machine and now cannot fix it.
Can you help me to get this cap back in its place.
Excellent guidelines to replace the LG dishwasher. It was right on! Best of all, thanks to people like you, it save me a bunch of money!
On my dishwasher there are two additional screws underneath the front panel (in each corner) that needed to be removed to take off front panel.
Lg dishwasher leaked at bottom right of door – try raising front legs higher making it off level. Worked for me after a replacing a seal and 2 doors and pulling the front cover and three visits from a LG tech. A 5 minute fix took a year to find.
Thank you for taking the time to detail this issue, it was very helpful in resolving my dishwasher with the same problem.
In your first picture in this article there is a black rubber hose running from the top left to the bottom right. I was fixing my dishwasher and couldn’t find any info about this hose and finally found that you had a picture! Thanks for your thoroughness. I’m trying to find out if the bottom of that rubber hose is connected to anything, or does it simply drain into the pan inside the dishwasher. I’m guessing that it what it does, but want to be sure before putting the door panel back on.
I haven’t quite figured out how to post, so this question appears as a reply to someone else also. (My apologies). Thanks again!
Thank you so very much for the detailed instructions and photos. We thought our leak was due to a gasket that was clearly going bad. When that did not work we found your website and made the fix per your directions. Not a big fan of LG dishwasher but I certainly didn’t want to replace it. Thank you again for your help!!!
In your first picture in this article there is a black rubber hose running from the top left to the bottom right. I was fixing my dishwasher and couldn’t find any info about this hose and finally found that you had a picture! Thanks for your thoroughness. I’m trying to find out if the bottom of that rubber hose is connected to anything, or does it simply drain into the pan inside the dishwasher. I’m guessing that it what it does, but want to be sure before putting the door panel back on. Tanks again!
Hi Tim, thanks for the post. The black hose just drains into the pan (in this particular model), it doesn’t connect to anything on the bottom. Good luck!
[…] Help! My LG Dishwasher LDF6920ST Is Leaking Water | … – My LG dishwasher has been leaking water out of the door, leaving a puddle on the floor and threatening to do some serious damage to the hardwoods underneath!… […]
ED! Thank you! thank you! thank you! Your post and detailed instructions prompted me to dig further at my washer problem. I give you and many others a lot of credit for taking the time to make such great posts. I have the exact same model dishwasher and had the exact problem where it leaked about a cereal bowl full of water. *** My leak problem however, was a decent amount of lint right at the throat of the drain hose*** (the drain hose was totally clear) inside the area where the fan or a blower is. I removed the fan motor assembly but did not take apart the area where the blower is encased, instead simply reached in with a wire to scrape away the lint and then blow all debris out. LEAK PROBLEM GONE! I’m sure some people like me had the problem where sometimes water leaked much more than others. This is because when the washer is not used for a while the lit becomes dry and solid and water won’t sift through it therefore it will leak faster. Then other times when the washer is used frequently the lint stays wet and passes but you still have the washer leaking. Thanks again for all your help!
Great news on getting your problem solved. Thanks for the post as your comments can help others!
Just a quick note that I had the issues as presented here. I also purchased and replaced the item mentioned. However, in looking at what actually failed, the problem was with the black hose coming out of the unit. This is where the water/condensation that gets past the disc is suppose to drain. I pulled the hose from the plastic unit and saw that it was plugged with soap/hard water build up. I blew the hose clean, did the same with the nipple that it attaches to and problem solved – no need to actually buy a new vent assembly. This might be a good thing to check on your washer before actually using the replacement assembly.
Thanks,
Micah
That’s a great point. Thanks for posting about checking on that!
Thanks Micah. Thought my LG dishwasher had a more serious vent problem. Then I read about the clogged black drain hose. Removed outer shell from door, took hose off. Discovered it clogged. Straightened a coat hanger, and passed it thru hose. A lot of gunk came out. was able to get water to pass thru it. Refastened it and ran dishwasher thru rinse cycle, and wala, no more leak problem!!!!! Thank you for saving me time and $$$$$$. Great website Ed.
Great advise. I had a plug on the back hose that I cleared with a can of compressed air. Big slug of paper (knapp king maybe) came out flying.
Thanks guys. Micah you nailed it. I cleaned the tube and a plug of soap and water came out. Just ran a couple of loads and so far, so good!
Thanks Ed for your post. I was able to fix the leak following your instructions ( got the part thru Amazon with the gasket included!)in less than 1/2 hour. My solenoid looked exactly like yours.
Another question: you mentioned that you are not impressed with the drying capacity of this machine. My dishes and cutlery always came out hot to the touch after the cycle, now however I find water droplets everywhere and the machine is not drying as before.
LG suggests in their trouble shooting page that the rinse agent dispenser is empty, which is not the case. Any idea’s how I can get the drying temperature up like before?
Thanks for the note and I’m glad that you fixed the leak. My dishwasher has always left water droplets everywhere. There may be a thermostat that you can identify on the parts diagram that might be replaceable, but I haven’t had the issue… maybe I need to look into it since mine has always seemed to dry poorly!
Thanks for the detailed instructions.
Here’s a suggestion: when reinstalling the vent cover, spray a silicone lubricant on a paper towel and sparingly wipe the bottom of the vent cover and the mating surface on the door liner. Makes it easier to turn and lock the vent cover in place.
I have a question regarding the wiring of the red actuator.
Your site shows the red connector on the left, and the white connector on the right. But on my Model LDS5811WW/02, the gray connector was on the left, and the red connector was on the right.
After installing the new Casing Assembly, I reinstalled the connectors as I found them-gray on the left, red on the right and ran the dishwasher. Could hear the fan running during the Dry cycle, but not sure if the vent seal was disengaged.
Does it matter how the wires are connected to the red actuator?
Thanks
Harry
I’ve heard others comment that the wires were switched and it didn’t seem to have an effect. If anything, I would assume that it may reverse the sequence that the vent is engaged and disengaged, but I haven’t heard any feedback that it’s caused a problem with anyone else. I’d welcome some comments from others on this.
Ed, you are a LIFESAVER! Thank you so much for the explanation and the link. We’ve been living without a working dishwasher for a year due to this same issue. Even on our tight budget the three appliance repair guys that came out all said the part would be $75 and the job would be between $150-$200, but worse, they all said they don’t like working on LG machines and while they made some “half-promises” to investigate it and call us back because they said it would be hard to find the part. Then none would return our calls after they left. (We live in a small town and only have about 4 repair options.)
We are going to order this part and follow your instructions. I will keep you updated. We are so excited! Didn’t have the money to buy a new one.
Although I grew up without a dishwasher and it doesn’t kill us to do the dishes by hand, it will be nice to get our machine working again and get the dishes off my counter!
You have no idea what a blessing your post is. Thank you thank you.
That’s great to hear. Thanks for the note. It’s really a pretty easy repair, so I hope it goes well for you.
Ed
It worked! Yay! Thank you!
Just a note for others – our red and white wires were opposite of yours but still works because they matched.
It was rather hard to get the inside vent cover off and on again but with patience it works. You might have to loosen it with a thin dull blade if you have any hard water build up.
And we bought the gasket thinking we needed it but the new part from amazon comes with a new gasket so will snd that back.
Our connections wasn’t fried like yours – so I have no idea what caused the problem but something in there because now it is working!
Woot! Even my kids are thrilled! It’s been a year!
Not sure about LG though for any future purchases. Both the fridge and dishwasher broke only about 4 years old. I’m expecting the stove to break next.
Thanks Ed. Literally could not have done this without you!
WE removed the vent cover only to clean and can’t figure out how to put it back on. It twisted right off but now won’t thread onto the door. Model is LDF6810BB.
Any suggestions?
It should screw back on if it’s similar to the LDF6920ST. It may be that the threads have some dried gunk on them and that they’re not threading smoothly?
Nice post Ed. The part from the amazon link is the same as the Sears one? Looks different… Please help. Much appreciate it.
They’re the same. The picture on Amazon is one side of the casing assembly, the picture on the Sears site is the other side of it. Make sure you’re searching the right part number on the Sears site – ABT35083801.
Thanks. I’m going to order from Amazon. Will keep you posted.
All fixed!! My actuator didn’t look like yours however. But there’s no more puddle on the floor! Thanks a million!
Thank you so much for this post! Just completed the repair tonight. It was surprisingly easy (especially with your detailed instructions and pictures). Dishwasher is running now and so far, no leaks! So exciting!! Also had to replace the door ropes. Again, not a big deal after reading your post. Would have been nervous taking this appliance apart on our own. Thanks again!
Great Cindi, I’m glad it worked for you.
Thank you, Ed, for this post. I had all the same issues and this saved me from having to call a repairman.
I ran into a couple of issues and would suggest the following:
1) Remove the door spring cords. I found it easier to remove and replace the front panel without the tension from the door springs. To do this, unscrew the two flaps that attach the dishwasher to the bottom of the cabinet lip/countertop and slide the washer towards you. With the door closed, unhook the springs on the left and right sides. The door is heavy and will drop with a crash so be careful when opening and let it down gently. Doing this will make reattaching the front panel easier so you are not fighting the resistance of the springs.
2) IE Error Code This may not happen to anyone else but in taking the door apart, I did not find it necessary to remove the control panel. However at one point I somehow managed to unknowingly disconnect one of the electrical push-on connections behind the panel. This resulted in an “IE” error code which has to do with water inlet failure. It took me a while to figure this one out as I have had chronic issues with the water not draining properly due to buildup in the clear plastic housing that contains floats which trigger switches for water level and drainage. I assumed the problem was related to this. So after messing with the float housing and checking that there was no clog in the water line, I took the door apart again and found the loose connection.
I hope this addition is helpful. Thank you again Ed!
Great tips! Thanks for the post.
Hi Ed, just came across this post as I was researching a similar problem with my LG dishwasher leaking onto the floor from the bottom right corner. I have a different model however (LDS5811) and seems to come from a different series than you and others have commented on. It uses a different vent fan motor part. Just wondering if you think this is a kind of generic problem and that it is likely the source of the leak on my machine. If anyone has any comment, I would appreciate hearing. Thanks
We are facing the same problem. We bought the one off of amazon that listed as it being compatible but no luck. We don’t have a tube and the vent connector is a different size. Any thoughts?
Same symptoms so get the part and swapped it out; Although the presentation was the same, mine was a little different in that the seal itself had a bunch of crud and hard water crust on it ; the actuator and seal were still good and moving,working; just could not make a good seal. Probably could have removed it, cleaned it well and replaced it for a few more miles. Might be a good thing to keep in mind before buying the part.
Thanks for the research,it really helped- So far,no more leaking
Great point to check the piece before replacing it. Since this is a fairly easy repair, you can take the door apart & have a look and put it back together before ordering the part. But either way, it’s cheaper than having the repair person out.
JB, I think my situation was the same as yours. We have very hard water and had build up and such. I thought about cleaning and replacing but for the $38 to replace the part and with limited time, I did not want to mess around only to find cleaning did not work and lose the function of the dishwasher for another day. Amazon delivered the part in 2 days. I am going to clean up the old part and if it happens again, try replacing with the “refurbished” unit.
As a fast and dirty fix while waiting for the part I removed the vent cover and taped up the hole with duct tape. This worked well enough to hold us over. The tape pealed a little and got a couple drips but nothing major.
Our LDF6920ST developed a leak in the front right corner right where the drain tube is. There was water visible in the metal frame at the base of the door. I took the front off shut it and ran it through a rinse cycle. Water started dripping out of the drain tube shortly after the rinse cycle started so I went and used your affiliate link to order the part from Amazon 🙂 Thanks for the post! Also the term actuator or even solenoid would be appropriate for that red part.
Thanks for the post. I hope it solves your leak. Thanks for the correct term as well!
Fixed My Dishwasher no problem….about 20 min….SUPER. Thanks!
Glad I could help you! Thanks for leaving a comment.
You sir, have saved me $420 and for that, you win the internet. 🙂
I wish I had found this post before paying 2 different companies to come out and tell me that the whole door needed to be replaced at what would have cost me $450. I bought the part from Amazon and followed your instructions. I did not have any major problems and everything seems to be working now. Thanks!
FYI, my inlet hose was pinched between a screw and the frame so it didn’t just slide out. I thought I misread the instructions but it just required pulling it loose.
Awesome! I’m glad it worked for you! Thanks for posting a comment.
Thanks so much. Incredibly helpful. I would have struggled to figure this out without your blog. Probably saved me a new dishwasher!
Cheers,
Stewart
My LG model # LDF7932ST started having the same issue but instead of just a 1/2 cup of water about 2 cups came out the vent. Ordered the part today and hoping it will fix the leak! The part on Amazon was only $38 with shipping. The repair shop wanted $59 just to come out and take a look at it or $30 for me to take the dishwasher out and take it to them so your fix definately will save me some $$. Thank You!
My LG dishwasher model number is LDF8812st and I experienced the same leaking in the left corner of the door. After reading your solution I removed the vent cover and covered the opening with plastic wrap and then replaced the cover. When I ran a rinse cycle the leak persists. Do you have any thoughts?
You should be able to tell if the leak is coming from the vent tube itself or if it’s somehow leaking out the door. On my model you can see the bottom of the vent tube if you get down on the floor (you might need a flashlight to see well). If you can’t tell you may need to take the door panel off to see if there’s any evidence of the leak outside the tube. It’s possible that the water may be getting through your seal. In my model, the only way for water to possibly get into the tube is through the vent cover. There are no other openings inside the door. Also check the sprayer arm to make sure it’s not stuck and spraying water right at the inside of the door. It’s entirely possible that there’s a bad seal in the door.
Awesome, thanks. You took the fear of screwing something up away. Mission accomplished.
Thanks so much for posting this fix for an LG Dishwasher LDF6920ST. Mine suddenly started leaking in the same place you described. Told my husband we were going to give your repair a try…cheaper than calling out the repairman 🙂
Ordered the part (thanks for even supplying the part # info) and you were right…it only took about 20 minutes to repair using your excellent step-by-step directions. Loaded the dishwasher, put my usual paper towel and bowl at the sight of the leak…NO LEAK!!!! Thank you! Thank You!
Great! Thanks for the comment. Glad it worked for you.
My LG has the same symptons and I believe that your solution will work for me. Does the ABT35083801 part assembly contain the reddish-orange actuator that you said was the culprit. Do I need any additional seals or gaskets? Where does that black hose go to that is on the bottom of the assembly?
The piece comes as one unit (the actuator is attached to it). Assembly is easy if you just follow along with the blog post. The black hose just tucks into the side of the door at the bottom. It doesn’t actually attach to anything. There’s some foam down there that may come out; just tuck it back in. Best as I can tell, it’s some sort of relief hose.
Thanks, your post saved me about $300 with a service call. The cause of the leaking vent was exactly as you indicated. Working perfectly now. $43 part was all I needed. Thanks for posting.
How did you find the part number for the vent fan motor and case? Our LG dishwasher model number LDS4821WW…
Here’s what you do. Go to Sears Parts Direct. You can go there directly or you can use my affiliate link (http://www.searspartsdirect.com/?SID=CJxPDx – I’d sure appreciate that!) and on the main page of the website in the blue box, put in your model number and select the option “model number” (not part number) from the other box. That will take you to the diagram of all parts of your dishwasher. Look for the “door assembly parts” link toward the bottom and there’s a link that says “Casing Assembly.” That should be the one you’re looking for. Other options, once you know the part number, are Amazon.com and Appliance Parts Pros. They all have comparable pricing and I’ve used them all personally for various repairs.
Thanks again. Took me 15 minutes. Let’s see if that was the problem
Hope so… Did it work for you?
Thank you for your post. Did you have to purchase any other parts besides the vent fan motor and assembly? Is the actuator a separate purchase? If so, please send me the link so I can order. Thank you
No, it all comes as one unit. It’s surprisingly easy to relace, but follow the directions in the post. There are only 2 steps that you need to be careful. First, when disconnecting the vent chute, be gentle with it since it’s all plastic. Second, when unscrewing the vent cover to remove the casing assembly, it unscrews normally (counter-clockwise), but it’s tight and there’s not a lot to grip on with your fingers. Here’s a link to Sears Parts Direct where I bought my part (this is my affiliate link): http://www.searspartsdirect.com/?SID=CJxPDx. Then search for this part number: ABT35083801