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LG Washer CL Code: Child Lock Is On and How to Turn It Off

Low urgencyUpdated Checked against LG USA Support

CL on an LG washer is not a fault. Child Lock, also called Control Lock, is on, and every button except Power is locked. With the washer on, press and hold the button marked with a lock icon or *Child Lock for 3 seconds. On some models that is a pair of buttons, such as Temp and Rinse.

What to try first

  1. 1

    Turn the washer on

    Child Lock is switched off with the washer powered on. Power is the one button that still works while CL shows.

  2. 2

    Find the lock button

    Look for a small lock icon or the words *Child Lock printed under a button or between two. On LG front loaders, LG lists these matches: a lock symbol on the panel, hold Temp and Rinse together; a button marked *Child Lock, hold Spin; a model with Steam, hold Steam. On a WashTower, hold the washer's Spin button.

  3. 3

    Hold it for 3 seconds

    Keep the button, or both buttons, pressed for at least 3 seconds, until CL leaves the display. Then choose your cycle and press Start/Pause.

  4. 4

    Check the owner's manual for your model

    LG says the exact method varies by model. If none of the combinations above work, the manual for your model number names the right button.

Most likely causes of CL

  1. 1. Child Lock was switched on during a cycle (most common)

    Someone held the lock button, or button pair, for 3 seconds. On many LG models that is an everyday button such as Spin or Steam.

  2. 2. It was set by accident (common)

    Nobody meant to lock the panel. LG notes Control Lock is sometimes enabled by accident; where the lock shares the Spin or Steam button, a long press is enough.

  3. 3. The lock was left on from an earlier cycle (common)

    The washer was turned off and on again and CL is still showing.

  4. 4. Buttons that no longer respond (less common)

    Holding the lock button or pair for longer than 3 seconds does nothing, and CL stays on the display.

When to call a pro

  • Holding the lock button or pair for 3 seconds or more does not clear CL. LG says unresponsive Child Lock buttons can signal a malfunction.
  • CL is gone but other buttons on the panel still do not respond.
  • CL keeps coming back on its own when nobody has touched the panel.

What a CL repair costs

$0: no repair needed

CL is a setting, not a fault, so there is nothing to repair: holding the right button for 3 seconds clears it at no cost. A repair only comes in if the buttons themselves have failed, and HomeGuide puts the minimum service fee at $70 to $130 (2026).

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Why CL is still there after you turn the washer off

LG's front-load help page is clear that Child Lock does not switch itself off when a cycle ends. Turn the washer off and on and CL is still lit, which is what makes people think the washer has broken. The only way out is the same button press that turned it on.

While the lock is set, LG says every button except Power is disabled. So you can still switch the washer off at any time; you just cannot change the cycle, the temperature or the spin until the lock is off. LG adds that when the washer is powered on with Child Lock set, the Child Lock icon lights up, and that CL or that icon clears the same way.

CL on an LG top loader

LG calls the same feature Control Lock on its top loaders. There, the letters CL blink on the display while it is set and disappear once it is off. Top-load panels place the lock on different buttons depending on the model, so look for the lock icon printed on the panel and hold that button for three seconds.

CL is not tCL

LG washers can also show tCL, sometimes written tcL. That one is not a lock either: it is a reminder to run the Tub Clean cycle. LG says you can dismiss it by choosing another cycle or pressing any other button, and it comes back until a Tub Clean has been run. LG recommends Tub Clean about once a month.

What a technician will check

  • The keypad behind the control panel, for a stuck or failed key that holds the lock combination down.
  • The display and user-interface board that reads the buttons.
  • The connection between the keypad and that board.

What fixed it for other readers

No reader fixes yet. If you cleared CL, tell others what worked.

Reader fixes are shared by visitors and checked for safety, not tested by us.

Did you clear CL? Tell the next person what worked.

We publish your first name or initial, the month, and your fix. Nothing else.

Questions people ask about LG CL

Why would I turn Child Lock on deliberately?

LG designed it to stop a child, or anyone else, from changing settings or interrupting a cycle once it has started. Set it the same way you clear it, by holding the lock button for 3 seconds while the washer is on.

My LG dryer shows CL too. Is it the same thing?

Yes. LG puts the same Child Lock feature on its dryers, and as with the washers, which button clears it depends on the model. Look for the lock icon on the dryer's panel.

Does a CL code cost anything to fix?

No. It is a feature, not a fault. You only need a technician if the buttons stop responding altogether, and then the visit is about the control panel, not the lock.

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