LG dryer won't turn off: check for CL (Child Lock) which can prevent the Stop button from working. If not CL, the electronic control board may have a stuck relay that keeps the heater or motor circuit energized.
Most of the time when I get called for this, it's either Wrinkle Care running a post-cycle tumble (totally normal, not a fault) or moisture sensor bars gunked up with dryer sheet residue. Ignore it long enough and you're looking at motor burnout or a melted relay on the PCB. Neither is cheap. Worth five minutes of your time right now.
OK so here's the deal. Your LG dryer won't shut off and you want to know if you're dealing with a $0 fix or a $200 one. About 60% of the time it's a setting, not a broken part. Wrinkle Care, Child Lock, dirty sensors. But if the drum spins the second you plug it in before you've touched a button, that's a stuck relay on the control board and that's a different conversation.
Most Likely Causes
Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:
Moisture sensor failed30%
Timer contacts welded20%
Thermostat stuck15%
Board relay stuck15%
Wrinkle prevent (normal)10%
Cool-down extending10%
Symptoms You May Notice
Drum is still tumbling 20, 30, even 60 minutes after the timer hit zero and you thought the cycle was done.
You mash the Stop button over and over and nothing happens. Display might show 'CL'.
Dryer spins the instant you plug it in, before any cycle is selected or any button is pressed.
Clothes come out still damp after an insanely long Auto Dry cycle because the sensors never triggered completion.
Drum keeps running even when you open the door, which should automatically pause everything.
Can you reset a Lg dryer to clear the NOT-TURNING-OFF code?
Unplug the dryer or kill it at the breaker. Wait a full three minutes, not 30 seconds. LG control boards have capacitors that hold a charge and if you power back up too fast, whatever ghost command is stuck in the logic is still there. While it's unplugged, hold Start/Pause for five seconds to drain residual energy. Then plug back in, pick a timed dry cycle (not Auto Dry), and see if it completes and stops normally.
Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does fixing an LG dryer that won't turn off usually cost?
If it's the moisture sensors, honestly nothing. Ten minutes and a cotton swab. Child Lock or Wrinkle Care situation, also free. Now if it's the control board with a stuck relay, that's where it gets real. The board itself runs $120-200 depending on your model, plus a service call if you're not doing it yourself. I've seen shops charge $300-400 all-in for that repair. Still worth it if the dryer is under 8 years old, these LG mechanicals have a lot of life left in them.
Should I repair or just replace it?
If your LG dryer is under 8 years old, repair it. These machines are built well and a board swap or sensor cleaning isn't a sign the whole thing is done. Now if it's 10+ years old and the board is shot AND you've got other issues piling up, that's when I'd start shopping. But one failed relay doesn't mean the motor, drum, and heating element are all next in line. Fix the one thing that's broken.
Can I fix this myself without calling a technician?
Cleaning the moisture sensors? Absolutely, anyone can do that. Disabling Child Lock or Wrinkle Care, same thing. Swapping a control board takes a bit more confidence but it's not complicated. It's basically unplug a bunch of connectors, swap the board, plug them back in. If you're comfortable with a screwdriver and can follow a YouTube video for your specific model, you can do it. But if you smell burning plastic or the drum's spinning with the door open, call a pro and don't mess around.
Why does my LG dryer run forever on Auto Dry but stop fine on Timed Dry?
That's almost always the moisture sensor bars, basically a textbook case. Auto Dry relies on those sensors to detect when the load is dry and kill the cycle. Timed Dry ignores the sensors completely and just runs for however long you set it. So if Timed Dry works fine but Auto Dry runs forever, those sensor bars are coated in residue and not reading conductivity properly. Clean them with rubbing alcohol and you're probably done in five minutes.
My LG dryer started doing this right after a power outage. Is the board fried?
Not necessarily. Power surges and outages can leave the control board in a weird state without actually damaging it permanently. First thing to try is the full reset: unplug for three minutes, hold the Start button for five seconds while it's still unplugged, then power back up. That clears the capacitors and resets the logic. If it works fine after that, great. If it immediately starts running the second you plug it in, then yeah, the relay may have welded during the surge and the board needs to come out.
Is it actually dangerous to just let the dryer keep running?
Yeah, don't ignore this one. A dryer that won't shut off can overheat the motor and shorten its life significantly. Worse, if the heating element stays on and the motor slows down or stalls while heat's still running, you've got a real fire risk. If you hear any burning smell, weird sounds, or feel excessive heat radiating off the cabinet, unplug it immediately and don't run it again until it's fixed. Seriously, a $150 board replacement beats a house fire every time.
Same Fix Works on These Brands
Lg shares the same hardware platform with these brands. The diagnosis and repair steps are identical.