LG Refrigerator CL Error
LG Canada's line for this code is printed verbatim in the steps: there is NO user troubleshooting for CL E — and clearing the error code does not repair a refrigerant leak.
What to check first
- Read the form exactly: CL / CL E / E CL = refrigerant leak, low side.
- LG Canada: no user troubleshooting exists for this code.
- Do not clear-and-continue: clearing the code does not repair a refrigerant leak.
- Note the code + model number and contact LG — sealed-system work is service only.
LG identifies a CL code (CL E / E CL in LG Canada's listing) as a lower-side refrigerant-leak code: its US list says the code appears when the temperature sensor and compressor sensor show abnormal values, and that it can be caused by a faulty valve; LG Canada names the evaporator — the cooling plate inside the cabinet — as a possible source on this side of the system. The code is the control system's report — professional diagnosis is required to confirm the cause and location. Both LG documents treat it identically: no owner procedure exists.
Safety first
- Refrigerant and the sealed system are service-only, without exception — the evaporator sits inside the cabinet's insulation, and no owner step on this page touches it. Do not attempt to clear the code and carry on: LG Canada states that clearing an error code does not repair a refrigerant leak.
- Stop condition: stop using the machine and unplug it — and do not run it again until it has been checked — if you smell burning, see smoke, find damaged electrics (a scorched plug, a melted or cut cable), or water is leaking in quantity.
Common causes
Refrigerant leaking on the low side — evaporator a possible source
LG Canada's definition of CL E: a refrigerant leak detected on the low side, and the leak could be originating from the evaporator. An evaporator leak is deep sealed-system work — the component lives inside the cabinet's insulated walls.
A faulty valve
LG's US list's named cause: "it can be caused by a faulty valve". A valve that lets refrigerant escape produces exactly the abnormal sensor pattern both lists describe.
How it is detected: abnormal temperature and compressor sensor values
LG's US list's mechanism: the refrigerator infers the leak from its sensors rather than sensing refrigerant directly. Confirmation, location and repair all require a technician's instruments on the sealed system.
Step-by-step checks
- Read the form exactlyCL on US documentation; CL E or E CL in LG Canada's listing. All three are the low-side leak code. Record the form and the model number.
- Accept LG's instruction: no user troubleshootingLG Canada's text for CL E, verbatim in substance: "No user troubleshooting for this error code" — with the same warning as its high-side twin: even if the error code can be cleared by resetting the unit, it does not fix the issue of a refrigerant leak.
- Contact LGLG Canada's route: contact the LG customer service centre for assistance (its listing gives the Canadian centre; other regions use their own LG support). LG's US list carries the same instruction for this code in its standing form: request service.
When to call a technician
CL is a sealed-system code: leak location, repair and refrigerant handling belong to an LG service technician, full stop. Quote the exact form (CL / CL E / E CL) and the model number. If a quote involves re-gassing without leak repair, LG Canada's own warning answers it: clearing — or topping up — does not repair a leak.
Model differences
| What you have | What changes |
|---|---|
| CL vs CH | CL = low side (evaporator a possible source). CH = high side (condenser a possible source). Same sealed system, opposite ends. |
| Regional forms | US list: CL. Canada: CL E / E CL. Same code, different display clothing. |
One-page checklist — CL
- Form read exactly (CL / CL E / E CL) and model number noted
- No clearing-and-carrying-on: a cleared display does not repair a leak (LG Canada)
- LG contacted for sealed-system service
Official LG references
Frequently asked questions
Can I clear CL and keep using the refrigerator?
LG Canada answers directly: even if the error code can be cleared by resetting the unit, it does not fix the refrigerant leak. A leaking sealed system loses cooling and stresses the compressor — the code is the refrigerator asking for a repair, not a reset.
Why is the evaporator mentioned for CL but the condenser for CH?
LG Canada names a possible leak source for each side of the system: the condenser on the high side (CH), the evaporator on the low side (CL). "Possible" is LG's word — the technician's leak search confirms the actual source.
Is a refrigerant leak dangerous?
LG's documentation for this code publishes no hazard warning — its position is procedural: no user troubleshooting, contact LG. This page follows LG: the sealed system is opened only by a technician, whatever the reason.