Indoor Fan Motor
LG CH10 Error Code
Seeing the LG CH10 error code means your indoor unit has detected a problem with its fan motor. The board asked the fan to spin at a set speed, but the feedback says it is stuck, too slow or not reporting at all. Below we explain the usual causes, what you can look at safely, and how the fault gets repaired.
Plain Explanation
What Does LG CH10 Actually Mean?
Inside the indoor unit, a long barrel shaped fan called a cross flow fan, or blower wheel, draws air through the filters and over the coil. A small motor turns it. Modern LG units use brushless DC motors with a built in sensor that reports the fan speed back to the control board.
The board is always comparing the speed it asked for with the speed the motor reports. If the motor does not reach the target, or reports no rotation at all, the board stops the system and displays CH10. LG describes it as the indoor fan being locked, or a fan motor operation failure.
Without the indoor fan, the coil cannot pass its cooling or heating to the room. In cooling mode the coil would freeze. In heating mode it would overheat. That is why the unit treats this fault seriously and shuts down promptly.
On some ducted and cassette models the indoor fan is larger and works differently, but the principle is the same. The board has lost confidence that air is moving through the unit as it should.
Components
Which Parts Does CH10 Point To?
CH10 can come from the mechanical side, the electrical side, or the control side. Knowing the three helps you understand why the technician checks several things.
The Blower Wheel
A long plastic wheel with many curved blades. It can be jammed by debris, clogged with grime, cracked, or shifted along its shaft so it rubs the housing.
The Fan Motor
A brushless motor with its own electronics and speed sensor inside. Bearings can wear and seize, and the internal electronics can fail.
The Indoor Board
The board powers and controls the motor and reads its feedback. A failed drive circuit on the board stops a healthy motor from turning.
The wiring between the motor and the board also matters. A connector that has worked loose, or a lead that has been pinched, can interrupt the speed signal and trigger CH10 even when the fan could turn freely.
Spotting It
How Do I Know My LG Is Showing CH10?
On LG units with a numeric display, CH10 shows as CH followed by 10. Read it carefully, because on some displays a 10 can look similar to other numbers if you only catch part of the cycle. On lights only models, the code is shown by a blinking pattern that may involve a different light from the sensor codes.
There are also physical signs that often accompany CH10. You might hear the louvre open but no air come out. You may hear a hum, a click or a scraping noise from inside the unit before it stops. Some owners notice the unit runs for a short time with weak airflow, then stops with the code.
On ducted systems, the code appears on the wall controller. You may also notice no air from any of the vents while the outdoor unit tries to start.
Open more detail
Some online code lists describe CH10 as a discharge sensor fault. That description belongs to older or different equipment. On current LG residential splits and in LG’s own support material, CH10 relates to the indoor fan motor. LG portable and window units can show a separate letter code for fan faults, which is not covered here.
Likely Causes
What Stops an LG Indoor Fan From Turning?
Fan faults have a distinctive set of causes. Many are physical, which makes them different from the purely electronic codes elsewhere on the list.
Simpler Causes
- A foreign object, such as paper, a toy or a leaf, caught in the wheel
- Heavy grime and mould on the blades slowing the wheel down
- Ice on the coil in cooling mode, starving the fan of airflow
- A short power glitch that confused the speed reading
Repair Causes
- Worn motor bearings making the fan stiff or seized
- The wheel slipping on its shaft and rubbing the housing
- Failed electronics inside the brushless motor
- A failed fan drive circuit on the indoor board
Grime is a bigger factor than many people expect. Over time, dust and moisture combine into a sticky layer on the blower wheel blades. That layer adds weight and drag, and in bad cases it unbalances the wheel. The motor works harder, wears faster, and eventually cannot keep up with the speed the board demands.
Safe Checks
What Can I Check Myself for an LG CH10 Code?
You can do a few visual checks from outside the unit. The blower wheel sits deep inside behind the louvres and coil. Never push fingers, tools or cleaning brushes into it.
- Take a photo of the code, and note any noise you heard before it stopped.
- Switch the unit off at the breaker for at least five minutes. This fully resets the motor electronics.
- Open the front panel and remove the filters. If they are heavily clogged, rinse and dry them fully before refitting.
- With the power still off, shine a torch through the air outlet. Look for an obvious object stuck in the louvres or wheel. Do not reach in.
- Check for ice on the visible part of the coil behind the filters. If you see ice, leave the unit off until it has fully melted.
- Restore power and try fan only mode at low speed. Listen for scraping or grinding.
If you spot an object you cannot remove easily from the louvre area, or if the code returns, leave the unit off and book a technician.
Keep Using It
Is It Safe to Run My LG With the CH10 Code?
No. A fan that is seized or dragging draws extra current and gets hot. Repeated restarts can burn out a motor that might otherwise have been saved with a clean or a bearing fix. A struggling motor can also damage the drive circuit on the board.
There is a comfort risk too. Without airflow over the coil, cooling mode can ice the coil heavily. When the ice melts, water can overflow the drip tray and leak down the wall. In heating mode, the coil overheats and the outdoor unit works against high pressures.
Switch the unit off at the breaker after one failed reset. If you smell burning or hear a loud grinding noise, switch it off straight away and do not try again.
Repair Process
How Does a Technician Fix an LG CH10 Fault?
The technician needs to work out whether the motor, the wheel, the wiring or the board is to blame. The tests below are done with power isolated wherever possible.
Listen and Observe
Before opening anything, the technician may run the unit briefly to hear the fan and confirm the code.Spin Test the Wheel
With power off and covers removed, they turn the blower wheel by hand. It should spin freely and evenly. Stiffness, grinding or wobble points to bearings or a slipped wheel.Inspect for Debris and Grime
The wheel, housing and coil are inspected for objects, heavy buildup or ice damage.Check Wiring and Plugs
The motor connector on the board is checked for secure fit, damage and corrosion.Test Motor Drive and Feedback
With care, they measure the drive voltage the board sends and the speed feedback the motor returns. This separates a motor fault from a board fault.Clean, Repair or Replace
Depending on findings, the fix may be a deep clean, resetting the wheel, a new motor, a new wheel or a new board. The unit is then run at all fan speeds to confirm.
Noise Clues
What Do Different Fan Noises Tell You?
The sound an LG indoor unit makes before showing CH10 can point towards the cause. Mention what you heard when you book.
A Rhythmic Ticking or Scraping
This usually means something is rubbing on each turn of the wheel. It could be debris, a cracked blade or a wheel that has shifted on its shaft.
A Low Hum Without Airflow
The motor is trying to turn but cannot. Seized bearings or a jammed wheel are common causes.
A Rising Whine
Worn bearings often whine before they seize. If the unit made a growing whine over weeks, bearings are a strong suspect.
Complete Silence
If there was no sound at all from the fan, the motor may have lost power or its electronics may have failed. A board or wiring fault is also possible.
Motor or Board
How Is a Bad Fan Motor Told Apart From a Bad Board?
This is the key question behind most CH10 repairs, because the two parts differ a lot in price and in how easy they are to source. Brushless motors and their control boards are closely linked, so a fault in one can look exactly like a fault in the other.
The technician starts with the mechanical side. If the wheel is stiff or seized, the motor bearings are the likely culprit, and the board is probably innocent. If the wheel spins freely, attention moves to the electrical side.
Next comes the drive signal. The board sends power and a speed command to the motor. If those are present and correct, but the motor does not respond, the motor has failed. If the board is not sending them, the board is the problem. Finally, the speed feedback wire is checked. A motor that turns but does not report its speed can still trigger CH10, and that points to the motor’s internal sensor.
Sometimes both parts are damaged. A motor that shorted internally may have taken out the drive circuit on the board as it failed. In that case, replacing only one part leads to a repeat failure. A careful technician checks for this before fitting new parts.
Before the Visit
How Can I Prepare for a CH10 Repair?
Fan repairs often involve removing the front of the indoor unit and sometimes lifting the chassis forward. A little preparation makes the visit smoother.
- Clear furniture and valuables from under and around the indoor unit.
- Have the model number ready, taken from the label on the side of the unit.
- Note when the problem began and any noises you heard.
- Let us know if pets are in the home, so the technician can keep doors closed while working.
Climate Factors
Can Australian Conditions Lead to CH10?
Yes, in a few ways. Humid summers encourage mould and grime on blower wheels, especially in units that run cold for long hours. That growth adds drag and imbalance. Homes near the coast see salt in the air, which corrodes motor connectors over time.
Bushfire smoke and dust storms load filters quickly. If filters clog, less air passes over the coil, the coil can freeze, and the fan ends up fighting restricted airflow. Pet hair is another common factor in many households, collecting on filters and the wheel.
Power events also matter. Storm surges can damage the electronics built into brushless motors, or the drive circuit on the board. If CH10 appeared just after a storm, tell the technician, because it changes where they look first.
Prevention
How Do I Keep My LG Indoor Fan Healthy?
Indoor fan faults are among the most preventable on the list. Good airflow and a clean wheel go a long way.
Clean Filters Often
In heavy use, check filters every two to four weeks. Clean filters protect the wheel from dust and keep the motor load low.
Professional Coil and Wheel Clean
A periodic deep clean removes buildup that filters cannot catch. The technician also checks bearing condition while the wheel is accessible.
Dry Out After Cooling
Some LG models offer a self clean or dry function. Running fan only for a while after cooling helps dry the wheel and coil and slows mould growth.
Keep curtains, plants and furniture away from the front of the indoor unit too. Blocked return air paths make the fan work harder and can drag in loose material.
Related Codes
Which LG Codes Are Similar to CH10?
Several LG codes relate to airflow and motors. These pages explain how they differ from an indoor fan lock.
LG CH67
The outdoor fan motor version of a lock fault.
LG CH02
The coil sensor that protects against freezing when airflow drops.
LG CH01
The room air sensor, also inside the indoor unit.
See all covered codes on the LG air conditioner error codes hub, or visit the error code library for other brands.
Getting a Technician Out
Who Repairs LG Indoor Fan Faults in My Area?
We arrange licensed technicians for LG CH10 repairs in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. Choose your city for more local detail.
Sydney Repairs
Help for fans clogged by humid summer use.
Brisbane Repairs
Support for mould prone indoor units in muggy weather.
Melbourne Repairs
Repairs for units working hard in both seasons.
Perth Repairs
Diagnosis for dust affected indoor fans.
Adelaide Repairs
Fan repairs for systems facing very hot spells.
Rapid Air Cooling is a booking service and is not affiliated with LG. The technicians we send hold the licences their work requires.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a dirty blower wheel cause CH10?
Yes. Heavy buildup adds weight and drag, and it can unbalance the wheel. The motor then struggles to reach its target speed and the board raises CH10.
Should I try to spin the fan by hand?
No. The wheel sits behind the coil and louvres, close to electrical parts. A technician spin tests it with the power isolated and covers removed.
Why did CH10 appear after a storm?
Brushless fan motors contain electronics that can be damaged by power surges. The board’s fan drive circuit can also be affected. A technician will test both.
Is a new fan motor always needed?
Not always. Some CH10 faults are fixed by a deep clean, removing debris, reseating the wheel or fixing a loose connector. Testing decides what is needed.
My LG made a grinding noise and stopped. What now?
Switch it off at the breaker and leave it off. Grinding suggests a mechanical problem that will worsen with more running. Book a technician.
Can ice on the coil trigger CH10?
Severe ice can restrict airflow and make the fan struggle. Let the ice melt with the unit off, clean the filters, and book a check if it happens again.
Where can I read more?
Our troubleshooting guide covers common symptoms, and our page on air conditioning service Australia explains how bookings work.
LG Fan Not Spinning?
Call with your CH10 code and a description of any noise. We will arrange a licensed technician to test the motor, wheel and board and get the air moving again.
Reviewed by AC repair and service specialist on 22 October 2026. How we write our articles