Flow Sense light comes on during the cycle
The dryer starts normally, then the warning appears and drying times stretch out.
Start here: Check the lint screen, vent hose behind the dryer, and the outside vent hood before looking at internal parts.
Dryer not drying
LG Dryer Flow Sense Light
Direct answer: An LG dryer Flow Sense light usually means the dryer is struggling to move air out through the vent. The most common fix is clearing lint buildup, a crushed vent hose, or a stuck outside damper before replacing any dryer parts.
Most likely: Start with airflow. A packed lint screen, kinked dryer vent hose, or clogged wall/exterior vent is far more common than a failed heating part when the Flow Sense light shows up.
When this light comes on, treat it like an airflow warning first. If the dryer heats but takes forever, the vent path is the lead suspect. If the light is on and you also have no heat at all, check the vent first anyway, then move to the heating parts only after you know the exhaust path is open. Reality check: a dryer can tumble and feel warm at the door and still be badly choked off at the vent. Common wrong move: pushing the dryer back hard and crushing the vent hose you just cleaned.
Don’t start with: Don’t start by ordering a dryer heating element or dryer thermal fuse just because clothes are still damp. A restricted vent can make a good heater look bad.
Most likely first movePull the lint screen, clean it fully, then inspect the vent hose behind the dryer for a crush or sharp kink.
Best quick separatorRun a short heated test with the vent disconnected only long enough to compare airflow and drying behavior.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-17
What the Flow Sense light is telling you
Clothes are warm but still damp
You feel some heat in the drum, but towels and jeans need extra cycles.
Start here: Treat this as an airflow problem first. Restricted exhaust is more likely than a failed heater when there is still some heat.
Flow Sense light and very little heat
The dryer tumbles, the warning shows, and the load never really gets hot.
Start here: Open up the vent path first, then if airflow is clearly good and heat is still missing, move to the dryer heating branch.
Flow Sense light appears after moving the dryer
The problem started right after cleaning behind the dryer or pushing it back into place.
Start here: Look for a crushed or sagging dryer vent hose and make sure the outside hood flap opens freely.
Most likely causes
1. Lint buildup in the dryer exhaust path
This is the most common reason the Flow Sense light comes on. Air can’t carry moisture out, so clothes stay damp and cycle times climb.
Quick check: Clean the lint screen, remove the vent hose, and look for heavy lint at the dryer outlet, inside the hose, and at the wall connection.
2. Crushed, kinked, or poorly routed dryer vent hose
A hose pinched behind the dryer can cut airflow fast, especially right after the dryer was moved.
Quick check: Pull the dryer forward and inspect the full hose run for flat spots, sharp bends, or a low sag packed with lint.
3. Outside vent hood stuck shut or blocked
If the flap barely opens, the dryer can’t exhaust properly even if the indoor hose looks decent.
Quick check: Run the dryer on heat and watch the outside hood. It should open strongly and blow a steady stream of warm air.
4. Actual dryer heating circuit failure after airflow checks pass
If airflow is strong with the vent disconnected and the dryer still does not heat, the problem may be a dryer heating element, dryer high-limit thermostat, or dryer thermal cutoff.
Quick check: With the vent temporarily disconnected, run a short heat test. Strong airflow but no real heat points away from the house vent and toward dryer heating parts.
Step-by-step fix
Step 1: Clean the easy airflow points first
Most Flow Sense complaints are solved here, and this is the safest place to start.
- Unplug the dryer before handling the vent hose.
- Remove the lint screen and clean off all lint.
- If the lint screen has a film from dryer sheets or residue, wash it with warm water and a little mild dish soap, then dry it fully.
- Check the lint screen slot opening for loose lint you can safely remove by hand or with a vacuum crevice tool.
- Pull the dryer out enough to inspect the vent hose without stretching the cord or gas connector.
Next move: If the next load dries normally and the warning stays off, the restriction was likely at the screen or right at the dryer outlet. Move to the vent hose and outside vent checks. That is still the most likely problem.
What to conclude: A clean screen and clear screen slot remove the simplest choke points, but they do not rule out a blocked hose or wall vent.
Stop if:
- You smell burning lint.
- The vent hose is torn, foil-thin, or falling apart.
- You have a gas dryer and moving it would strain or twist the gas connector.
Step 2: Inspect the dryer vent hose behind the dryer
A crushed or lint-packed hose is one of the most common real-world causes, especially after the dryer was pushed back.
- With power off, disconnect the dryer vent hose from the back of the dryer.
- Look inside the hose for heavy lint, bird nesting material, or damp clumps.
- Check for sharp bends, flattened sections, or a long low spot where lint can collect.
- Clean out the hose if it is reusable and in good shape.
- Reconnect it with the straightest, shortest path you can manage without crushing it when the dryer goes back.
Next move: If airflow improves and the Flow Sense light stops coming back, the hose routing or blockage was the problem. Check the wall duct and outside hood next. Restrictions farther down the line are common.
What to conclude: If the hose was badly kinked or packed with lint, the dryer was likely fine and just could not breathe.
Step 3: Check the outside vent hood while the dryer runs
This separates a short hose problem from a blockage deeper in the vent run.
- Reconnect the vent if needed and restore power.
- Run the dryer on a heated cycle for a few minutes.
- Go outside and watch the vent hood flap.
- Look for a strong, steady exhaust stream that fully opens the flap.
- If the flap barely moves, sticks shut, or blows weakly, the vent run between the dryer and the exterior is still restricted.
Next move: If the flap opens strongly and airflow feels solid outside, the house vent path may be okay. A weak outside discharge points to a clogged wall or ceiling vent run that needs a thorough cleaning before you chase dryer parts.
Step 4: Do a short vent-off comparison test
This is the cleanest way to tell whether the dryer itself is weak or the vent system is choking it.
- Unplug the dryer and disconnect the vent hose from the dryer again.
- Place the hose aside so it does not blow lint back into the dryer outlet.
- Run the dryer for just a few minutes on a heat cycle with the vent disconnected.
- Feel for strong air movement at the dryer exhaust outlet and check whether the drum develops normal heat quickly.
- Do not use the dryer this way for a full load or as a permanent setup.
Next move: If airflow and heat are clearly better with the vent disconnected, the dryer is mostly doing its job and the vent system needs cleaning or correction. If airflow is strong but there is still little or no heat, move to the dryer heating component branch.
Step 5: If airflow is good and heat is still missing, check the heating parts path
Once the vent path has been ruled out, the remaining likely causes are inside the dryer heating circuit.
- Keep the dryer unplugged before opening any access panels.
- If your dryer has electric heat, suspect a failed dryer heating element or a safety cutoff in the heating circuit.
- If the dryer previously overheated from poor airflow, a dryer thermal cutoff or dryer high-limit thermostat may have opened.
- Use a multimeter only if you are comfortable checking continuity with power disconnected.
- If you are not set up for electrical diagnosis, schedule service and tell them you already confirmed strong airflow with the vent disconnected.
A good result: If a failed heating component is confirmed and replaced with the correct fit for your dryer, restore the vent and recheck drying performance.
If not: If airflow is good and the heating parts test good, the problem may be a wiring issue or control issue that is better handled by a service tech.
What to conclude: At this point the Flow Sense light may have been a symptom of earlier restriction, but the no-heat problem is now pointing to the dryer’s heating circuit.
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FAQ
Does the LG dryer Flow Sense light always mean the vent is clogged?
Usually, yes, or at least restricted. The warning is most often tied to poor exhaust airflow from lint buildup, a crushed vent hose, or a stuck outside hood. It does not automatically mean a dryer part has failed.
Can I keep using the dryer if the Flow Sense light is on?
You can do a short test while diagnosing, but don’t ignore it and keep running full loads. Restricted airflow makes drying slow and can overheat the dryer and vent path with lint inside.
Why are clothes still damp if the dryer feels hot?
Heat alone is not enough. The dryer has to move moist air out of the drum. If the vent is restricted, the load can feel warm but the moisture stays trapped, so drying takes much longer.
What if the Flow Sense light stays on even after I cleaned the vent hose?
Check farther down the vent run and the outside hood. A blockage in the wall duct or a flap that barely opens can keep the warning active. If airflow is clearly strong with the vent disconnected, then start checking the dryer heating circuit.
Could a bad heating element cause the Flow Sense light?
Not usually by itself. A bad dryer heating element causes weak or no heat, but the Flow Sense warning is more closely tied to restricted airflow. If the vent path checks out and heat is still missing, then the heating element becomes a reasonable suspect.
How do I know if the lint filter itself is the problem?
Look for a torn mesh, warped frame, or heavy residue that water will not pass through easily. A damaged dryer lint filter can let lint bypass into the vent system and contribute to repeat airflow problems.