An LG front-load washer can increase the displayed time while it is washing because the number is an estimate, not a fixed countdown. LG says load weight, wet laundry, excess detergent, uneven distribution, selected options, water temperature, and fill or drain speed can all make the control recalculate the remaining time.
The useful question is not whether one minute stayed on the display longer than sixty seconds. Watch what the washer is doing: filling, tumbling, redistributing, rinsing, or draining. A changing estimate with active drum movement is different from a washer that has stopped making progress.
Why the estimate moves backward
The washer estimates time from the load it detects. Loading already-wet towels can make the machine interpret the load as heavier than it really is. A very small load may also bunch on one side, while a packed drum may need more time to wet, move, rinse, and balance.
Foam is another common reason. If the control detects too many suds, an automatic suds-removal routine may add rinsing and waiting time. That is a detergent problem, not evidence that the timer itself has failed. Use HE detergent and measure it for the actual load, water hardness, and product concentration.
Match the delay to the phase
- Fill: Confirm both supply valves are fully open and external hoses are not sharply kinked. Slow household flow extends the beginning of the cycle.
- Wash: Review optional settings such as extra water, stain care, steam, or high-temperature washing. These intentionally add time.
- Rinse: Persistent foam can trigger additional rinses. Do not add another dose of detergent.
- Spin: Repeated low-speed turns usually mean the washer is trying to redistribute the load before accelerating.
A practical one-load test
- Record the cycle and options instead of changing several settings at once.
- Use a moderate load of similar, dry items and the detergent amount recommended for that load.
- Confirm the cabinet does not rock when pressed at opposite top corners.
- Let the cycle continue while the drum is actively working. Interrupting a balance or suds routine can make the comparison less useful.
If only bulky, wet, or unusually small loads run long, load composition is the stronger clue. If ordinary loads repeatedly stall in the same phase, record the displayed code and the phase for service.
When the changing time is not normal
Stop troubleshooting if the washer leaks, smells hot, trips a breaker, cannot drain, or shows a repeated error code. A cycle that makes no mechanical progress, repeatedly restarts the same phase, or runs far beyond the behavior described in the model manual deserves diagnosis. Do not open the cabinet or test a live motor, heater, sensor, or control board.
Keep observations that make a service visit useful
If the delay repeats with ordinary loads, note the model number, selected cycle, options, load type, detergent dose, phase where the estimate changes, and any display code. Also note whether water remains in the drum at the end. Those details separate a slow fill, extended suds handling, load redistribution, and a drain problem far better than the phrase “the timer is stuck.”
Do not compare two cycles unless the load and settings are reasonably similar. A Normal cycle with dry mixed clothing is not a fair timing comparison with bulky wet towels, steam, or an extra-rinse option. The model manual remains the right source for the behavior of a specific option.
Related Guides
- LG Washer Error Codes — Check an exact LG display before treating a long cycle as a symptom alone.
- Washer Takes Too Long to Wash — Compare brand-neutral fill, load, and cycle causes when several washer types are involved.
- Washer Not Draining Completely — Use this when the time increase consistently occurs during draining.