LG tones down service visits

Are you tired of spending money to have a repair person come out—sometimes repeatedly—to fix your washer or dryer? LG might have a solution for you.

LG in August launched SmartDiagnosis, which is a feature that is in four of its washer models and their companion dryers. It works like this: A consumer who has a problem with his/her appliance calls an LG customer-support center, which instructs him/her to press certain buttons that will trigger different tones. The tones allow the LG representative to determine the problem and troubleshoot mechanical issues over the phone.

LG says the goal of the SmartDiagnosis is to either solve the problem by phone or to send a service technician who will know beforehand the precise problem and be able to fix it in one visit.

Prices for washers that have this feature range from $900 to $1,200; the dryers range from $1,000 to $1,600.