HE Error on LG LDF5545st, but *not* when using Turbo mode

[doughpat]

Hi all - first time post here, hopefully I follow proper etiquette and rules.

I've got an LG dishwasher LDF5545st, and its giving me a strange problem:  Whenever I run it in "auto" mode, I get an "HE" (heating element) error. The dishes are quite wet and not very warm at all right after the cycle is finished, even with "extra dry" setting. So it seems pretty clear that the heating element is not performing as expected. 

But here's the weird part:  When I run it in "Turbo" mode, it goes through the cycle as per normal (i.e. screen says "End", dishes appear clean).  I'm running it in Delicate at the moment to see if it gives me the HE code then. 

One somewhat random user (a review for a heating element on Amazon) mentioned that cleaning the gunk out of the Fill Assembly on the left side of the dishwasher fixed his problem, which was very similar to mine (I.e. runs ok on Turbo mode, but not on others).  But he *also* changed the heating element out....so hard to know which change was responsible.  

I'm thinking the next steps are:

1.) Try cleaning the visibly dirty Fill Assembly (that is probably a good place to start because I think that is relatively easy to access and is visibly dirty)

2.) Find the heating element (which seems to be fairly well buried!) and test its continuity.  

To my understanding it does not appear that the Diagnosis mode has any kind of heating element diagnosis unfortunately.  Any other thoughts would be appreciated.   Thank you!

(pic of Fill Assembly included...not sure how dirty is 'acceptable'.

 

[This might be related, though I dont think so: I was also having the display flicker at random, seemingly displaying the known issue of water/steam getting into the control board/buttons.  So I took the entire control panel (i.e. the large piece with the buttons and handle), dried it, purged with 99.9% isopropyl, dried very thoroughly (heat gun, days in a sunny window with fan on it, etc.).  And then coated with polyurethane conformal coating.  Also put silicone dielectric grease on the connectors.  Also stretched Saran Wrap across the opening where it is installed.  After all of that, it seems to have solved the "flickering random beeping shutting off" problem!  I do not recall this HE problem occurring before that, but I know the previous owner always used Turbo mode so its hard to say]

[doughpat]

Ok - small update here - I have confirmed that ALL modes *except* turbo give the HE error code!  Auto, Heavy, Delicate, Normal: all HE error.  Turbo has no problem.  So strange. 

[Fourneeds]

Maybe a little late but does the dishwasher have a pressure sensor? I worked on one with same code(HE). Pressure sensor was not closing the circuit even though there was enough water in the dishwasher. I remove pressure sensor and realized it was stuck. I cleaned it up and some calcium came off. I had to remove the switches from the pressure sensor and pull up and down from the leveler in order to free it. I will attach  a photo. 
 

 

It seem like your is a different motel. I’ve seen an bulletin to replace main board on some LG when HE error code is display and heating element is up to specs, maybe you could look it up..