Error codes · Samsung · Washers

Samsung washer error codes: most of them are water in, water out, or the door.

Samsung washers print short codes and most of them point at the install, not the machine — a tap left half open, a drain hose pushed too far down the standpipe, a lid that will not latch. Find the code below, work the checks in order, and clear it with the reset in the strip above the table. The ones that need a technician say so.

Covers: 2016-and-newer front-load (WF42, WF45, WF46, WF50, WF53, Bespoke) and top-load (WA40, WA44, WA45, WA46, WA50, WA52, WA54, WA55) washers, and the washer side of the Bespoke AI all-in-one.

Samsung · First

Before you clear it

Samsung prints a letter-and-number code (4C, dC, HE). Older displays printed the same faults with an E (4E, dE, HE) — the pages list both.

1

The same fault has two spellings. A 2016-and-newer display prints a C (4C, 5C, dC); the older displays printed an E (4E, 5E, dE). The tables list both — look for either.

2

The reset: press Power to turn the washer off, unplug it (or switch the breaker off) for one full minute, plug it back in and start a Rinse + Spin. A code that comes straight back is real; a code that stays gone was a one-off.

3

A newly moved washer needs its calibration run once: with the drum empty and the washer on, press and hold Temp. and Delay End together for three seconds until Cb shows, then press Start — it runs about three minutes and stops by itself.

4

A Wi-Fi model shows the same code, its meaning and the next step in the SmartThings app under the washer's tile; a 2014–2019 front-load with Smart Care shows a QR code when you hold Temp. and Delay End for three seconds.

5

The model and serial plate is inside the door rim on a front-load and under the lid or on the back panel on a top-load. Every warranty call starts with those two numbers.

Section 1 of 3

Water in, water out

4C#1

Also printed as 4E · E1 · nF · nF1

Fix at home
Code

No water coming in

What it means

The washer waited for the fill and the water level never rose. Nine times in ten the water is not reaching the valve.

Check first
  1. Both taps behind the washer are fully open, hot and cold — a tap a quarter turn open fills so slowly the control gives up.
  2. The fill hoses are not kinked behind the machine, and the little mesh screens where each hose meets the washer are clean (unscrew the hose, pull the screen with pliers, rinse).
  3. A faucet at the nearest sink runs with normal pressure; a well pump or a house filter that has dropped the pressure stalls the fill.
  4. The hoses are on the right inlets — hot to hot, cold to cold. Swapped hoses make the washer wait on a fill that never comes at the temperature it asked for.
The fix

Open the taps all the way, clean the inlet screens, straighten the hoses, then reset and run a Rinse + Spin. If every tap is open, the screens are clean and the pressure is good, the inlet valve on the washer is not opening — that is a part.

4C2#2

Also printed as 4E2 · CE

Fix at home
Code

Hot water on the cold inlet

What it means

The washer measured water over about 120°F coming in on a cold fill. The hoses are swapped, or the cold supply is fed from the hot side.

Check first
  1. Follow each hose from the washer back to the wall — the one on the inlet marked C (blue) must come from the cold tap.
  2. If the washer sits next to the water heater, the cold line may be picking up heat; run the cold tap at the sink and feel it.
The fix

Swap the hoses to the right inlets. The code clears on the next fill.

5C#3

Also printed as 5E · SE · E2 · nd

Fix at home
Code

Will not drain

What it means

The pump ran and the water level did not drop in time. The display's 5 is read as an S by most people, so 5C and SE are the same code.

Check first
  1. The drain hose is not kinked or crushed behind the washer, and it sits only 4–6 inches into the standpipe — pushed to the bottom, it siphons and cannot pump against itself.
  2. Front-load: the pump filter behind the little door at the bottom front. Put a towel and a pan down, turn the cap out, pull the coin, the sock, the hair tie. Rinse it and screw it back in snug.
  3. The standpipe itself drains — pour a bucket of water down it; if it backs up, the house drain is clogged, not the washer.
  4. Suds. Non-HE detergent or too much of it makes a foam the pump cannot move; run a Rinse + Spin with nothing added.
The fix

Clear the hose, the filter or the drain and run Spin. A pump that hums and moves nothing with a clean filter is the pump — a part, and on a machine under warranty a warranty call.

OC#4

Also printed as OE · OF · E3

Check, then call
Code

Overfilled

What it means

The water level sensor saw more water than the cycle asked for. Either the inlet valve is not closing or the water went in from somewhere else.

Check first
  1. Turn both taps off. If the water keeps rising with the taps closed, the water is coming from the drain — the drain hose is pushed too far into a standpipe that backs up.
  2. If the water stops rising with the taps off, the inlet valve is not closing fully.
The fix

Fix the hose depth or the standpipe clog and the code clears. An inlet valve that will not shut is a part — leave the taps off until it is replaced so the floor stays dry.

Stop & call

Water that keeps rising with the taps closed and the drain clear is a valve that cannot shut. Keep the taps off and call it in; this one is never a wait-and-see.

LC#5

Also printed as LE · LE1 · LC1

Check, then call
Code

Leak detected

What it means

The sensor in the base of the washer found water under the tub. A front-load reports this before the water reaches the floor.

Check first
  1. Turn off both taps and pull the washer out. Look at the drain hose connection at the back of the machine, then at each fill hose end.
  2. Front-load: the pump filter cap at the bottom front — was it screwed back in straight after the last cleaning?
  3. The detergent drawer: a drawer packed with softener residue overflows down the front and into the base.
  4. Was the washer overfilled with suds? Foam pushed out the top of the tub lands in the base and trips the same sensor.
The fix

Tighten or reseat whatever was loose, dry the base (tip the machine back onto a towel with a helper), and run a Rinse + Spin. If the base fills again with every hose tight and the filter cap straight, the leak is inside — a tub seal, a hose off the pump, the door boot. That is a service call.

Stop & call

A leak the hoses, the filter cap and the drawer do not explain is inside the cabinet. Leave the taps off and call it in — a door boot or a tub seal is a technician's job.

1C#6

Also printed as 1E · LE2

Service call
Code

Water level sensor

What it means

The control cannot read the water level. The sensor hose has come off or the pressure sensor itself has failed.

Check first
  1. Reset the washer (unplug one minute) and run a Rinse + Spin. A sensor fault that clears and stays gone was a power blip.
The fix

If it comes back, this is a part inside the control area — a technician reseats or replaces the pressure sensor. Not a home repair.

Stop & call

A level sensor code that returns after a reset is a service call. Write the code down, note the model and serial, and file it.

Section 2 of 3

The door, the lid and the load

dC#7

Also printed as dE · dE1 · dC1 · dL · FL · Ed

Fix at home
Code

Door or lid open

What it means

The washer tried to start and the door or lid switch did not report closed — or the door lock did not engage.

Check first
  1. Front-load: push the door shut until it clicks. A towel caught in the gasket, or a child-lock strap, keeps the latch from seating.
  2. Top-load: close the lid with nothing on it. A lid with a basket or a bottle on top does not latch.
  3. The latch area is clean — detergent residue on the strike plate stops the lock from engaging.
  4. Reset (unplug one minute) and try again.
The fix

A door that latches and still shows the code after a reset has a lock assembly that is not reporting — on a front-load the lock, on a top-load the lid switch or the lid-lock strike. That is a part.

dC3#8

Also printed as dL3

Check, then call
Code

Lid lock will not release

What it means

A top-load's lid lock is stuck in the locked position after the cycle.

Check first
  1. Wait two minutes with the washer on — the lock releases once the drum has stopped.
  2. Unplug the washer for one minute; the lock drops when the power goes.
The fix

If the lid stays locked after a one-minute unplug, the lid-lock assembly is the part. Do not pry the lid.

ddC#9
Fix at home
Code

AddWash door opened

What it means

The small AddWash door on the front was opened while the cycle was running — not a fault, a pause.

Check first
  1. Close the AddWash door until it clicks and press Start/Pause.
The fix

The cycle resumes. To use the AddWash door, press Start/Pause first, wait for the main door to unlock, then open it.

UC#10

Also printed as UE · Ub · U6 · Ur · E4

Fix at home
Code

Unbalanced load

What it means

The drum could not get up to spin speed without hitting the cabinet, so the washer stopped and tried to redistribute. It gives up after a few tries.

Check first
  1. Open the lid or door and spread the load. One heavy item — a bath mat, a comforter, a pair of jeans alone — needs two or three towels beside it.
  2. A packed drum cannot balance; take some out.
  3. A new front-load: are the four shipping bolts out of the back? The washer cannot balance with them in.
  4. The washer sits flat on all four feet. Rock it corner to corner; a foot off the floor is turned down until it stops rocking, then the lock nut is tightened.
The fix

Rebalance the load and run Spin. If a level washer with a normal load still throws UC on every cycle, the suspension rods (top-load) or the shock absorbers (front-load) are worn — a part.

Sud#11

Also printed as SUdS · 5d · SUd · 5UD

Fix at home
Code

Too many suds

What it means

The washer paused to let the foam settle. Too much detergent, or detergent that is not HE.

Check first
  1. The detergent is HE (the hE logo on the bottle) and the dose is the cap's lowest line — about two tablespoons for a normal load.
  2. The drawer is not caked in old softener.
The fix

Let it finish; the washer adds rinses by itself. Next load: HE detergent, half the dose. A Rinse + Spin with nothing in it clears the leftover foam.

Hot#12
Fix at home
Code

Door held closed — water too hot

What it means

Not a fault. The washer keeps the door locked while the water inside is above about 120°F.

Check first
  1. Wait. The door unlocks once the water has cooled or been drained.
The fix

To open sooner, run a Spin cycle so the hot water drains.

CL#13
Fix at home
Code

Child lock is on

What it means

Not a fault. The panel is locked so a child cannot change the cycle; the display reads CL or shows the lock icon.

Check first
  1. Press and hold the two buttons marked with the Child Lock symbol for three seconds (on most models, Temp. and Rinse; the panel prints which).
The fix

The lock turns off and the panel answers again.

Section 3 of 3

Heat, power and the motor

HC#14

Also printed as HE · HE1 · HE2 · HC1 · H1 · Hr

Service call
Code

Heater fault

What it means

The water heater in the tub is not heating, or the control measured a temperature it does not believe (over 160°F).

Check first
  1. Reset the washer (unplug one minute) and run a Rinse + Spin on cold.
  2. If the code shows only on warm or hot cycles and cold cycles run clean, the heater or its sensor is the fault.
The fix

A heater that does not heat, or a sensor that reads hot on a cold fill, is a part — a technician replaces it inside the tub. Cold cycles still run meanwhile.

Stop & call

HC that comes back after a reset is a service call. The washer runs cold cycles safely until the part is replaced.

tC#15

Also printed as tE · tE1 · tE2 · tE3 · tC1 · tC2 · tC3 · tC4

Service call
Code

Temperature sensor

What it means

The water temperature sensor is reading open or shorted. The number after it names which sensor on a model with more than one.

Check first
  1. Reset the washer (unplug one minute) and run a cold Rinse + Spin.
The fix

A temperature code that returns is a sensor or its wiring — a part, replaced inside the tub. Service call.

Stop & call

A tC code after a reset is a service call; the washer may still run cold cycles while you wait.

3C#16

Also printed as 3E · 3E1 · 3E2 · 3E3 · 3E4 · 3C1 · 3C2 · 3C3 · 3C4 · EA · EA1

Check, then call
Code

Motor fault

What it means

The motor did not turn when the control drove it, or its speed sensor reported nothing. On a top-load a load so heavy the drum could not move prints the same code.

Check first
  1. Take half the load out and try again — a stalled drum on a packed top-load is the usual cause.
  2. A new front-load: the shipping bolts are out of the back.
  3. Reset (unplug one minute) and run an empty Spin. If the drum turns freely by hand but the motor never runs, it is the motor or its board.
The fix

A 3C that shows with a normal load after a reset is the motor, its hall sensor or the drive board — a service call, not a home repair.

Stop & call

A drum that turns by hand but never under power is a motor or control fault. File it with the code, the model and the serial.

8C#17

Also printed as 8E · 8E1 · 8C1 · 8C2

Service call
Code

Vibration sensor

What it means

The sensor that reads the drum's shake is not answering, or it reported a shake the control does not believe.

Check first
  1. The washer is level and the shipping bolts are out.
  2. Reset (unplug one minute) and run an empty Spin.
The fix

A vibration-sensor code that returns on a level, empty washer is the sensor or its connector — a service call.

Stop & call

8C after a reset is a service call. Note whether it shows on every cycle or only in spin.

9C#18

Also printed as 9E1 · 9E2 · 9C1 · 9C2 · PC · PC1

Check, then call
Code

Voltage out of range

What it means

The power coming in is too low or too high for the control to run the motor safely.

Check first
  1. The washer is plugged straight into the wall — never an extension cord or a power strip.
  2. Another appliance on the same circuit (a space heater, a window unit) is off while the washer runs.
  3. A lamp in the same outlet does not dim when the washer starts. If it does, the house wiring or the outlet is the problem, not the washer.
The fix

Fix the supply (a dedicated 120V outlet, no cord) and the code clears. A washer on a good outlet that still prints 9C has a fault on its own board — a service call.

Stop & call

9C on a washer plugged straight into a sound outlet is the control board. That is a service call, never something to keep resetting.

PF#19
Fix at home
Code

Power failure during the cycle

What it means

Not a fault. The power went out while the washer was running; the cycle stopped where it was.

Check first
  1. Press Start/Pause — most models pick the cycle back up. If not, select a Rinse + Spin to finish the load.
The fix

Nothing to fix. If PF shows with no outage, the plug is loose in the outlet or the outlet is failing.

AC#20

Also printed as AE · AC6 · AE6 · AC2 · AE2 · AE4 · AC4

Service call
Code

Boards not talking

What it means

The main control and the panel (or the motor board) lost communication with each other.

Check first
  1. Unplug the washer for five full minutes, plug it in and try a cycle.
The fix

An AC code that comes back is a board or the harness between them — a service call.

Stop & call

AC after a five-minute unplug is a service call. Both boards are inside the cabinet; nothing to check at home.

bC2#21

Also printed as bE2 · bC · bE · bE1 · bC1

Fix at home
Code

Button stuck

What it means

The panel sees a key held down for more than half a minute.

Check first
  1. Press each button once; feel for one that does not spring back.
  2. Wipe the panel — detergent or softener on a membrane panel holds a key down.
  3. Unplug for one minute.
The fix

A key that stays stuck after cleaning is the panel assembly — a part. The washer still starts from the app on a Wi-Fi model meanwhile.

Cb#22
Fix at home
Code

Calibration running

What it means

Not a fault. The washer is running its three-minute calibration after being moved or reset.

Check first
  1. Let it finish with the drum empty — the display returns to the cycle screen by itself.
The fix

If it was started by accident, press Power off and on. Run it on purpose once after any move.

Warranty · When to file

When it's a warranty call

Every unit leaves with the manufacturer's full factory warranty. The codes below name a part inside the machine — once the checks have ruled out the install, the power and the hoses, call Samsung's line with the model and serial, and text us if you want a hand with the claim.

All units are surplus inventory (open box, cancelled order, customer return, overstock, or minor scratch & dent). Every unit includes the manufacturer's full factory warranty. Please inspect thoroughly in person before purchasing — cosmetic imperfections or missing accessories are possible.

Still stuck?

Text us the model number and what it's doing — we'll point you at the next step.

A fix, a part, or a warranty call — the plate's model and serial plus one line about the symptom is all it takes to tell which.

These pages are educational. Every appliance is a little different — follow the manufacturer's manual and local code, and leave gas, water heater and 240V work to a licensed installer.