Samsung Washer Error Codes: dC Has Two Meanings and Samsung Says So

Samsung publishes the code dC twice, under two different faults, and admits it cannot tell you which one you have.

On Samsung's US washer page, dC appears in the Door error list with this footnote: "On some models, dC is a Door Error. On some models it is an Unbalanced Load Error. See your user manual to determine which it is for your model." The same code then appears in the Unbalanced Load Error list with the footnote reversed.

That is unusually honest for a manufacturer, and it means any site confidently telling you dC is definitely a door latch is guessing. Samsung does the same thing for 3E and BE2.

First: make sure you are reading the code correctly

Samsung flags this itself, and it explains a lot of failed searches: "Do not get confused between number and letter codes. The 5 and the S symbol can appear similar as can the 3 and E. Double check your codes if you can not find them."

So a code you read as SE may be 5E, and E3 may be 3E. On a seven segment display those characters are nearly identical. If a code returns nothing useful, try the lookalike before assuming it is rare.

Samsung also uses two names for these. Its UK page calls them information codes and asks "What is an information code?", while its US page title says "information and error codes." Same thing, different wording.

4C and 4E: the washer is not filling

Samsung's meaning: "Water is not entering the washer correctly." Its steps, in order, with two details most guides miss:

1. Check both hoses are on the correct inlets, hot to hot and cold to cold, and are not bent or kinked. Samsung warns that "If you do not connect the hot water line, you will get an error when the washer attempts to use hot water, which may happen even on cycles labeled Cold." It also says plainly: "Do not use Flood Safe hoses."
2. "Open the water valves completely and leave them open as the washer is running."
3. Check the drain hose insertion depth. Samsung's main page says it "should not be inserted less than 6 inches or more than 8 inches into the drain pipe."
4. "Unplug the washer or flip the circuit breaker for the washer for 1 minute. Then, restore power and try to run a cycle."
5. Check for dirt or debris in the water supply, which gets filtered before entering the washer.

One caution worth flagging: Samsung's own page is inconsistent about that hose depth. Its blinking lights section says only "It should not be inserted more than 6 inches into the drain pipe," with no minimum. The two figures do not agree, so check your installation manual rather than either number alone.

Samsung's UK page adds specifications the US page does not: water pressure "min: 0.5 bar, max: 8 bar," and "Water flow from the tap should release at least 4 litres / minute." It also notes that after this code appears, "All buttons will be disabled for 3 minutes," which people mistake for a dead control panel.

5C and 5E: the washer is not draining

Samsung: "Water is not draining from the washer at the correct speed (or at all)."

The UK page carries the fuller step list: use the emergency hose to drain excess water from the drum, clean the drain pump filter, check the drain hose and waste connection for kinks and blockages, and make sure the hose is straightened all the way to the drain system. It gives one installation figure: "The outlet drain hose should be installed at a height of at least 60cm."

Samsung also names a cause that is seasonal rather than mechanical: make sure the drain hose "is not frozen or clogged."

Unbalanced loads, and the code that is not a fault

Samsung draws a distinction here that is genuinely useful.

Ur is an Unbalanced Load Retry, and Samsung is explicit that nothing is wrong: the washer "is going to try to add more water, try to balance the load, and then try the spin cycle again. This will extend the length of the cycle. A Ur code does not mean that there is an issue with your washer, it's just there to tell you what's happening."

The other codes in that group, Ub, U6, UE, mean the cycle will not finish because the load is unbalanced. Samsung's UK page puts it this way: "This is not a fault. The appliance has detected an unbalanced load and has stopped the spin for safety reasons."

Its practical advice is better than the usual redistribute instruction: "Single large/heavy items such as bath mats and large towels are unlikely to spin on their own. Add 2/3 additional towels and put on another spin cycle." Also make sure the machine is on a flat, stable surface.

Door errors, and why one appears when you are not even washing

Samsung's door group covers dS, d5, FL, LO, L0, dE, dE1, dE2, dC, dC1, dL and some numbered variants. The check is to make sure "the latch is securely fixed, laundry or other items are not caught in the door, and the door is closed and secured correctly."

The note underneath is the interesting part: "This code may appear even if you are not running a cycle, if Child Lock is enabled and water is in the tub. If the door is not closed or Child Lock turned off within 30 seconds, the washing machine will drain the water from the tub."

So a washer that suddenly drains itself while idle is behaving as designed, not failing.

Seven displays that are not faults

A good share of what alarms people is Samsung telling you something routine.

• Self Clean. "This is not an error. The Self Clean LED will blink after a certain number of washes." The sparkly tub icon does the same.
• 0 on the UK display is "The drum clean reminder is left on," and Samsung says "This is not a fault."
• Ur, as above, is a status message rather than a fault.
• SUd or Sd, excessive suds. Samsung states: "This code does not indicate that service is needed."
• 4C2 or 4E2, a water temperature issue, also carries "This code does not indicate that service is needed." Samsung's UK check is whether the hose is connected to a cold supply rather than a hot one.
• HOT on the UK display: "This is not a fault. This code means the appliance is too hot."
• dn: "The washer is downloading an update."

Cb or C6 is calibration mode, which Samsung describes as recalibrating the weight detection of the washer. Worth noting that Samsung's two UK pages disagree about CE: one lists it as a water temperature issue, the other says "This is not a fault" and tells you to run the calibration cycle. Treat CE as model dependent.

How long to cut the power for

Samsung publishes three different durations, which is worth knowing before you decide a reset failed.

Where	Duration
US page, within the 4C steps	Unplug or trip the breaker for 1 minute
US page, general advice for other errors	"Power off the washer for 2-3 minutes," then power on and restart the cycle
UK pages, most codes	"Switch off the appliance at the mains then wait 1 minute"
UK page, dE2	"Disconnect the appliance from the mains, wait for 5 minutes and then try again"

If one minute did not clear your code, the longer version is still Samsung's own advice rather than a last resort.

Frequently asked questions

What does dC mean on a Samsung washer?

It depends on your model, and Samsung says so. It lists dC under both Door error and Unbalanced Load Error, with a footnote on each telling you to check your user manual to determine which applies. Check the door first, since that is the quicker thing to rule out.

What does 4C mean on a Samsung washer?

Water is not entering the washer correctly. Check both hoses are on the right inlets and not kinked, open the valves fully, check the drain hose insertion depth, then power cycle for 1 minute. Samsung specifically says not to use Flood Safe hoses.

What does 5C mean?

The washer is not draining, or not draining fast enough. Drain the drum with the emergency hose, clean the drain pump filter, and check the drain hose for kinks, blockages or ice. Samsung says the outlet hose should sit at a height of at least 60cm.

Is Ub an error on a Samsung washer?

Samsung's UK page says "This is not a fault," just an unbalanced load that stopped the spin for safety. Add two or three extra towels to a single heavy item like a bath mat, check the machine is level, and run the spin again.

Why does my Samsung washer drain by itself?

If Child Lock is on and there is water in the tub, a door code can appear while you are not even running a cycle. Samsung says that if the door is not closed or Child Lock is not turned off within 30 seconds, the washer drains the tub.

Does Samsung explain what the letters mean?

No. No Samsung page we read explains what the C, the E or the number in a code stands for. Its only guidance on reading them is the warning that 5 and S, and 3 and E, look alike on the display.

Sources: Samsung's washing machine information and error codes page, plus its UK guides to what the codes mean and washing machine information codes. Samsung notes a code "may have a different code depending on the model," so your manual is the final word.

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