Samsung Appliance Error Codes: What Supers Should Know
Samsung washer, dryer and refrigerator codes grouped the way Samsung groups them, with the checks Samsung allows and the codes that need a technician.
Samsung washers and dryers group their codes by problem: 4C or nF means no water coming in, 5C or nd means no drain, dC or dE means the door, and UE or Ub means an unbalanced load. Those four groups are usually fixable on site. Samsung refrigerators are different: Samsung says not to unplug the fridge or press panel buttons to clear a code unless its steps tell you to, because that can make diagnosis harder.
The tables below come from Samsung's US support pages. Samsung shows the same fault in several forms depending on the model (for example 4C, 4E or nF), so each row lists the variants it gives. On stacked or two-tub units a code may carry a leading 1, like 1 4C.
Samsung washer codes
These cover Samsung washers with a digital display. Samsung's page doesn't split them by front-load and top-load, and notes that a few codes (3E, dC) mean different things on different models, so check the manual if a code looks off.
| Code | What it means | What the tenant or super can safely check | Send a work order? |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4C, 4E, nF | Not filling | Valves fully open; hot to hot, cold to cold; hoses not kinked; clean the inlet filters; power off one minute | If it persists |
| 4C2, 4E2, nF1 | Cold supply is very hot, usually hoses swapped | Reconnect each hose to its matching inlet | No |
| 5C, 5E, nd | Not draining | Drain hose not kinked or clogged; on front-loaders, clean the pump (debris) filter | If those are clear |
| OC, OE | Too much water in the washer (overflow) | Same drain checks as above | If it persists |
| dC, dE, dS, dL | Door not detected as closed and locked | Latch secure, nothing caught in the door, door fully closed | If it persists or the latch is damaged |
| UE, Ub, Ur | Unbalanced load (Ur means it's retrying) | Spread the laundry out, close the door, restart | If it happens on normal loads |
| LC, LE, 1C, 1E | Water level sensor or leak | Look for a leak; run an empty cycle with no detergent to check for suds | If there's a leak, or it returns without suds |
| SUd, Sd | Too many suds; the washer pauses and continues | Use less detergent (HE only) | No |
| 9C1, 9C2, PF | Irregular power; PF means power was lost mid-cycle | Washer on its own circuit, no extension cord | If it persists |
| E2, bE2 | A panel button is stuck | Power off, press each button, moving it to its edges | If it returns or a button is damaged |
| 3C, 3E | Motor error (3E can also be voltage) | Power off 2 to 3 minutes, restart | If it returns |
| HC, HE, HE1 | Heater error | Power off 2 to 3 minutes, restart | If it returns |
| CL | Child Lock | Turn Child Lock off | No |
| dn | Software update in progress | Leave the power on | If it shows for over 30 minutes |
Samsung dryer codes
| Code | What it means | What the tenant or super can safely check | Send a work order? |
|---|---|---|---|
| tS, tC, tO, tE (and variants) | Temperature or sensor issue, most often heat trapped by a clogged lint screen or vent | Clean the lint screen and the vent | If it continues |
| HC, hE | Overheating, or on electric models the heater not getting hot enough (often low voltage) | Clean the lint screen and vent; for electric dryers, the supply voltage needs an electrician | If it continues |
| Clg, C80, C90 (vent test results) | Vent clogged; C80 about 80%, C90 over 90% | Clean the lint filter and the exhaust vent | If the vent run needs cleaning |
| dC, dE, dF, do | Door, latch or door sensor | Latch secure, nothing caught, door closed | If it remains or the latch is damaged |
| 9C1, 9E, 2E | Abnormal voltage | Dryer on its own circuit, no extension cord, cord fully plugged in | If it persists |
| AC, AE, Et, E3 | Internal communication error | Turn the dryer off 60 seconds, back on | If it remains |
| bE, 6E | A button is stuck | Power off and press each button | If it returns |
| HC2 | Gas ignition error | Power off 2 to 3 minutes, restart; don't touch the gas line | If it doesn't clear |
| 3C | Motor error | Power off 2 to 3 minutes, restart | If it returns |
| Ct | Dryer is below freezing or above 104°F | Let it sit at room temperature an hour | If it continues |
A symbol that looks like an upside-down F is a t, so treat it as a temperature code.
Samsung refrigerator codes
| Code | What it means | What the tenant or super can safely check | Send a work order? |
|---|---|---|---|
| OF OF, O FF, OFF OFF, scrolling bars | Cooling Off (demo or shop) mode; cooling is disabled | Hold the top two left-side buttons 5 to 8 seconds until it chimes (see the manual) | No |
| 21E | Freezer fan error, often frozen from a door left open or a bad gasket seal | Doors closing fully, gaskets sealing, not overpacked | If it persists |
| 22E, 22C | Fridge fan error, often from a door left open too long | Unplug, leave the doors open a few hours, plug back in | If it returns |
| 83E, 85E, 86E, 88 88 | Compressor current or voltage problem, or a power disruption during startup | Unplug or breaker off 60 seconds, then restore | If it returns |
| PC ER, PC CH | Components not communicating (power surge, or door harness) | Power off and back on; leave the harness above the door to the technician | If it returns |
| 5E | Fridge defrost sensor error | Nothing | Yes |
| 33E | Ice pipe heater error | Nothing | Yes |
| 39E, 39C | Ice maker function error | Nothing | Yes |
| 84C | Compressor lock | Nothing | Yes |
| 76C or blinking Autofill | Water detected in the Autofill compartment | Check for a leak | If water is leaking |
| Ice Off blinking | Ice bucket missing or not seated | Reinsert the bucket | No |
All icons flashing right after plug-in or an outage is normal: the fridge is running a self-check.
What a super can try first
All of these are Samsung's own steps.
- Power reset for laundry. For most washer and dryer codes not covered above, power off 2 to 3 minutes and restart the cycle.
- Don't reset the fridge on reflex. Samsung says not to unplug a refrigerator or touch the panel to clear a code unless the steps for that code tell you to. Write the code down and check the table first.
- Water supply. For 4C or nF, open both valves fully, match hot to hot and cold to cold, and clean the inlet filters. Samsung also says not to use flood-safe hoses on these washers.
- Pump filter. For 5C or nd on a front-loader, clean the pump (debris) filter. Only front-load models have one, and the manual shows where. Expect water.
- Lint and vent. For tS, HC or a Clg vent result, clean the lint screen and the exhaust vent.
- Circuit. For 9C1 or PF, make sure the machine isn't on an extension cord or sharing a circuit.
When to send a work order
Send one right away for:
- 5E, 33E, 39E or 84C on a refrigerator. Samsung lists no user fix for these.
- HC2 on a gas dryer. Don't let anyone work on the gas connection.
- LC or LE with water on the floor.
- A door or latch that's visibly damaged.
Send one after a single round of the steps above for:
- 4C or nF with valves open and clean filters.
- 5C or nd after the pump filter and hose are checked.
- 22E or 21E that returns after the thaw-out.
- 83E, 85E, 86E or PC ER that come back after a 60-second power-off.
- tS or HC that return after the lint screen and vent are cleaned.
Include the exact code, the model and serial number, and what was already tried.
Next step
If a Samsung code is still showing after these checks, request service for the unit. Our pages on refrigerator repair and washer and dryer repair cover what we work on.
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