Samsung Dishwasher SE (5E) Error Code: Causes & Fixes
SE, which the display often draws as 5E because a seven-segment S and a 5 use the same segments, means the Samsung dishwasher could not empty the tub in the time it allows for draining. At the end of each wash and rinse the control runs the drain pump and expects the sump to be empty before the next fill. When water is still standing there, it stops the cycle and shows the code rather than refill on top of dirty water. The code reports the result, not the cause: the hold-up can be in the filter, the sump, the pump, the hose, or the sink plumbing the hose empties into. The inexpensive items on that list turn up far more often than a failed pump, and most of them can be checked by the owner in a few minutes.
If the reset didn't clear SE / 5E
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Which Samsung models show SE / 5E
Samsung uses SE / 5E on its built-in dishwashers that have a digital display, from the plain stainless-tub models through the StormWash and Bespoke lines. Models without a numeric display signal the same drain fault with a blinking light pattern that the owner's manual lists. Samsung washers use 5E (and 5C on newer models) for their own drain fault, so a search for the code often turns up washer advice about a filter behind a panel at the bottom front. On a dishwasher that does not apply: the filter sits in the floor of the tub, under the lower spray arm.
Common causes
Filter and sump packed with debris
The cylindrical filter in the floor of the tub and the fine mesh around it catch everything the spray arms wash off. Grease binds the particles together until the mesh blinds over and the pump can no longer pull water through it fast enough. In South Florida, scale from hard water narrows the mesh further. It is the cheapest cause and the first to rule out.
Drain hose kinked or silted
The hose loops from the back of the machine to the sink drain or the disposal. Pushing the dishwasher back into its opening after cleaning can fold it, and a hose that has carried years of grease narrows from the inside where nobody can see it.
Disposal or sink drain holding the water back
Where the hose empties into a garbage disposal, food sitting in the disposal blocks the inlet. On a newly fitted disposal, the factory knockout plug in that inlet has to be removed before the dishwasher can drain at all. A slow kitchen sink backs the dishwasher up the same way.
Countertop air gap blocked
Where a countertop air gap is fitted, the small chamber under its chrome cap collects debris. When it blocks, water spits out of the air gap into the sink instead of draining, and the dishwasher times out.
Drain pump or check valve
A glass shard or a fruit stone in the impeller, a pump motor that has failed, or a one-way valve stuck shut with grease. The sign of a pump fault is a hum with no water moving, or silence at the point where the drain should start.
What you can safely try
- Switch the power off first. Turn the dishwasher off and switch off its breaker, or unplug it under the sink, before reaching into the tub. The drain pump sits just below the filter, and the sump can hide broken glass, so wear gloves.
- Bail out the water and clean the filter. Scoop the standing water out with a cup and a sponge. Twist the filter out of the tub floor, separate the coarse and fine parts, and wash them with warm water and a soft brush, scrubbing the mesh rather than just rinsing it. Check the opening under the filter for anything hard, then refit the filter until it locks.
- Check the drain under the sink. Look at where the hose joins the disposal or the drain fitting. Run the disposal with cold water for a few seconds, and if the disposal is new, confirm the knockout plug was taken out. If there is a countertop air gap, lift its cap and clear the chamber.
- Look along the hose for a fold. Under the sink, and behind the kick plate if you can remove it, look for a fold or a crush where the hose passes the cabinet wall. Do not drag the machine out of its opening for this: it is screwed to the counter and its hoses are short.
- Restore power and run a short rinse. Turn the breaker back on, run a rinse or short cycle with the dishwasher empty, and look into the sump at the end. A dry sump means the restriction is cleared; standing water again means the fault is in the pump, the valve or the hose.
When to call a professional
If the filter and sump are clean, the disposal and air gap are clear, and the tub still holds water, the problem is the drain pump, its check valve, or a blockage inside the hose that cannot be seen from outside. Reaching those means sliding the dishwasher out of its opening and working underneath, with water and power connections in the same space. Call us. Do not run cycle after cycle in the meantime: each one adds water to a tub that cannot empty, and water standing against the door seal can end up on the floor.
What the technician tests
- Pump run on its own. From the service test, the technician starts the drain pump alone and watches the sump. A pump that runs and moves no water has a jammed impeller; one that hums and stalls, or makes no sound, is checked electrically next.
- Pump winding and supply. The pump's resistance is measured, and so is the voltage at its connector during the drain step. Voltage present with a pump that will not turn condemns the pump; no voltage moves the search to the wiring and the control.
- Check valve and hose. The one-way valve at the pump outlet is opened and inspected, and the hose is disconnected at the sink and flushed, to find a restriction that is invisible from outside.
- The house side. The disposal inlet and the sink drain are confirmed to carry water away quickly, so the dishwasher is not repaired for what is really a plumbing problem.
What it costs
If you fix it yourself: $0 (cleaning the filter, clearing the disposal inlet and air gap).
With a technician: A fixed price after diagnosis, agreed before any work starts; the diagnostic fee is applied to the repair when you approve it.
Frequently asked questions
Is SE the same as 5E on Samsung dishwashers?
Yes. The display draws the letter S with the same segments as the number 5, so the same drain fault reads SE on some screens and 5E on others. Both mean the water did not leave the tub in time.
Will unplugging the dishwasher clear SE?
It clears the message, and once in a while that is all it needed. If water is still standing in the sump, the code returns at the next drain, because nothing physical has changed. Treat a reset as a way of confirming the problem rather than fixing it.
Why does SE show after a heavy load and not a light one?
A partly blocked filter or hose drains a small volume in time and fails when a heavily soiled load sends more debris into the sump. A code that comes and goes is a restriction still forming. Clean the filter now rather than waiting for it to block completely.
Can I still use my dishwasher with an SE error?
Not usefully. The cycle stops with dirty water in the tub, and restarting it adds more. Bail out the water, clean the filter and check the drain under the sink first; if the sump still will not empty, leave the machine off until it is repaired.
Related codes: Samsung dE, LG OE.