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Samsung Dishwasher LC Error Code: Meaning, Causes & Fix

Samsung Dishwasher display showing LC — FixCode Guide error code graphic

Leak error — the dishwasher's leak sensor (in the base tray) has detected water.

Samsung dishwashers carry a leak sensor in the base. When water reaches it — from a leaking hose, a split sump seal, an overfill, or even foam overflowing the tub — the machine stops, drains, and shows LC (rendered LE on some displays). The sensor is very sensitive and also trips when the machine is tilted during installation or when excess suds push water over the tub lip. LC is a 'find the water' code: the sensor almost never fails itself.

Applies to: Samsung dishwashers with base leak detection (most current built-ins).

Safety first. Before you start: unplug the appliance (or switch off its breaker) before opening any panel, and close the water taps before disconnecting hoses. Trip the breaker before pulling the dishwasher out or removing the bottom cover, and shut off the water valve under the sink. If the machine has leaked, assume the floor and the supply line area are wet.

What causes the LC code on a Samsung dishwasher?

A genuine small leak

Inlet hose washer, sump seal, spray-arm crack hitting the door, or a perished tub gasket — drips collect in the base until the sensor trips.

Oversudsing from wrong detergent

Rinse-aid spills or hand-wash liquid residue foam up and push water over the tub lip into the base.

Machine not level / recently moved

A tilted machine can spill tub water into the base during fill.

Residual water in the base from an earlier event

The base tray holds water; if it was never dried, LC returns at the next cycle even though the leak is fixed.

Clogged spray-arm nozzles jetting water at the door

Samsung's LC guide lists clogged nozzles among the causes owners miss: food debris blocking spray-arm jets changes where the water goes, and a jet redirected at the door seal can push water past the gasket on every rotation until enough collects below to trip the leak sensor. The dishwasher washes noticeably worse at the same time - uneven cleaning plus LC is the signature of this cause rather than a plumbing leak.

Cabinet screws over-tightened, distorting the frame

Samsung's LC troubleshooting includes a cause specific to built-ins: mounting screws cranked too tight can stretch or distort the dishwasher's frame and open gaps at the seals. LC that begins straight after installation, a kitchen refit, or the machine being removed and refitted should be suspected of this first - the leak is real, but it was created by the fitting, not by a failed part.

Detergent residue moisture reaching the sensor

Samsung notes that excess detergent residue can itself trigger the sensor: an overfilled dispenser, detergent spilled during loading, or residue built up around the dispenser area holds moisture where the sensor can detect it, without any true leak path existing. This fits LC codes that appear intermittently, often after cycles where extra detergent was added for a heavily soiled load.

Checks to run before you replace anything

Cancel and drain the cycle; open the door and check for foam (suds cause) vs. clear water.
Pull the dishwasher out (power off, water off) and tilt it back slightly — water running out of the base confirms water is collected there.
Dry the base completely (towels/sponge) — this is required for the code to clear even after the cause is fixed.
Run a short cycle pulled out if safe, watching hose connections and the sump area with a flashlight.
Examine the door seal the Samsung way: inspect the rubber gasket all the way round for misalignment, trapped food debris, or damage, and clean it with a damp cloth and mild soap if it is dirty - a seal held off its seat by debris leaks a little on every cycle.
Take the spray arms off and clear every nozzle hole of food particles, then spin each arm by hand to confirm it turns freely; blocked jets are Samsung's listed route to water being thrown at the door seal.
Check the cabinet fixing screws: if the dishwasher was recently installed or refitted, confirm the mounting screws are snug rather than cranked tight enough to pull the frame out of shape, and ease off any that are distorting it.
Cover Samsung's two background checks in the same visit: the water supply valve fully open and working, and the drain hose and filter clear - a drain path clog can back water up and contribute to the moisture the sensor is reporting.

How to fix samsung dishwasher error code lc?

Fix the leak source: reseat/replace hose washers, replace a cracked spray arm, renew the sump or door gasket as found.
If suds caused it: remove all traces of the wrong detergent, run an empty hot cycle; use only dishwasher detergent and correct rinse-aid dose.
Level the machine front-to-back and side-to-side.
Dry the base fully and confirm the float/sensor area is clean (grease film on sensor electrodes can hold a false trip).
Clean and reseat the door gasket, clearing any debris from its channel; if the rubber is nicked, perished, or permanently flattened where the water tracks past, replace the gasket rather than drying the base again.
Clear all spray-arm nozzles, refit the arms, and run a short cycle while watching the door corners and bottom edge - the spray pattern should stay inside the tub, with no jet visibly striking the seal area.
Correct the detergent side: dose for the load instead of overfilling the dispenser, clean residue from around the dispenser, then wipe the sensor area under the machine and let it dry completely before retesting, as Samsung's steps require.

The part that usually fails: The leak source (hose washer / gasket / spray arm)

There is rarely a 'part failure' behind LC other than the leaking component itself. The leak sensor is the messenger.

How to reset samsung dishwasher lc error code?

Once the base is dry and the cause fixed, restore power and run a cycle — LC clears when the sensor reads dry. Owners often report LC persisting simply because the base still holds water.

Samsung dishwashers clear most codes when you cancel the cycle (hold Start/Cancel for about 3 seconds so the machine drains), then cut power at the breaker for 5 minutes. Restore power and run a short cycle. Leak-related codes (LC) will return immediately if water is still sitting in the base pan — the reset cannot clear water that is physically still there.

Why does the LC code keep coming back?

LC that returns every few cycles means a slow drip you haven't caught — run the machine pulled out for one full cycle and watch. LC returning immediately after drying, with no water present, suggests a contaminated or damaged sensor — clean its electrodes first.

Can you still use the dishwasher with LC showing? No — LC stops the machine by design. Turn the water supply off if you suspect an active leak until it's found.

How to stop LC coming back

A genuine small leak: Inlet hose washer, sump seal, spray-arm crack hitting the door, or a perished tub gasket — drips collect in the base until the sensor trips.
Oversudsing from wrong detergent: Rinse-aid spills or hand-wash liquid residue foam up and push water over the tub lip into the base.
Machine not level / recently moved: A tilted machine can spill tub water into the base during fill.

When to call a pro. If water is entering the base from inside the tub/sump and you can't isolate it on a pulled-out test run, a technician's leak hunt (with the machine live and panels off) is the efficient route.

Retrieving stored fault codes on Samsung dishwashers

Samsung dishwashers have a service/test mode on many models (entered with a button combination such as holding Normal + Power or a Delicate/Heavy pairing, model-dependent) that runs each component — fill, wash motor, drain, heater, dispenser — and displays stored codes. The combination for your model is in the service manual; the user manual does not document it.

Other Samsung dishwasher error codes

Code	Meaning	First fix
1C	Low-water level check (fold 'C1' is this code transposed)	Check the filter is not clogged, use dishwasher detergent, load dishes evenly, and turn the dishwasher off and on again
1E	Clogged filter error on WaterWall models; low water level error in DW80 manuals (fold 'E1' is this code transposed)	Clean the fine filter at the bottom of the dishwasher and remove excessive soils from the tub, then run a cycle with detergent
3C	Wash motor (circulation pump) error — the main wash pump is not running correctly.	Clear debris from the sump/pump inlet area.
3E	High temperature water supply error on Samsung support pages; communication error (3E1 to 3E5, grouped with AE and bE3) in DW80 WaterWall manuals	Verify the hot water supply is not set above 176°F (80°C); if the temperature is correct and the code returns, request Samsung service
4C	Water supply error — the dishwasher is not filling (or filling too slowly).	Restore full supply: tap open, hose unkinked, screen cleaned.
4E	Water supply error (older display of the 4C water supply check)	Check the water supply valve is open and the inlet valve and line are not frozen or clogged; if it continues, close the supply valve and contact a Samsung service center
4E5	Water supply error variant; the dishwasher attempts to fill, then stops early with a dry tub (also shown as 4C5)	Make sure the water supply exists with proper pressure, the tap is open, and the hose is not kinked
5C	Drain error — the dishwasher did not drain in the allowed time.	Clean filter and air gap; clear hose/sink path.
5E	Drain error (older display of the 5C drain check; 5E1 to 5E5 in DW80 manuals)	After closing the water supply valve, check whether the drain hose is clogged or folded and whether the drain hole inside the sump is clogged
7C	Water-level / wash-system error on WaterWall models — the WaterWall reflector (vane) movement is not being confirmed.	Clear the obstruction and reseat the vane on its track.
7E	WaterWall reflector error; the water reflector is not able to move correctly	Remove anything interfering with the reflector and any tape fixing it; if it happens without interference, close the water supply valve and contact an authorized Samsung service center
9E	Low water level error; there is not enough water in the dishwasher	Empty the dishwasher, add detergent, and run a normal cycle; if the error still occurs, switch off power at the circuit breaker and request Samsung service
AC	PCB communication check; abnormal communication between the main PCB and the sub PCB	Power-cycle the dishwasher once and retry; if the problem continues, contact an authorised Samsung service centre
AE	Communication error listed with the 3E communication group in DW80 WaterWall manuals	Turn the dishwasher off and try to start it again; if the problem continues, contact an authorized Samsung service center

See the full list on the Samsung Dishwasher error codes hub.

Codes LC gets confused with

OC — Overflow error — the dishwasher has detected too much water entering / an overfill condition. OC means the water level rose beyond what the control expects.

SC — Drain check error — the dishwasher is not draining properly (display variant of the 5C drain fault family). SC on Samsung dishwashers is the drain fault in letter form: the pump ran but the water level did not fall as expected.

5C — Drain error — the dishwasher did not drain in the allowed time. 5C (older/letter displays: SC, some OE) is Samsung's dishwasher drain fault.

4C — Water supply error — the dishwasher is not filling (or filling too slowly). 4C on a Samsung dishwasher is the same supply fault the washer line uses: the control opened the inlet valve, watched the level/flow, and did not see the machine fill in time.

Frequently asked questions

Can I just dry the base and ignore LC?

Drying clears the code, but if a leak caused it, the base refills and LC returns — and the leak can reach the floor. Find the source.

Can LC show when there is no visible leak anywhere?

Yes - Samsung says so directly: LE and LC mean the moisture sensor has detected water where it should not be, and the codes can appear even if there is no visible leak, often from minor moisture build-up or misaligned components. Detergent residue, a splash from the machine being moved, or a seal sitting slightly off its channel can all be enough; the sensor reports moisture, not a flood.

Why did LC start right after the dishwasher was installed or the kitchen was refitted?

Samsung's LC checklist reads like an installer's handover list for a reason: check the levelling, the hose connections, the door seal seating, and whether cabinet screws have been over-tightened enough to distort the frame - and if the machine was recently moved, water may simply have splashed near the sensor and need wiping and drying. New-installation LC is usually one of those, not a defective new machine.

Can using too much detergent really cause an LC code?

Samsung lists excess detergent residue as a trigger in its own right: moisture held in residue around the dispenser can reach the sensor, separate from the better-known problem of the wrong detergent foaming water over the tub lip. Avoid overfilling the dispenser, keep detergent where it belongs, and if LC followed a heavily dosed load, clean the residue up and let the sensor area dry fully before judging the machine.

How to fix samsung dishwasher error code lc?

Start here: Fix the leak source: reseat/replace hose washers, replace a cracked spray arm, renew the sump or door gasket as found. If suds caused it: remove all traces of the wrong detergent, run an empty hot cycle; use only dishwasher detergent and correct rinse-aid dose.

How to reset samsung dishwasher lc error code?