What 5C / 5E / SC / SE Means
5C, SC, 5E and SE are the drain error on Samsung’s US dishwasher article: water is not leaving the tub. Samsung’s drain guide names the checks: a clear garbage disposal with its knockout cap removed on a new installation, a drain hose with a high loop or an air gap and no kinks, a clean filter and drain area, and a sink that itself drains. On a Samsung washer 5C is also a drain code, for a different pump on a different machine.
Common Causes of 5C / 5E / SC / SE
- Filter or sump blocked with food debris
- Disposal knockout plug never removed
- Drain hose kinked, crushed or without a high loop
- Drain pump or check valve failed
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
Samsung warns that the drain area can hold sharp debris, so gloves and care. With the dishwasher switched off at the breaker and the water inside cooled, remove the lower rack, twist out the filter, and clear the sump beneath of food, glass and labels before refitting the filter fully, because Samsung notes a badly refitted filter causes drain problems of its own. Under the sink, check that the drain hose loops high or goes through an air gap, is not kinked, and that the dishwasher is not sitting on it; if the hose enters a disposal fitted recently, confirm the knockout plug was removed. Run the sink for thirty seconds; if the sink drains slowly, the problem is house plumbing. A dishwasher that still holds water after all that has a pump or check-valve problem for a technician.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- The drain pump is under the tub; replacing it means the dishwasher out of the cabinet and on its back with hoses still holding water.
Opening a panel to inspect or repair something yourself doesn't automatically cancel your manufacturer's warranty — but it can risk accidental damage, and some manufacturers do have specific service conditions. Check your product's warranty terms, or ask us, before deciding.