Samsung Dishwasher HC — What It Means & How to Fix It
Also shown as HE, 1E on some models.
The water inside exceeded the temperature any cycle should reach, which means the heater or its controls are misbehaving — a mains-voltage problem with no safe DIY path.
What this code means
HC is a high-temperature heater error: the unit measured water around or above 80°C (176°F), far beyond normal wash temperatures. Either the heating element is being driven when it shouldn't be — a stuck relay — or the temperature sensing that's supposed to stop it has drifted. Both live on mains wiring under the tub.
A single HC after a power event is worth one breaker reset to rule out a glitch. A second appearance is a hardware verdict — stop running the unit at that point.
Most likely causes
| Cause | How likely | DIY-fixable? |
|---|---|---|
| Heater relay stuck on, driving the element continuously | Common | No — technician job |
| Thermistor under-reading, letting the heater overrun | Common | No — technician job |
| Control board fault | Occasional | No — technician job |
| One-off sensor glitch | Occasional | Yes — one breaker reset |
What you can try yourself
- Cut power at the breaker for two minutes and run a short cycle. One clean run after a reset means a transient misread is possible — watch the next few cycles.
- If HC returns, stop using the dishwasher entirely. Overheating water warps racks and items, and the underlying fault is electrical.
- Book a technician and mention whether dishes or the door have been coming out unusually hot recently — overheating often builds for weeks before the code trips.
- Don't run the unit empty to test it repeatedly; each overheat cycle stresses the tub components further.
When to call a technician
- HC appears a second time after a reset — no user-serviceable checks remain.
- Steam from the door vent, a hot door front, or melted-looking items on the lower rack.
- A burning smell or tripped breaker when the unit runs: leave it off and unplugged.
Typical professional repair cost: Heater or relay repairs typically run $150–$300 with labor; a control board replacement $200–$400.
Frequently asked questions
How hot is a dishwasher supposed to get?
Normal wash water runs roughly 50–65°C (120–150°F), with sanitize cycles peaking around 70°C (160°F). The HC threshold sits well above all of that — it only trips when something is genuinely wrong, not on a hot cycle working correctly.
Is it dangerous to keep using the dishwasher with an HC code?
It's one of the few codes where the honest answer is simply don't. A heater being driven uncontrolled inside a plastic-lined box on mains power is a fire-adjacent fault, and the unit can't protect itself if its own temperature sensing is the broken part.
Could my home's hot water supply cause HC?
Almost never — household supply tops out around 60°C (140°F), below the trip point. The error is about the internal heater, which is why fixing your water heater settings won't make it go away.
Related Samsung codes
- Samsung Dishwasher LC Moisture reached the leak sensor in the dishwasher's drip pan — sometimes a real leak, but false alarms from a recent move, a spill, or even high humidity are well known.
- Samsung Dishwasher 4C The dishwasher isn't receiving enough water — start with the shut-off valve under the sink and the supply line before suspecting any failed part.
- Samsung Dishwasher 5C The dishwasher couldn't pump its water out — the filter and sump catch most of the blame, with the drain hose and a never-removed disposal knockout plug close behind.
- Samsung Dishwasher OC The dishwasher measured more water inside than any cycle should use — oversudsing fakes it, a stuck inlet valve causes it for real, and a sensor fault lies about it.
More: all Samsung dishwasher codes · all Samsung codes · search by symptom