Samsung dishwasher not draining
Separate drain-code families, visible obstructions and household drain issues before service.
Read and record the exact display before starting: 5C/SC/5E/SE are drain alerts, OC/0C/OE are over-level alerts, and LC/LE is a moisture or leak alert that needs the leak-specific path, not a routine drain retest. Stop for active leaking or electrical signs. If the dishwasher, sink or disposer was recently installed or serviced, note what changed and whether the connected sink backs up; an unknown disposer knockout, hidden hose route or connection needs installer or plumber assessment. Use the complete model's matching instructions before removing a filter. Leave hidden drain connections and disposer knockout work to an installer or plumber; model recognition alone does not verify a procedure.
LC/LE safety before inspection: Switch off power at a safely accessible circuit breaker before inspecting the dishwasher, even if no leak is visible. If water is leaking, shut off its water supply if safely accessible. Stop if those controls cannot be reached safely; do not open panels or handle wet electrical parts.
LC/LE or visible leaking? Read Samsung’s official guidance →
What this guide covers
Error codes: 5C, 5E, OC, OE, SC, SE, 0C · Symptoms: Dishwasher has standing water / will not drain
This guide follows a structured decision tree built from manufacturer troubleshooting information. It does not assume that the most commonly replaced part is the failed part, and it does not show an exact-fit replacement part unless model compatibility has been independently verified.
Continue this exact diagnostic
How to check without guessing
General manufacturer guidance. Exact-model controls and procedures have not been verified for this guide.
Model recognition does not verify a matching filter layout, drain connection or control sequence. Use instructions for the complete model. Stop for spreading water, burning or electrical signs, hot water, sharp debris or unsafe access. Do not run live-panel tests, reach into a pump area, move the dishwasher, disconnect a water-filled hose, dismantle disposer plumbing, use chemical drain cleaner or bypass leak protection. DW80B7070US without the /AA revision is family-only identity and does not verify a procedure.
Check the connected household drain first
First separate household plumbing from a dishwasher-only symptom. When safe, Samsung permits running the connected sink water for about 30 seconds; stop before overflow. An interrupted or incomplete cycle can leave water, while excess water after drainage is different. A small residual amount is normal only if matching Samsung guidance says so. Record any displayed code before clearing it.
Household drainage needs qualified attention
A connected sink that backs up or does not drain normally needs plumbing or installer attention before another dishwasher drain attempt. Share the observed backup and recent sink, disposer or dishwasher installation work. This observation does not prove the dishwasher is fault-free.
Check the filter and drain area
Answer Yes only for actual visible accessible debris or a dirty removable filter that matching Samsung instructions identify as owner-removable. A different layout, no documented removable part or unsafe access is Not sure. Keep out of hidden sump and pump areas.
Check the drain hose and sink connection
Ask whether the dishwasher, sink, disposer or air gap was recently installed or serviced, and record what changed. Compare only exposed, safely reachable hose and applicable visible sink, disposer or air-gap connections with instructions for the complete model. Yes requires an actual identified kink, blockage or installation problem. No means every applicable accessible check was observed with no issue; no recent work alone does not clear the path. A known installation with no disposer or air gap may still be No when its applicable routing was verified; absence alone proves neither a fault nor a clear hidden path. Recent work with unknown disposer knockout, hose routing or connection, a partly hidden hose or unfamiliar routing is Not sure; use an installer or plumber rather than disconnecting plumbing or moving the dishwasher.
Clean the accessible filter and drain area
Isolate power at a safely accessible breaker; the control button alone is not isolation. Let hot water cool. Remove only parts documented as owner-removable for the matching layout, clean visible accessible debris and reinstall every part correctly before restoring power and making one drain observation.
Correct the hose or sink-side restriction
Isolate power at a safely accessible breaker before touching the hose or air gap; the control button alone is not isolation. Correct only an already accessible hose bend or use a matching air-gap owner routine. Do not disconnect a water-filled hose, reach into a disposer, remove a knockout, move the dishwasher or dismantle plumbing. Installer/plumber help is appropriate when routing or connection work is required.
Consider a frozen household drain line
Freezing must be credible from actual conditions or a known frozen household line. Answer No only when freezing is not credible and the relevant household path is known. An inaccessible line or uncertain conditions are Not sure.
Household drainage needs qualified attention
Stop dishwasher drain attempts and arrange a plumber or other qualified safe assessment of the household line. Do not use a torch, heat gun or electrical heater near water, disconnect piping or apply a universal thawing routine. This result does not identify a dishwasher part failure.
The dishwasher still has the drainage problem — prepare a service brief
Record the water level, cycle state, exact code, sink behavior, filter applicability, exposed hose/install observations, freezing assessment, unsuccessful corrections and unavailable checks. 5C/SC/5E/SE are drain observations; OC/0C/OE are over-level observations; LC/LE moisture or leak states require their safety path. None proves a blocked or failed pump.
Safe troubleshooting sequence
Start with the observations and external checks that can be verified without opening energized assemblies. The interactive version asks these in order and changes the path based on your answers.
- Check the connected household drain firstA sink backup can prevent dishwasher drainage and belongs with household plumbing before appliance diagnosis. Choose Not sure when the installation, filter design, hose condition, household drain behavior or safe access cannot be verified. An unknown or inaccessible check is not a No answer and must not be recorded as completed.
- Check the filter and drain areaFood debris in the filter or sump can restrict drainage. Choose Not sure when the installation, filter design, hose condition, household drain behavior or safe access cannot be verified. An unknown or inaccessible check is not a No answer and must not be recorded as completed.
- Check the drain hose and sink connectionA kinked hose, blocked air gap/sink connection, or an intact disposer knockout can stop drainage. Choose Not sure when the installation, filter design, hose condition, household drain behavior or safe access cannot be verified. An unknown or inaccessible check is not a No answer and must not be recorded as completed.
- Consider a frozen household drain lineSamsung lists a frozen drain path as a possible external cause in freezing conditions. Choose Not sure when the installation, filter design, hose condition, household drain behavior or safe access cannot be verified. An unknown or inaccessible check is not a No answer and must not be recorded as completed.
What the answers can lead to
Household drainage needs qualified attention
The household observation needs plumbing or installer assessment before repeated dishwasher operation. It does not establish that the appliance is fault-free.
Evidence strength: Strong
Clean the accessible filter and drain area
Removing accessible debris can restore drainage.
Evidence strength: Strong
Correct the hose or sink-side restriction
The dishwasher needs an open, correctly routed drain path.
Evidence strength: Strong
Household drainage needs qualified attention
The household observation needs plumbing or installer assessment before repeated dishwasher operation. It does not establish that the appliance is fault-free.
Evidence strength: Moderate
The dishwasher still has the drainage problem — prepare a service brief
This path has reached its owner-check stopping point. Share only observations actually made, failed corrections and unavailable checks; no failed component has been established.
Evidence strength: Strong
When professional diagnosis is the safer next step
The household observation needs plumbing or installer assessment before repeated dishwasher operation. It does not establish that the appliance is fault-free. The household observation needs plumbing or installer assessment before repeated dishwasher operation. It does not establish that the appliance is fault-free.
Appliance Verdict stops before energized electrical testing, gas-system work, sealed-system work, and other checks that can create unnecessary risk. A technician can use the model, issue, and completed checks from the interactive diagnostic as a starting point.
Repair or replace?
A diagnosis and a repair decision are different questions. Once you have a real repair quote, compare the total repair cost with the all-in price of a comparable replacement. Warranty or protection-plan coverage, appliance age, reliability history, efficiency, and likely future repairs can all matter. Appliance Verdict's interactive result includes a transparent cost comparison rather than a black-box replacement recommendation.
Manufacturer sources
Samsung Support · Samsung Support
Dataset reviewed through 2026-09-11. Appliance Verdict is independent and is not endorsed by the manufacturers cited. Always follow the exact owner or service documentation for your model.
Browse reviewed dishwasher error codes →
Compare this symptom across supported brands →
Browse all Samsung troubleshooting guides →