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Samsung Washer 8C or 8E Error Code: MEMS Vibration Sensor Fault

Fix soonUpdated Checked against Samsung US Support

Also shown or searched as: 8E, 8C1, 8E1, 8C2, BC, BE, BC1, BE1, 1 8C, 18C1

On a Samsung washer, 8C (also 8E, 8C1, 8E1, BC or BE) is the Mems sensor error: the vibration sensor that tracks how the tub moves is not working properly. Turn the washer off for 2 to 3 minutes, turn it back on and restart the cycle. If the code returns, Samsung says to request service.

What to try first

  1. 1

    Confirm which code you have

    Read the display again and compare it with the code table in your user manual. 8C, 8E, BC and BE are this error. bE and 6E are a different one, the motor speed sensor. 8E2 and BE2 can be a stuck button instead.

  2. 2

    Turn the washer off for 2 to 3 minutes

    Switch the washer off, or unplug it, and wait 2 to 3 minutes. Turn it on again and restart the cycle. If the code does not return, there is nothing more to do.

  3. 3

    For 8E2 or BE2, free every button

    Turn the washer off, then touch each button on the panel one at a time. Rock each one back and forth so all of its edges move freely before you let go, then turn the washer on and see if the code clears.

  4. 4

    Write down the details before you call

    Note the exact code, the model number, the cycle you were running and when in the cycle it stopped. A technician can use that to judge whether the sensor, the wiring or the board is the likely culprit.

Most likely causes of 8C

  1. 1. A passing fault that a power reset clears (common)

    After the washer has been off for a few minutes, the cycle runs to the end and the code does not come back.

  2. 2. A stuck control button (8E2 or BE2 on some models) (common)

    The display ends in a 2, and the manual for your model lists that code as a jammed button. A button may feel sticky or stay pressed in.

  3. 3. A failed vibration (Mems) sensor (most common)

    The code returns on cycle after cycle, with any load, even after a full power reset.

  4. 4. A loose plug or damaged wire between the sensor and the control board (less common)

    The code comes and goes from one cycle to the next. Only a technician can separate this from a failed sensor.

  5. 5. A control board fault (less common)

    The sensor and its wiring test fine, yet the board still reports the error. This is a technician's diagnosis.

When to call a pro

  • The code comes back after the washer has been off for 2 to 3 minutes and restarted. Samsung's next step is service.
  • 8E2 or BE2 returns after every button has been worked free, or a button is cracked or damaged.
  • The code arrives with loud banging or heavy shaking during the spin.
  • The code returns often enough that loads no longer finish.

What a 8C repair costs

$100–$400

HomeGuide lists no separate price for this sensor, so this is its 2026 national range for an average washer repair, parts and labor. If the control board is at fault, HomeGuide puts that repair at $350 to $550. A power reset that clears the code costs nothing.

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What the Mems sensor does

MEMS stands for micro-electro-mechanical system: a very small sensor that detects motion. Samsung's Caribbean support page calls the one in its washers basically a vibration sensor that watches for vibration and an out-of-balance condition, and Samsung's US list names 8E and BE a Vibration Sensor Error on some models. Sears PartsDirect describes Samsung's washer vibration sensor as a part that attaches to the tub and signals the control board when it senses excessive vibration or an unbalanced load.

8C does not mean the washer is shaking too much. In Samsung's manuals and support pages, it means the sensor itself is not working properly, so the washer can no longer trust what it reads about how the tub is moving.

Why Samsung gives so few steps

Samsung has no code-specific checklist for this error. On its US list it sits under All other errors, where every entry gets the same advice: power off for 2 to 3 minutes, power on, restart the cycle, and request service if it continues. The owner's manuals are shorter still. Both the WF42H5500 front-load manual, which shows the code as 8E, and the WA50M7450 top-load manual, which shows it as 8C, simply say to call customer service.

In practice, a Mems code that survives a reset is a repair job. The sensor sits inside the cabinet, and testing it needs a meter and the wiring diagram, so there is no safe homeowner step beyond the reset and the button check.

8 or B, 6 or b: reading the display

Samsung pairs the digit 8 with a capital B in this code family: 8E and BE, 8C and BC. It pairs the digit 6 with a lowercase b for a different fault, bE and 6E, the motor speed sensor error. Samsung's UK support page warns that some numbers and letters look alike on its displays, so a quick misread can send you to the wrong fix.

The ending matters too. Samsung lists 8E2 and BE2 in two places: with the Mems errors, and with the jammed button error alongside E2, bE2 and 6E2. Your user manual says which one your model means. The button check costs nothing, so do it before you book a visit.

What a technician will check

  • The vibration sensor on the tub, and whether it sends the control board a signal the board can read.
  • The plug and wire harness between the sensor and the main control board.
  • The main control board, once the sensor and wiring check out.
  • On models where 8E2 can mean a jammed button, the control panel buttons and the panel board behind them.

What fixed it for other readers

No reader fixes yet. If you cleared 8C, tell others what worked.

Reader fixes are shared by visitors and checked for safety, not tested by us.

Did you clear 8C? Tell the next person what worked.

We publish your first name or initial, the month, and your fix. Nothing else.

Questions people ask about Samsung 8C

Does 8C mean my load is unbalanced?

No. Samsung reports an unbalanced load with its own codes, such as UB, U6 and UE. 8C is about the sensor that measures movement, and Samsung does not list rearranging the laundry among the steps for it.

Can I keep using my Samsung washer with an 8C code?

If the code clears after a power reset and loads finish normally, yes; just note whether it comes back. If it keeps stopping cycles, book service rather than restarting the washer over and over.

How much does it cost to fix an 8C error?

Nothing, if a reset or the button check clears it. Otherwise HomeGuide's average washer repair range of $100 to $400 is the best guide, rising to $350 to $550 if the control board has to be replaced.

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