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Samsung Washer dE Error Code: Door Not Closed or Locked

Low urgencyUpdated Checked against Samsung US Support

Also shown or searched as: dE1, dE2, dS, d5, dL, LO, L0, FL, dC1, 1 dC, 1dC1, 1dC4

On a Samsung washer, dE (also dE1, dE2, dS, dL, LO or FL on some models) means the door is not detected as closed and locked. Pull any laundry out of the door opening, shut the door firmly and restart the cycle. If the latch is damaged or the code keeps coming back, Samsung says to request service.

What to try first

Safety: Do not pry a locked door open: Samsung says a front loader stays locked while water is inside. Drain the water through the emergency hose by the pump filter first, with a towel and a shallow pan ready.

  1. 1

    Clear the door opening

    Open the door and run a hand around the rim and inside the fold of the rubber seal. Pull out any clothing, and make sure nothing sits between the hook on the door and the slot it closes into.

  2. 2

    Close the door with a firm push and restart

    Shut the door until it latches, then start the cycle again. If the code shows a 1 at the end (dE1 or dC1), turn the washer off first, then back on, and restart.

  3. 3

    Look over the latch hook

    Samsung's first check is that the latch is securely fixed. If the hook moves, is bent or has a crack, stop and request service instead of forcing the door.

  4. 4

    Switch Child Lock off

    Child Lock uses two buttons held together; the panel marks them with the words Child Lock or a lock or baby icon. Hold both until the icon goes out. On models with a temporary off setting, the first hold only makes the icon flash, so hold both buttons a second time. Restarting the washer does not cancel Child Lock.

  5. 5

    FlexWash with 1dC4: check the rubber button

    Look for the small rubber button next to the latch of the upper washer. If it is missing, Samsung says replacing the button clears the error and service is not needed.

Most likely causes of dE

  1. 1. Laundry or a small item pinched in the door (most common)

    A sleeve, sock or towel corner sits across the rim of the opening or in the fold of the rubber seal, so the door cannot close flush.

  2. 2. The door was not pushed all the way shut (most common)

    The code shows up as soon as you press Start, and a firm push on the door clears it.

  3. 3. Child Lock is on while water is still in the tub (common)

    The code appears with no cycle running, water is visible in the drum, and the Child Lock icon is lit.

  4. 4. A loose, bent or cracked latch hook (common)

    The hook on the door wobbles, looks bent or chipped, or no longer lines up with the slot it is meant to catch in.

  5. 5. A worn door lock mechanism (less common)

    The door is shut with nothing in the way and the hook looks fine, yet the code returns every time, or the door also refuses to unlock after a cycle. A code ending in 1, such as dE1, points this way.

  6. 6. A missing rubber button by the upper latch (FlexWash only) (less common)

    Only FlexWash pairs show it, and only as 1dC4. Samsung says a replacement button fixes it without a service visit.

When to call a pro

  • The door, the hook or the latch is cracked, bent or broken. Samsung says damage to the door or latch needs service.
  • The code keeps returning with the door shut firmly and nothing caught in it.
  • The door stays locked after the cycle, even after the emergency drain hose has run dry and the washer has been turned off and on.
  • The door will not lock at all, so no cycle can start.

What a dE repair costs

$100–$300

HomeGuide's 2026 national range for replacing a washer door lock or lid switch, parts and labor; the latch part alone runs $20 to $130. Freeing a caught sleeve or turning off Child Lock costs nothing, and HomeGuide puts minimum service fees at $70 to $130.

Source

Many labels, one door fault

Samsung's US code list files dS, d5, FL, LO, L0, dE, dE1, dE2, dC1, dL, 1 dC, 1dC1 and 1dC4 under a single door error: the washer cannot confirm that the door is both closed and locked. Which label you see depends on the model and its display. The checks are the same for every one of them.

The ending can still tell you something. In Samsung's owner's manual for the WF42H5500 front loaders, dE means the door was open while the washer was running, and dE1 means the washer could not lock the door, or could not release it. Samsung's Caribbean support page draws the same line for dC1 and dE1. A plain dE is the one most likely to clear with a firm push; a 1 on the end points more toward the lock itself.

Where dC fits

Samsung lists dC twice: as a door error on some models and as an unbalanced load error on others, and says the user manual decides. The manual for the WA50M7450 and WA45M7050 top loaders, for example, uses dC and dC1 to mean the washer did not properly lock the door. If your manual reads the same way, the steps on this page apply. If it groups dC with Ub, see our UB page instead.

A door code while the washer sits idle

Seeing a door error with no cycle running catches people out. Samsung explains that it can show up when Child Lock is on and water is still in the tub. The washer then gives you 30 seconds to shut the door or turn Child Lock off before it drains the tub by itself.

Top loaders behave a little differently. Samsung notes that on some of them Child Lock does not lock the lid at all; instead, opening the lid with an unsafe amount of water inside makes the washer drain down to a safe level while Child Lock is on.

The small Add Door has its own code

Washers with a small Add Door set into the main door report that door separately. Samsung lists ddC and dC3 as the Add Door error, meaning the small door is not detected as closed and locked. The same kind of checks apply, but to the small door. Samsung's Caribbean page adds that ddC also appears when the Add Door is opened without first pressing Start/Pause.

When the door will not open instead

A door that stays shut after the wash comes from the same lock. Samsung says a front loader keeps its door locked while it senses water inside, and the door lock light goes out only after the washer drains. If you pause a cycle after water has come in, the door stays shut for one minute. A top loader that lost power mid-cycle can take up to five minutes to unlock.

If water is trapped, Samsung's route is to drain it through the emergency hose next to the pump filter, then turn the washer off and on again. The door should release at that point; if it does not, request service.

What a technician will check

  • The door lock assembly: whether its switch reports the door as shut and whether the lock moves when the washer asks it to.
  • The door hook, the hinges and how the door lines up with the opening, since a sagging door can miss the lock.
  • The wiring between the door lock and the control board.
  • Whether the control board sends power to the lock at the start of a cycle.

What fixed it for other readers

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

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

Did you clear dE? 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 dE

What does LO mean on a Samsung washer?

Samsung lists LO, and L0 with a zero, among its door errors next to dS and FL. It has nothing to do with low water: the washer cannot confirm the door is closed and locked, so start with the door and latch.

Can I tape or wedge the latch to finish the load?

No. Samsung explains that the door locks to keep water in, above all on front loaders. Holding the latch down by hand or with tape defeats that, and a broken hook still needs a new part afterwards.

How much does it cost to fix a dE error?

Nothing, if clearing the door or turning off Child Lock solves it. If the lock has failed, HomeGuide puts a door lock replacement at $100 to $300 including labor.

Sources