Samsung Washer 4C Code (4E, nF): Causes and What to Check

Quick answer

On a Samsung washer, 4C means water is not getting in the way it should; older models show it as 4E, and Samsung’s US error-code page also lists nF and 1 4C. The usual causes are a faucet that isn’t fully open, a hot or cold supply hose that is missing or kinked, or clogged mesh filter screens where the hoses attach to the washer. Open both faucets all the way, straighten the hoses, turn the power off for 1 minute, and try again. If the code keeps coming back after you clean the screens, Samsung says to request service.

What 4C, 4E, and nF mean on a Samsung

Samsung’s US error-code page groups 4C, 1 4C, nF, and 4E as one “not filling” error: water is not entering the washer correctly. On washers without a display, a blinking Extra Large, Extra High, Large, or High light means the same thing.

Code	Where Samsung documents it	What it means
4C	Current manuals, such as the WF45T6000 front-loader and the WA45T3200 and WA44A32 top-loaders	Water is not supplied. Check the faucets, hoses, water pressure, and mesh filters.
4E	Older manuals, such as the WF42H5000 front-loader and the WA45H7000, WA45H7200, and WA48H7400 top-loaders	The washer tried to fill but couldn’t. Same checks as 4C.
nF, 1 4C	Samsung’s US error-code page	The same not-filling error
4C2, 4E2, nF1, CE, 14C2	Samsung’s US error-code and water fill pages	Hot and cold hoses are swapped. This is not a fill failure.

Codes vary by model. The Information codes table in your own user manual is the final word. Source: Samsung US support pages and the Samsung user manuals listed in the sources

The last row matters. A code like 4C2 means very hot water is coming in through the cold inlet because the hoses are swapped. Connect blue to blue and red to red; Samsung says this code never needs service. (Blinking-light models show it as Hot and Small, or Hot and Low.) Some older models may show swapped hoses as nF or 4E, so check the hookup in step 2 either way.

Give it a few minutes first. When the code appears, the washer drains for 3 minutes and the Power button doesn’t respond, according to the WA3200T and WF42H5000 manuals. The WF45T6000 manual says some models drain on their own and lock the buttons while they do.

One more code to keep apart: on a Samsung, OE and OC mean overflow (too much water). LG uses OE for a drain problem instead; see LG Washer OE Code.

1. Open both faucets all the way

Samsung’s 4C steps say to open the water valves completely and leave them open while the washer runs. A partly open faucet still looks “on.” If the house water was shut off, the WA3200T manual says to close the faucet and turn the washer off until the water is back, then open the faucets slowly.

2. Connect the hot water hose, even if you only wash in cold

If the hot water line isn’t connected, the washer shows an error when it tries to use hot water, even on cycles labeled Cold. Samsung’s water fill page explains why: some Cold settings still mix in hot water when the incoming water is below 60°F (the older WF42H5000 manual says 59°F). So a washer installed in summer with only a cold line can start stopping with an error in winter.

Samsung gives two fixes:

• Connect a hot water hose, hot faucet to the hot inlet and cold to cold.
• Run cold only, on purpose. Some models have a Tap Cold or Coldest setting that uses only cold water no matter the temperature. The manuals say to put the supplied water intake cap on the unused hot inlet and select Cold (Tap Cold on the WA45H7000 series).

3. Look for kinks, crushed hoses, and “Flood Safe” hoses

Pull the washer out to see both supply hoses. They must not be bent, kinked, or pinched shut, and damaged hoses should be replaced. The WF45T6000 manual calls for 5 inches between the back of the washer and the wall so the hoses don’t kink.

Two more hose rules:

• Don’t use Flood Safe hoses. Samsung’s US error-code and water fill pages both say this for the not-filling error. The older WF42H5000 and WA45H7000 manuals say to remove any flood safety device and connect the hoses straight to the washer.
• Don’t join hoses to make them longer. Joined hoses can leak, and the leak can cause electric shock (WA3200T manual). If a hose is too short, use one longer high-pressure hose. Samsung wants the faucets within 4 feet of the back of the washer, and its accessory inlet hoses come in lengths up to 10 feet.

4. If the laundry area gets cold, check for frozen lines

The WA3200T manual’s 4C entry says to check that the faucets aren’t frozen, and the WF45T6000 manual lists a frozen supply hose as a reason no water comes in. Neither manual wants the washer installed where water can freeze: some water always stays in the valve, pump, and hoses, and ice can damage parts.

The WF45T6000 front-load manual says the washer may freeze below 32°F. Its recovery steps:

1. Turn off the washer and unplug it.
2. Pour warm water over the faucet to loosen the hose.
3. Disconnect the hose and soak it in warm water.
4. Pour warm water into the drum and leave it for about 10 minutes.
5. Reconnect the hose to the faucet. If the washer still doesn’t work normally, repeat the steps.

5. Check the drain hose position

It sounds odd for a fill code, but Samsung’s US 4C steps include the drain hose. A hose that sits too low can let water siphon out of the washer. The WF45T6000 manual says not to use a drain below the minimum height, to prevent siphoning, and the WA45H7000 top-load manual says a drain hose installed below 39 inches can let water drain out in cycles and trigger 4E.

What Samsung asks for:

• In a standpipe: at least 6 inches in but no more than 8, not airtight, and not kinked.
• Height: 18 to 96 inches from the floor for the WF45T6000 front-loader (24 to 35 inches over a wash basin). For the WA3200T top-loader, the end of the standpipe should be 39 to 96 inches high.
• The hose holder: don’t remove the screw that holds the drain hose to the back of the washer. If it’s out, put the holder back with any screw that fits. If the holder is missing, Samsung says service is required.

For more on drain hoses and standpipes, see washer not draining.

6. Reset the washer

Unplug the washer or switch off its circuit breaker for 1 minute, then restore power and run a cycle (Samsung’s US page; the WF45T6000 manual says 2 to 3 minutes). If the code comes right back, move on to the screens.

7. Clean the inlet mesh filter screens

The screens filter debris out of the incoming water, and enough buildup blocks the flow, Samsung explains. The WF45T6000 and WA3200T manuals both name a clogged mesh filter as a cause of the 4C code.

The two manuals give similar steps:

1. Turn off the washer and unplug it.
2. Close both faucets.
3. Disconnect the hoses from the back of the washer and cover each hose end with a cloth or towel.
4. Pull out the mesh filter from each inlet with pliers. Go gently.
5. Clean the filters in water. The WA3200T manual says to submerge each one deeply, threaded part included, and its troubleshooting table suggests a toothbrush for the screen.
6. Let them dry completely in the shade, not in direct sunlight.
7. Put the filters back and reconnect the hoses, hand-tight plus two-thirds of a turn.
8. Open the faucets slowly and check every connection for leaks.

While the hoses are off, you can repeat an installation step from Samsung’s manuals: hold the hose ends in a bucket and open the faucets for 10 to 15 seconds to flush out debris. You’ll also see whether water flows through each faucet and hose. If your hoses have inlet screens at the faucet end, which the WA3200T manual mentions, check those too.

Hose washers. Each hose coupling needs a rubber washer inside, or it can leak. The manuals also say not to reuse old supply hoses when installing a washer, because old hoses can leak or burst.

How often: once or twice a year, per the WF45T6000 and WA3200T manuals, and more often if your water comes from an aging water system or a well (WF45T6000).

8. Check your home’s water pressure

Samsung’s manuals call for 20 to 116 psi. Below 20 psi, filling can take longer than the controls allow, and the washer turns itself off. (That built-in time limit keeps a loose hose from flooding the house.) Low pressure can also keep the water valve from closing all the way.

To check, EPA’s WaterSense program suggests a water pressure test gauge from a hardware store on an outdoor hose faucet. Turn off everything in the house that uses water, screw the gauge on, and open the faucet fully. Fixtures work best at 45 to 60 psi, according to EPA, and pressure much lower than 45 may mean a leak to find and fix. Low pressure throughout the house is a job for a plumber or your water utility.

When to call for service

How to keep 4C from coming back

Clean the inlet screens once or twice a year, more often on well water or old plumbing. Keep the hot line connected, or use Tap Cold or Coldest with the hot inlet capped. If you shut the faucets between loads, as Samsung’s manuals suggest to avoid water damage, open them fully before every wash. Leave room behind the washer so the hoses can’t kink, and keep the laundry area above freezing.

More laundry guides are in Washers and Dryers. Read the safety disclaimer before any repair.