Samsung 5C / 5E washer code: the washer is not draining.

IMMEDIATE ACTION

Check first

Check the drain hose depth, kinks and height

Next step

Level the washer; clean the pump filter

Stop / escalate

Still not draining: request service

THE SHORT ANSWER

Samsung groups 5C, 5E, nd, SC and SE as a no-drain code: water is not draining at the correct speed, or at all. Samsung’s drain checks are: make sure the washer is level, check that the drain hose goes 6 to 8 inches into the standpipe or sink, is secured, not airtight and not kinked, clean the pump filter on a front-load washer, then start a cycle and see whether it drains. If it still does not, request service.

Based on Samsung’s US support pages for washer error codes and for a washer that is not draining, checked October 10, 2026.

What 5C / 5E means

Samsung’s code list says nd, 5E, SE, 5C, SC and 1 5C mean water is not draining at the correct speed, or at all, and sends you to its drain guide for the steps. Samsung calls an incorrectly installed drain hose the most common reason for drain problems. On models without a digital display, Samsung’s list shows the Small or Low light blinking as the no-drain signal; blinking lights are an error only if the washer also misbehaves.

How it appears: 5C or 5E on the display; some models show nd, SC, SE or 1 5C.

Check in this order

Turn the washer off and check that it is level. An unlevel washer may not drain correctly. Do not remove the screw on the back that holds the drain hose; if it was removed, put it back with any screw that fits. If the holder itself is missing, Samsung says service is required.
Inspect the drain hose. Samsung says it should go at least 6 inches and no more than 8 inches into the standpipe or sink, be secured so it cannot slip farther down, not form an airtight connection, and not be kinked, bent or damaged. It should be at least 18 inches high and no higher than 96 inches (for a wash basin, Samsung gives 24 inches as the minimum and 35 inches as the maximum), and it should not be connected with a drain hose extension kit. If your washer has no digital display, Samsung’s code page says no more than 6 inches into the pipe, so follow your manual.
Clean the pump filter (front-load washers only). Top-load washers have no removable pump filter. A clogged filter reduces draining, so clean it periodically; Samsung’s separate article and your manual give the cleaning steps. Expect water when you open it.
Start a cycle. Samsung says the washer should drain at the start of a test cycle.

If 5C / 5E comes back

Samsung says to request service through its Support Center if the washer still does not drain. Tell them:

The model number (where to find it).
That the code is 5C or 5E, and whether the washer is a front-load or a top-load model.
How far the drain hose goes into the pipe, that the washer is level, and whether you cleaned the pump filter.

OFFICIAL MANUFACTURER SOURCE

Where these steps come from.

The meaning comes from Samsung’s code list; the order of checks, the hose figures and the filter advice come from Samsung’s drain guide.

Samsung: Washing machine information and error codes →

Samsung: Washer is not draining →

KEEP THE ROUTE SPECIFIC

Use the code, model, and matching symptom together.

Use the Samsung code hub for nearby codes, confirm the exact model, or open the no-drain symptom guide.

Samsung error codes Find washer model number Open no-drain guide