Samsung washing machine 4C or 4E error: no water supply

4C   4E   E1   4C1   (water supply)
4C2  4E2          (water temperature / hot-cold hose)

Why it happens

Samsung UK's information code list groups 4C, 4E and E1 under one meaning: "Water is not supplied." Samsung India's 4C troubleshooting page says the 4E (4C) error indicates that the machine "has detected that there is a problem with the water supply", and names a blocked water supply hose as the most common reason.

The causes Samsung lists across its regional pages are:

• a water tap that is closed, only partly open, or frozen;
• a supply hose that is kinked, bent or clogged;
• a clogged mesh filter at the inlet;
• insufficient water pressure;
• hot and cold hoses connected the wrong way round;
• a blockage in the detergent dispenser drawer, which Samsung UAE's 4E, 4C and 4C1 page tells you to check.

Samsung UAE describes the codes more broadly, as "a problem with the water supply or drainage system", which is why its page also covers drain hose placement.

How to fix it

1. Wait out the lock. Samsung UK notes that all buttons are disabled for 3 minutes after the code appears, so the panel will not respond straight away.
2. Open the tap fully. Samsung India says to check that the tap connected to the washing machine "is open to full". Samsung UK adds that you should make sure the tap is not frozen.
3. Check the inlet hose. Look along the hose behind the machine for kinks or sharp bends, and make sure it is not clogged.
4. Check the hot and cold connections. Samsung UK tells you to make sure the cold and hot water taps are properly connected. Samsung Hong Kong says the hot and cold hoses must be connected to the matching hot or cold inlets on the machine.
5. Clean the mesh filter. Samsung India gives the procedure:
   1. Turn off the water tap.
   2. Unscrew the hose from the back of the washing machine.
   3. With a pair of pliers, gently pull the mesh filter out of the end and rinse it.
   4. Refit the filter and the hose.
   5. Turn the tap back on and make sure the connections are watertight.
   6. Reset the machine's power.
6. Check the dispenser drawer. Samsung UAE says to remove the detergent dispenser drawer and clean it so there are no blockages.
7. Check the drain hose position. Samsung UAE says the drain hose should sit between 60 cm and 90 cm above the floor. Samsung's regional pages do not agree on how far the hose should go into a standpipe (see the variants section below), so follow the installation section of your own manual.
8. Restart the cycle. If the code returns, contact Samsung's service centre. Samsung UK says: "If any code keeps appearing on the screen, contact a Samsung service centre for further support."

Samsung also lists low water pressure as a cause. If your household supply is weak, that is not something the washing machine can fix, and Samsung says to contact its service centre or support.

Check that it worked

Start a short programme and watch the first minutes: you should hear water entering and see it in the drum or dispenser. Check the hose connections at the tap and at the back of the machine for drips, since Samsung's filter procedure ends with making sure the connections are watertight. Samsung India recommends cleaning the inlet mesh filter at least twice a year to prevent build-up, which helps stop the code returning.

Model and region variants

Samsung's codes are not identical across every machine. Samsung UK states plainly that "it may have a different code depending on the model."

• 4C2 / 4E2 on the UK list is a separate water temperature code. Samsung UK says to make sure the cold water supply hose is firmly connected to the cold tap; if it is connected to the hot tap, laundry may be deformed on some cycles.
• NF appears on Samsung Hong Kong's page next to 4C as a "not receiving enough water" code, with the same hose and filter checks. For top-loading washers that show no code but do not fill enough, that page suggests cycles such as Deep wash or Deep fill where your model has them.
• Drain hose depth. Samsung UAE says to insert the drain hose at least 15 cm into the pipe to prevent siphoning. Samsung Hong Kong says the hose should not go more than 6 inches into the drainpipe and should not form an airtight connection. Because the two pages differ, use the figure in your model's installation instructions.

On most of Samsung's pages a 4C is a fill problem, although Samsung UAE also links these codes to the drainage system, which is why the drain hose check above is worth doing. For a washer that will not empty, see how LG handles it on the LG OE error page; a dishwasher that holds water is covered on the Bosch E24 page. Samsung tumble dryers use a different set of codes; the heating one is on the Samsung dryer HE page.

In most cases a 4C or 4E code comes down to water not reaching the machine, and the fixes Samsung gives owners are about the tap, the hose and the inlet filter. When those are clear and the code still appears, Samsung's own advice is to book service rather than go further inside the machine.