Why won't my Samsung dishwasher drain?

Most common: clogged filter or sump (free fix), followed by a failed drain pump or stuck check valve. About 15% of new-construction calls trace to the disposal knock-out plug never being removed at install.

What does 5C mean on a Samsung dishwasher?

Drain fault — the water-level sensor still sees water after the drain pump ran its cycle. Causes: clogged filter/sump, pump failure, drain hose kink, or check valve stuck closed.

What does OC mean on a Samsung dishwasher?

Overlevel water condition — the controller saw water rise above the fill threshold and shut down the cycle. Often caused by a stuck-open inlet valve, but can also be a faulty water-level sensor.

How do I reset a Samsung dishwasher?

Hold Start for 3 seconds to cancel the current cycle (the unit will drain). If a code persists, power-cycle at the breaker for 60 seconds. Reset clears codes but doesn't fix a clogged pump or stuck valve.

How much to fix a Samsung dishwasher not draining?

Most Samsung dishwasher repairs in the Twin Cities land $285–$385 all-in — parts, labor, and the $149 trip fee (which is credited toward the repair when you approve the work). Sealed-system or compressor work runs higher and we always quote that up front. Every job ships with a 1-year written parts-and-labor warranty.

Is it worth fixing a Samsung dishwasher?

Under $400 yes, on a unit under 8 years old. Beyond that, weigh against a $750–$1,000 mid-tier replacement. We give you both numbers on site.

SAMSUNG DISHWASHER · NOT DRAINING

Samsung Dishwasher Not Draining 5C, OC, or Standing Water — What's Wrong & What It Costs

Samsung dishwashers (DW80 StormWash, WaterWall, Linear Wash) have a known weak point: the drain pump and the check valve sitting in front of it. Standing water in the tub after a cycle, paired with a 5C, OC, or LC error, almost always traces to one of three places. Below is the test order we run on every Samsung no-drain call in the Twin Cities, with parts pricing.

4.5★ · 990+
1-Yr Warranty
OEM Parts
Same-Day

(651) 364-7466

$149Trip feeWaived on repair

See brands we service

Same-day windows
Call before 2pm for today's route.
Every Minneapolis ZIP
55401–55455. No trip charge.
EPA 608 certified
Sealed-system & refrigerant work.
1-year warranty
Parts and labor in writing.

Updated June 21, 2026 · Reviewed by service manager

Quick answer

Samsung Dishwasher No-Drain Repair — Twin Cities — Quick Answer

See the full Minneapolis appliance repair service area for neighborhoods, ZIPs, and same-day availability.

What we fix in Minneapolis

The Minneapolis repair mix

Filter and sump — start here

Pull both stages of the cylinder filter at the tub bottom (twist counter-clockwise). Rinse under hot water with a soft brush. Check the sump cavity for popcorn kernels, eggshell, or label paper. We solve ~1 in 3 Samsung no-drain calls at this step — try it before scheduling.

Air gap (countertop) and disposal knock-out

If the install used a countertop air gap, food paste accumulates inside its dome. Pop the chrome cap, lift the plastic insert, flush with hot water. Also check that your garbage disposal knock-out plug was removed at install — about 15% of new-build homes in the Twin Cities never had the plug knocked out, and the dishwasher has been backing up since day one.

Drain pump — Samsung's known weak point

Samsung DW80 drain pumps are infamous for impeller hub cracks. Symptoms: pump hums but no water moves, or quiet pump with no flow. We pull the pump from below, check the impeller for play, and confirm winding resistance. Failed pump $285–$385 OEM installed. We carry it on the truck for the common DW80F / DW80R / DW80M model families.

Check valve — water siphoning back

Behind the drain pump sits a one-way check valve. When the rubber flap stiffens (typical at 5+ years), drain water siphons back from the disposal into the tub at end of cycle. You'll see 1/2 inch of dirty water at the bottom every morning. Valve $165–$245.

5C / OC / LC error codes

5C / SC: drain fault — pump or path. OC: overlevel — water sensor sees flood condition, kills drain. LC / LE: leak detected — base pan sensor tripped, drain disabled as a safety. We test each sensor on site before swapping. LC / LE leaks often turn out to be the door reservoir vent dribbling onto the base pan, not a tub leak.

Samsung dishwasher repair in the Twin Cities

Factory-trained Samsung service. We stock drain pumps, check valves, base-pan leak sensors, drain hoses, and water-level sensors for the full DW80 / DW80F / DW80R / DW80M / DW80B line including WaterWall and Linear Wash. ~88% first-visit completion.

From the truck

Field-service notes on dishwasher repair

On dishwasher repair, we keep the diagnostic tight because the failure catalog on this brand is well-documented. Older Twin Cities housing stock (pre-1970 Kenwood, Como, Highland Park, Northeast) frequently has 15A dedicated circuits feeding modern 20A-rated appliances, which shows up as intermittent shutdowns misread as control-board failure.

Because this page focuses on filter and sump — start here, our tech opens the call by isolating that subsystem before touching anything else. Wear parts (belts, pumps, igniters, valves) ship from our truck stock; boards and sealed-system parts are OEM-only from Marcone or the manufacturer's direct distributor. The $149 residential diagnostic is credited toward the repair if you approve; if you don't, you pay only the diagnostic and we leave a written scope. Every completed repair carries a 1-year parts and labor warranty in writing. The section above covers the specific failure surface — pull both stages of the cylinder filter at the tub bottom (twist counter-clockwise).

We stock the top-30 wear items for this brand on the truck, so most first-visit repairs close same-day. We're EPA 608 certified for sealed-system and refrigerant work, licensed and insured in Minnesota, and every tech carries a factory diagnostic laptop for brand-specific service modes. If the model is out of parts support, we'll say so on the first call and refund the diagnostic — that's the honest read on a repair-vs-replace decision, and it's the same read we'd give a family member calling about the same dishwasher.

FAQ

Minneapolis questions, answered

Why won't my Samsung dishwasher drain?
Most common: clogged filter or sump (free fix), followed by a failed drain pump or stuck check valve. About 15% of new-construction calls trace to the disposal knock-out plug never being removed at install.
What does 5C mean on a Samsung dishwasher?
Drain fault — the water-level sensor still sees water after the drain pump ran its cycle. Causes: clogged filter/sump, pump failure, drain hose kink, or check valve stuck closed.
What does OC mean on a Samsung dishwasher?
Overlevel water condition — the controller saw water rise above the fill threshold and shut down the cycle. Often caused by a stuck-open inlet valve, but can also be a faulty water-level sensor.
How do I reset a Samsung dishwasher?
Hold Start for 3 seconds to cancel the current cycle (the unit will drain). If a code persists, power-cycle at the breaker for 60 seconds. Reset clears codes but doesn't fix a clogged pump or stuck valve.
How much to fix a Samsung dishwasher not draining?
Most Samsung dishwasher repairs in the Twin Cities land $285–$385 all-in — parts, labor, and the $149 trip fee (which is credited toward the repair when you approve the work). Sealed-system or compressor work runs higher and we always quote that up front. Every job ships with a 1-year written parts-and-labor warranty.
Is it worth fixing a Samsung dishwasher?
Under $400 yes, on a unit under 8 years old. Beyond that, weigh against a $750–$1,000 mid-tier replacement. We give you both numbers on site.

Related Minneapolis repair pages

What will this cost?

Pricing & repair-cost pages

Trying to decide repair vs. replace? These pages break down real all-in Twin Cities pricing by brand, model class, and failure mode.

Book dishwasher repair in Minneapolis

Have your model and serial number handy. Call before 2pm and we'll usually have a same-day window across Minneapolis.

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Brands we service in Minneapolis

Dedicated Minneapolis landing pages for each brand we run most — fault codes, pricing, and the OEM parts our trucks stock for Minneapolis homes.