If you are a Samsung washer owner facing an issue with your Samsung washer displaying the DC error code, indicating your machine has detected an unbalanced load. When this problem is detected, your washer will pause operation as continuing while the load isn’t balanced can put unnecessary strain on the machine and wear down the components faster.
The good news is that it’s a pretty easy issue to fix if you follow the simple and easy steps outlined in this article.
Causes of Samsung Washer DC Code
Most of the time, this issue is caused by something as simple as the clothes bundling together, and you can just manually untangle them so they can be agitated evenly within the washer.
However, if the problem keeps recurring, it may indicate a deeper problem that needs to be addressed, such as the washer not being level.
1. The Clothes Have Bundled Up Together
Sometimes as washing machines spin the clothes, they have a tendency to wrap around each other and turn into a big ball.
When this ball of clothes moves around the machine, it can put an uneven straight on the drum. So, ensure the clothes are evenly distributed to help the drum spin as smoothly as possible.
Bulky items such as blankets and heavy jeans can often be the cause of this. Or things with tassells or ties such as shoes or sweatpants drawstrings may wrap around the clothing items.
2. The Washer is Overfilled
While it’s tempting to wash as many clothes as possible in a single wash cycle, overfilling a washer often creates more problems as the huge heavy load can’t spin evenly.
Samsung recommends not filling the washer drum more than 75% full on a single wash cycle. So you may consider removing some clothes to allow the drum to spin smoother.
3. The Washer is Underfilled
On the other hand, having too few clothes inside the washer can also cause this problem as the small number of clothes tends to get thrown around a lot which agitates the spin barrel.
So either holding off that wash load until you have more clothes to wash or putting something a bit bulkier in with it can often help to alleviate this issue.
4. The Wrong Wash Cycle Setting Has Been Chosen
Washers will adjust their operational speed based on what kind of load you are washing. For example, if you are washing big, heavy blankets and pick the corresponding wash cycle for big heavy items, it will slow the washer down to compensate for the increased load weight.
So if you pick a quick cycle while an inappropriate amount of clothes has been loaded into the washer, the drum will spin too fast for that given volume and weight of clothes, causing the error code to occur.
So you’ll need to review your wash cycle settings and ensure you’ve picked the most appropriate one for your given wash load.
5. The Washer Isn’t Level
Washers are designed to operate optimally when completely level with the floor. If installed on an uneven surface, the drum might not spin properly, and excess vibrations may be caused, making the washer walk out of position.
You’ll need to review the current washer level and adjust each of the 4 feet to get the machine leveled with the floor.
6. The Suspension Rods Have Worn Down
The suspension rods, as the name might suggest, work much like the suspension in your car and help to minimize the vibrations caused by the fast-spinning washer drum.
However, over time these rods can wear down and do their job less effectively, which means those vibrations will transfer into other areas of the machine, causing the DC code to crop. The suspension rods must be inspected for wear and tear and replaced accordingly.
NOTE: Applicable to top-loading Samsung washers
7. The Shipping Bolts Haven’t Been Removed
Transporting a big heavy washer from the factory to your home is not an easy task, and as such most Samsung washers have special bolts purposely manufactured into them so they can be bolted down and transported safely.
However, these bolts are supposed to be removed once the washer’s in place, as they are no longer needed. These bolts lock the suspension system to keep everything tight and in place during transport, so if they are not removed, your washer will vibrate very badly while under operation.
You should remove the shipping bolts (or on a top-loading washer, there is a shipping base) so the shock absorbers and suspension rods can operate properly.
How to Fix Samsung Washer DC Code?
Now that you have a better idea of what’s causing the problem, it’s time to get things fixed and back in working order.
1. Manually Redistribute the Clothes
If the clothes are bundling up together, creating an uneven load, you will then need to manually pause the cycle and redistribute them by hand. All you need to do is pull the clothing items apart and lay them out evenly across the drum so they don’t pack together.
To prevent them from re-bundling together, you should place any lace items or items with drawstrings or tassells into netted bags so they can still be washed, but the string cant wrap around anything.
2. Reduce the Washer Load
If the washer is more than 75% full, this will create problems as the drum tries to spin so much weight. Pull a few items out of the washer to reduce the load and wash them separately.
Remember, it’s always better to do 2 good wash cycles rather than 1 overfilled one where the clothes haven’t been properly cleaned, as there’s no room for them to agitate.
3. Increase the Washer Load
If you only have to wash a few clothing pieces or even just a single item, it can also create problems as they’ll get thrown around the washer drum, and there’s no counterweight to the spinning.
Ideally, you should hold off on the washer load until you have accumulated more clothes to wash and can better fill up the tub. However, if you absolutely have to wash them now, consider throwing in a blanket or a few pairs of jeans, even if they are already clean, to help bulk a load of laundry up a bit.
4. Choose the Correct Wash Cycle
There’s a reason why washing machines have so many different cycle types to choose from, and if you pick the wrong spin cycle setting for the kinds of clothes you are washing, then this error code is sure to occur.
Take note of what kind of wash load you have; if you are washing heavy-duty items such as blankets or thick hoodies, you must pick the corresponding wash cycle setting so the drum runs slowly enough.
Or for thick bedding blankets, you should also have a bedding cycle option. In case of washing light, delicate items, you should pick a gentle cycle.
If you aren’t sure what each wash cycle will do, you can refer to the user manual for your specific Samsung washer model, and it will better explain what each spin cycle type does.
5. Level the Washer
For optimal performance, a washer must be level with the floor, or it may vibrate excessively and cause problems. You should start by checking how level your washer is currently by using a spirit level (or the spirit level app on a phone works, too) to find out which corners are too high/low.
Once you have a better idea of which corners need raising or lowering, you can adjust the feet on each corner to adjust the height of the wash r. You may need to repeat this process a few times before it’s completely level, but once it is, you will see a significant increase in performance.
6. Check and Replace the Suspension Rods
If the front-load washer suspension rods are worn down, it will cause excessive vibration and need to be replaced.
While not impossible, this is quite an involved installation so if you are not already trained on how to install suspension rods, the easiest and safest solution is to just contact Samsung customer support.
They will help you both source replacement drum suspension rods for your specific washer model and arrange for a trained appliance technician to come and install them for you.
7. Remove the Shipping Bolts
The shipping bolts lock the suspension in place so everything is secure during shipping. But they need to be removed before you operate the machine, or it will cause the machine to vibrate excessively.
- Your washing machine will be delivered with the correct-sized wrench to remove the shipping bolts. But if you don’t have this for any reason, you will have to find another wrench of the correct size.
- Loosen all the bolts first so they can be moved by hand.
- Hold the bolt in place with a spanner and pull it through the wide section of the hole.
- Repeat this process for every bolt.
- Your washer should have also been delivered with some plastic covers; while not necessary, installing these in the holes left after removing the shipping bolts can make your washers look a little cleaner.
How to Prevent Samsung Washer DC Code
Many of these processes are one-time fixes and shouldn’t need to be repeated. However, to prevent this fault code from coming back in the future, you should be mindful of how you load the washer.
This includes not over or underloading the drum, placing all items that can cause entanglement in netted bags, and ensuring you pick the correct wash cycle for the kind of clothes you are washing.
Adrian is an ISCET licensed professional that has completed the National Appliance Service Technician Certification Exam and has the expertise to diagnose and repair any appliance. He is well-versed in the latest technologies and techniques and is always up-to-date on the latest industry standards.
