When your Samsung Washer suddenly stops mid-wash and throws up an error code, it can be very alarming. You might think there has been a catastrophic failure and need to call a service technician right away, but often these error codes are not a big deal and are pretty easy to fix by yourself.
One of the most common error codes people run into is the UE error code which indicates that an imbalance has been detected inside the washer drum, usually caused by an uneven distribution of your clothes.
So in this article, I will explain precisely what you need to do to fix this error and restore your washer to working order.
Causes of Samsung Washer UE Code
When an unbalanced laundry load has been detected, it may be due to several different reasons, such as overloading the washer, the clothes wrapping together, or laces/tassells getting tangled up.
Let’s first take a deeper look at the causes of this issue so you can better diagnose what’s happening with your washer.
1. Washing a Variety of Clothes
Unfortunately, due to the speed at which washer drums spin, loading heavy and delicate items at the same time can often cause balance issues as the weight isn’t evenly distributed inside the washer drum.
Where possible, it’s always better to wash items of similar weight together to ensure the load distribution within the drum is spread as evenly as possible.
2. Different Fabrics are Loaded into the Drum
Similarly, washing clothes with varying density levels (i.e., different fabrics) can cause balance disruption within the drum and trigger this error code.
Usually, this isn’t an issue, but if it is causing problems for you, it might be a good idea to wash fabrics of a similar texture and density together to ensure they don’t cause balance issues.
3. The Washer’s been Overloaded
If the Samsung washing machine drum has been overloaded, the heavy load inside the drum will bounce around and cause the washer to stop mid-cycle.
Samsung recommends not filling the washer drum more than 75% full in a single wash cycle to ensure the clothes have enough room to be evenly distributed and agitate correctly during the wash.
4. Laces and Tassells are Wrapped Together
If you are washing items with loose laces, drawstrings, and tassells such as shoes, hoodies, or sweatpants, their ties can easily wrap around different pieces of clothing and cause them to bundle up together.
Any items containing ties that can cause a problem like this need to be placed in netted bags so they can still be washed properly, but there’s no chance of it causing the clothes to wrap up into a bundle.
5. The Clothes have been Bundled Together
Sometimes clothes can naturally just wrap up together. This causes problems for 2 main reasons: firstly, when the clothes have bundled up, they cannot agitate properly and thus will not be cleaned properly.
Secondly, this bundle of clothes can be thrown around the washer, causing the weight imbalance, which in turn throws up the UE error code. You’ll need to pause the wash the re-distribute the clothes by hand manually.
6. The Incorrect Wash Cycle has been Chosen
Washers will change the wash temperature, speed, and duration based on the type of washing cycle option you selected. For example, picking a heavy load will reduce the drum speed and increase the washing time to accommodate the heavy wash load and keep the drum safe.
So if you are washing a heavy item but haven’t picked the corresponding wash cycle option, you will run into problems as the drum may spin too fast for the type of clothes being washed.
You’ll need to review which wash cycle option you have selected and adjust it if you’ve picked an inappropriate one.
7. A One-Off Glitch or Error
As modern Samsung washing machines rely heavily on computer-controlled systems to manage the myriad of available wash cycle options, they can sometimes run into random bugs and glitches that will cause this error message to appear even though there’s technically nothing wrong with the machine.
Fortunately, the solution is pretty simple. You can just power cycle the machine, which involves removing it from the power outlet and leaving it for a while to reset the washer.
8. The Washer isn’t Level
For a Samsung washing machine to perform optimally, it needs to be set up on a completely flat surface; otherwise, the drum might not rotate properly, which causes this error to occur.
So you’ll need to inspect the current level of the washer and set its height by adjusting the washer feet so it can sit completely level with the floor.
How to Fix Samsung Washer UE Code
As you can see, the UE error code is an easy issue to solve if you know what you’re doing.
Now that you have a better idea of what’s going on with your Samsung washing machine let’s look at all the methods you need to get rid of this error code and restore your washer to working order.
1. Wash Similar Item Types Together
When you mix and match different item types into the washer at once, the variations in weight can cause drum balance problems, trigging the UE code.
If your wash cycle has paused, you should open the drum and get a sense of what clothes you are washing. If you have a singular heavy blanket or just a few items of a particular weight, consider removing them from the wash cycle to help the drum spin more evenly.
This means you will need to wash 2 loads, but this is healthier for your washer as it can stay balanced and less strain is placed on the components.
2. Wash Similar Fabrics Simultaneously
Like uneven weight distribution, different fabrics can also disrupt the balance of the washer drum and cause this error code to crop up.
Usually, this isn’t a problem. However, if you have to deal with this error code, it’s a good idea to separate different fabric types to give the washer drum the best possible chance of rotating unimpeded.
3. Don’t Overload the Samsung Washing Machine
Overloading the washer can put stress on the drum and drive belt, causing this error message to appear. Don’t overload the drum more than 75% full for a single wash cycle where possible.
This not only facilitates even distribution of your clothes, but they’ll also come out cleaner because there’s more room for the clothes to agitate.
4. Use Netted Bags
One of the most common reasons clothes bundle up together and cause this unbalanced load error is because of ties, tassels, and shoelaces wrapping around each other as the drum spins.
It’s good practice to put any items with loose strings into a netted washing machine-safe bag. This allows them to still be cleaned while preventing them from wrapping around other clothing items.
5. Manually Re-distribute the Clothes
If the clothes have been bundled together for no apparent reason, sometimes the easiest solution is to just manually distribute the clothes by hand.
All you need to do is pause the wash cycle, open the front door, and manually pull the clothing items apart. Be sure to lay them out evenly across the washer drum so the weight distribution is as even as possible.
6. Ensure the Use of the Correct Wash Cycle
The various wash cycle options on the washing machine control board help you pick an appropriate wash speed, duration, and heat level for the type of clothes you’re washing.
Ensure you’re mindful of the fabric types you are washing and pick the corresponding wash cycle for that type so the drum doesn’t spin too fast or slow for what’s been loaded in.
For example, if you are washing big heavy blankets, you can use the bedding setting. If you aren’t sure what all the cycle names on your washer mean, you can refer to Samsung’s online guide to find the most appropriate wash cycle setting.
7. Power Cycle the Washer
Sometimes this UE code error is triggered by a simple bug or glitch with no real reason behind it. So you need to power cycle the washer to get rid of it.
This is very easy to perform; all you need to do is turn off the machine and completely unplug it from the power supply or turn it off at the circuit breaker.
Wait 2-3 minutes for all the residual energy inside the washer’s capacitors to dissipate, then plug the washer back in and power it up.
8. Level the Washer
The washer needs to be completely level with the floor for optimal performance and to reduce excess vibrations. So you’ll first need to figure out how leveled your washer is and which corners need to be raised.
The easiest way to do this is by using a spirit/bubble level (or you can use the spirit level app on your phone). Once you’ve ascertained which corners are too low/high, you can adjust each corner to raise or lower the washer’s height accordingly until it’s totally level with the floor.
Preventing Samsung Washer UE Code
To prevent this problem from coming back in the future, you can follow a few simple steps to give your washer the best possible chance of not becoming unbalanced.
- Don’t overload the washer; keep it below 75% of maximum capacity.
- Place all items with strings/tassells in netted bags.
- Ensure you pick the correct spin 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.
