Samsung makes some of the best washers on the market; they are well known for their reliability and vast set of features that give you the best clothes-washing experience possible. However, as with any modern appliance, sometimes they can run into errors that need addressing.
One such error that seems to be a source of confusion for users is the UR error code. This error means that the washer has detected an unbalanced washing load.
In this article, I will explain exactly what causes this problemย and give you all the methods you need to fix it quickly and easily.
Causes ofย Samsung Washer UR Code
If you have to deal with the UR code, don’t worry! This is one of the most common errors users encounter and one of the easiest to solve.
Generally speaking, an unbalanced load is caused by a laundry load that’s either too heavy or certain items have tangled together.
1. Too Many Items are Loaded into the Washer
Samsung recommends not filling the washer drum more than 75% full on a single wash cycle. Loading in too many clothes can cause the wash drum to struggle, throwing it off balance.
Remove some items from the washer to address an overloaded drum so the drum can rotate more freely.
2. Too Few Items are Loaded into the Washer
Not only does loading in too many items cause problems, but loading in too few items can also affect the load balance as these items will be thrown around inside the washer, causing excessive vibration.
Steps will need to be taken in order to better balance the wash load so the drum isn’t under too much stress while operating.
3. Netted Bags Aren’t Being Used
Items with drawstrings, tassells, or shoelaces should be placed into netted bags before washing. This is to prevent them from tangling and wrapping the clothing items together.
When this happens, it creates an unbalanced load as the clothes are no longer distributed evenly within the drum. It also means your clothes cannot be cleaned properly as they are packed too tightly together to agitate.
4. The Clothes have Tangled Together
Sometimes you may be washing the right amount of clothes and utilizing netted bags, but the clothes are still bundling together and causing the UR code to occur.
When this happens, you’ll have to open the washer door and re-distribute the clothes by hand.
5. An Error or Glitch has Occurred
Modern Samsung washers are quite complicated devices that rely heavily on computer assistance to control the myriad of wash options and user settings.
However, like anything that relies on computers to function, it can sometimes run into bugs or glitches. The good news is this can easily be solved by performing a power cycle or hard reset of the washer.
6. The Washer isn’t Level
For the drum to rotate smoothly, the washer must be level with the floor. If it’s installed on an uneven surface, the drum suspension will be off, which willย cause an unbalanced load.
You’ll need to check the level of your washer using a spirit level and adjust the height of the feet to ensure it’s completely level with the floor.
7. The Control Module has Failed
The control module acts as the brain of the washer, taking instructions the user has input on the front control panel and then sending the electronic instructions to the relevant components inside the washer.
Sometimes the control module can run into problems and throw up this washer error code unexpectedly. As these are quite complex components to fix, the usual course of action is just to replace the entire control module with a new one.
8. A Drive Belt Problem
The drive belt connects the motor to the washer drum and is what physically turns it. Over time these belts can wear down, or they might slip, causing the wash drum not to turn smoothly.
The drive belt will need to be checked for damage, and if it’s worn out, it should be replaced.
9. Different Fabrics have been Mixed Together
Different fabrics have different densities and absorption properties, which means as they’re being washed, certain items may become extremely heavy as they hold a lot of water, while others remain light.
This mixture of heavy and light items can easily cause a wash load to become unbalanced and trigger the UR code. You’ll need to review what items you’re washing and potentially split them into 2 separate wash loads so the drum can spin more smoothly.
How to Fix Samsung Washer UR Error Code
As you can see, the most common reason this error occurs is that the wash load inside the drum is not balanced. Now let’s look at all the steps you should take to get your washer operating smoothly and help you remove this error code.
1. Reduce the Wash Load
If too many items are loaded into the washer, and it’s over 75% full, the machine will struggle to balance the load due to the sheer weight.
While it’s tempting to just wash as much as possible in a single laundry load to save on water/detergent, this usually results in the clothes not washing correctly as they cannot agitate.
Where possible, try to remove some items, such as big heavy blankets, and wash them separately.
2. Increase the Wash Load
On the other hand, if you have too few items (below 25% of the drum’s total capacity) loaded into the washer, they will get thrown around and cause load balance issues. Consider holding off the wash until you’ve accumulated a few more pieces of dirty clothing.
If you absolutely must wash those clothes right now, an easy solution is to throw in a blanket (even if it’s already clean) to bulk up the wash load.
3. Use Netted Bags for Drawstrings/Shoelaces
Any items with strings, whether tassells, laces, or hoody ties, have a significant chance of wrapping around the clothing items and causing them to bundle up.
So you should place these items into netted washing machine-safe bags to prevent them from tangling up together.
4. Manually Re-distribute the Items
If you are doing all of the above but have still found the items bundled together, you may just need to re-distribute the clothes by hand.
To do this, simply pause the spin cycle and open the washer door. Manually pull the clothing items apart and set them evenly across the washer drum, then start the spin cycle back up again.
5. Power Cycle the Washer
Sometimes the UR error code will appear just because of a one-off glitch which can be solved by performing a hard reset of the machine. All you need to do is turn the washer off, unplug it from the wall outlet, or switch it off at the circuit breaker.
Wait 2-3 minutes for all the residual energy to dissipate from the capacitors, then plug the washer back in and start it up.
6. Level the Washer
For optimal performance, the washer needs to be completely level with the floor.
First, you should ascertain how level it is and figure out which corners need to be adjusted. The easiest way to do this is by checking it using a spirit level (you can also use the spirit level app on your phone).
Once you know which corners are too high or low, you can adjust each to change its height.
7. Replace the Control Module
If the control module is running into problems, it can be complicated to fix by yourself.
We recommend contacting Samsung customer support, who will put you in touch with a trained service technician to help diagnose and repair the control board.
8. Replace the Drive Belt
If the drive belt is worn down or slipping, it must be replaced.
- Start by unplugging the washer from the power supply.
- Remove the back access panel and locate the drive belt at the bottom of the washer.
- Inspect the drive belt visually. Does it look loose, old, or frayed? If so, it will need to be replaced or tightened.
- Unscrew the belt cover (if your model has one) and remove the old drive belt.
- Install the new drive belt in its place and manually spin the washing machine drum to make sure it slots into all the pulleys.
- Re-attach the belt cover and back panel.
- Plug the machine back in and test if the new belt is working.
9. Separate Fabric Types
Different fabrics can cause load balance issues due to their relative weights and levels of water absorption. Check your current washer load and see if you need to separate any heavy items and wash them in a separate load.
Preventing the Samsung Washer UR code
Now that you have fixed the UR error code, there are a few things to be mindful of moving forward to prevent this problem from recurring.
Ensure your wash loads are of adequate size, but don’t fill the drum over 75% full.
Use netted bags for anything with drawstrings or ties on. Try not to mix different fabric types where possible, as they will cause load balance problems.
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.
