Samsung 1E tumble dryer: what it means & what to check

Stop using it for now. Carrying on with this fault risks further damage or a leak. Switch it off at the wall until it has been looked at.

What 1E actually means

The machine can no longer tell how much water is inside the drum, so it stops rather than risk filling or draining blind.

Your Samsung washer-dryer measures water level with a pressure sensor connected to a thin hose that reads the water in the tub. When the reading is missing, stuck or out of range, the control board flags 1E (shown as E7 on some displays) and halts the cycle — usually early on during filling, or when it should be checking the tub is empty. Because the drying side of the machine relies on the wash cycle completing properly, a 1E will normally stop it before it ever gets as far as drying.

What 1E looks like on a Samsung tumble dryer

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Samsung tumble dryer, 1E usually shows up as one or more of these:

Machine not draining
Water left in the drum at the end of the cycle
Stops mid-cycle full of water
Standing water in the bottom
Not filling with water
No water going in
Takes for ever to fill
Stops right at the start of the cycle

Recognise any of those? That is this fault, and the rest of this page explains what causes it and what you can check yourself.

What usually causes it

A blocked or partly clogged pressure hose, often silted up with detergent residue
A split, perished or kinked pressure hose behind the drum
A failed pressure (water level) sensor
A loose or corroded connection between the sensor and the control board
Less commonly, a fault on the main control board

What you can safely check yourself

Work through these in order. Anything beyond this — panels off, testing parts, anything to do with the wiring — is an engineer's job, and not one to attempt with the machine plugged in.

Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then power it back up — a one-off sensor glitch will sometimes clear
Run a short empty cycle to see whether the code returns at the same point every time; that is useful information for whoever attends
Clean out the pump filter and check the drain hose isn't kinked or pushed too far into the standpipe, as water sitting in the tub can confuse the level reading

Which Samsung models show 1E

1E means the same thing on this model. If yours is not listed, the explanation above still applies — the code is set by the control board, not the model number.

WD0804W8E1

Common questions about Samsung 1E

What does 1E mean on a Samsung tumble dryer?

The machine can no longer tell how much water is inside the drum, so it stops rather than risk filling or draining blind. Your Samsung washer-dryer measures water level with a pressure sensor connected to a thin hose that reads the water in the tub. When the reading is missing, stuck or out of range, the control board flags 1E (shown as E7 on some displays) and halts the cycle — usually early on during filling, or when it should be checking the tub is empty. Because the drying side of the machine relies on the wash cycle completing properly, a 1E will normally stop it before it ever gets as far as drying.

Can I fix Samsung 1E myself?

There are 3 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then power it back up — a one-off sensor glitch will sometimes clear.
Run a short empty cycle to see whether the code returns at the same point every time; that is useful information for whoever attends.
Clean out the pump filter and check the drain hose isn't kinked or pushed too far into the standpipe, as water sitting in the tub can confuse the level reading.

This one usually needs an engineer once you have tried them.

How much does it cost to repair Samsung 1E?

£66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Tried the checks and it's still showing 1E?

This one usually needs an engineer once you have tried the checks above. Then it wants someone who can open it up.

What it costs, before you call: the price is the same whatever the fault turns out to be — £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Our own engineers, not a call centre. We cover Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire — most tumble dryer faults are seen same day or next day.

Call 0115 648 0929 Book online — postcode and number is all we need

Outside our area? The explanation above still stands — take it to a local engineer and tell them the code. Knowing it saves them time and you money.

Other Samsung tumble dryer codes

All Samsung fault codes and repairs →

What this looks like when it happens

tumble dryer drum not turning

Repairs we cover near you

Written by the engineers at ASAP Repairs, 0115 648 0929. We repair these machines for a living in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

Samsung 1E error — tumble dryer