Samsung E01 washing machine: what it means & what to check

What E01 actually means

The machine hasn't taken in enough water in the time it expects, so it has stopped and is waiting for you.

On Samsung machines E1/E01 (shown as 4E on later models) is a water fill timeout. The pressure sensor monitoring the water level sees no meaningful rise for a couple of minutes at the start of fill, or the drum still hasn't reached the set level after around ten minutes, so the control board halts the cycle rather than run the heater and drum dry. You'll usually notice it early in the wash, with little or no water in the drum.

What E01 looks like on a Samsung washing machine

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Samsung washing machine, E01 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not filling with water
No water going in
Takes for ever to fill
Stops right at the start of the cycle
Overfilling, or won't stop filling
Stops with water still inside
Fills and drains over and over
Not heating the water

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

Tap behind the machine turned off or only part open
Kinked, trapped or crushed fill hose
Blocked filter in the inlet hose connection or a mains supply problem
Failed water inlet valve — the most common part we end up replacing on this fault
Pressure sensor or its hose not reading the water level correctly

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.

Check the cold (and hot, if fitted) tap behind the machine is fully open
Look at the fill hose and make sure it isn't kinked or pinched behind the machine
Run another tap in the house to confirm you have normal mains pressure
Press Start/Pause to release the error — the machine will try to fill again
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then power back up and restart the cycle

Common questions about Samsung E01

What does E01 mean on a Samsung washing machine?

The machine hasn't taken in enough water in the time it expects, so it has stopped and is waiting for you. On Samsung machines E1/E01 (shown as 4E on later models) is a water fill timeout. The pressure sensor monitoring the water level sees no meaningful rise for a couple of minutes at the start of fill, or the drum still hasn't reached the set level after around ten minutes, so the control board halts the cycle rather than run the heater and drum dry. You'll usually notice it early in the wash, with little or no water in the drum.

Can I fix Samsung E01 myself?

There are 5 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Check the cold (and hot, if fitted) tap behind the machine is fully open.
Look at the fill hose and make sure it isn't kinked or pinched behind the machine.
Run another tap in the house to confirm you have normal mains pressure.
Press Start/Pause to release the error — the machine will try to fill again.
Switch off at the wall for a minute, then power back up and restart the cycle.

This sometimes clears with those checks. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly.

How much does it cost to repair Samsung E01?

£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 E01?

This sometimes clears with the checks above. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly. 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 washing machine 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 washing machine codes

All Samsung fault codes and repairs →

What this looks like when it happens

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 E01 error — washing machine