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 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
When to call someone
This sometimes clears with the checks above. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly. We cover Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, and it's £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it — £84 in total if it's repaired on the visit with no parts needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.
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
- Samsung 1E — The machine can't tell how much water is in the drum, so it …
- Samsung 2E — The machine hasn't managed to empty its water within the tim…
- Samsung 3E — The machine can't tell how fast the drum motor is turning, s…
- Samsung 4E — The machine hasn't taken in enough water in the time it allo…
- Samsung 5C — Your Samsung washer can't get the water out of the drum, so …
- Samsung 5E — The machine has tried to pump the water out and, after about…
- Samsung 8E — The machine has drawn more electrical current than it should…
- Samsung DE — The machine can't confirm the door is shut and locked, so it…