What to check yourself
Step 1. Cut the power for five minutes
Do this first. Pump faults on these machines come in two kinds: a board that latched an error after a power blip, and a pump with a real problem. The reset separates them and costs nothing. Breaker off, five minutes, then a short cycle.
Step 2. Clear the filter and sump even though the code says pump
This is the important one, and the code's wording sends people past it. Debris jammed against the impeller loads the pump, its speed falls below the threshold and the board reports a pump fault. The real cause is a cherry stone. Filter out, both parts rinsed, then feel and look round the sump with a torch.
Power off before reaching in, and check for glass first.
Step 3. Check that water is actually arriving
A pump running dry does not reach its speed either. If the machine has also been slow to fill, or you have seen a fill related code recently, sort that out first: it may be the whole story.
Step 4. Listen to what the machine does
Worth noting before you call anyone. A pump that hums and stops, or grinds, is a mechanical problem. Complete silence where the wash should be points at wiring or the board. It is one sentence on the phone and it can save a visit.
What a technician will look at
Described so you know what you are paying for, not as steps to repeat.
Meter the pump windings and the harness
The circulation pump is tested across its motor terminals and its harness checked back to the board. Values outside range mean the pump, values in range with no drive signal mean the board or the wiring. Access is from underneath, so the machine comes out.
When to call a technician
Once a reset and a properly cleared sump have not fixed it. Everything remaining is under the machine with power applied, and the useful part of the job is telling a failed pump from a bad connection.
What the repair costs
| Repair | Part only | Fitted by a technician |
|---|---|---|
| Clearing debris from the sump | - | Free |
| Diagnosis alone | - | $75 to $130 |
| Wiring or connector repair | - | $100 to $250 |
| Circulation pump replacement | $90 to $250 | $250 to $550 |
A new machine of the same class runs $500 to $1,500. Once a quote passes about a third of that on an older appliance, the repair stops making sense.
Codes people confuse this with
Questions people ask
- The pump is not draining either. Is that the same part?
- No. These machines have two pumps: the circulation pump that sprays water round the tub, and the drain pump that empties it. This code is the first one. A drain problem shows as 5C instead.
- Is a circulation pump worth replacing?
- Do the sum before agreeing. Pump plus labour runs 250 to 550, and a mid range dishwasher is 400 to 1000. Past about seven years old, that is usually the point to stop.
- Dishes come out dirty but there is no code. Same thing?
- It can be an early version of it: a pump losing performance still satisfies the board while washing badly. Clear the filter and check the spray arm holes first, since both are free.
Which machines this applies to
Applies to
Samsung dishwashers across the DW80, DW50 and Linear Wash ranges.
Last checked
2026-08-10