Error code · Dishwasher

Samsung Dishwasher Code 3C: Pump Operation

The 3C code on a Samsung US dishwasher with a digital display is a pump operation error. The control has detected that the pump is not working the way it should during the cycle, so it…

Medium · inspection needed

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Code: 3C
Appliance: Dishwasher
Brand: Samsung
Warranty: 30-day workmanship

What 3C means

The 3C code on a Samsung US dishwasher with a digital display is a pump operation error. The control has detected that the pump is not working the way it should during the cycle, so it stops and shows 3C instead of finishing. This is a brand-wide code, and it does not name a particular model or series. What you notice is a cycle that halts partway, often with standing water in the tub, though the amount varies from one wash to the next.

Common causes of 3C

Whether the pump is receiving and responding to its drive signal
Pump wiring and connections to the control
Anything restricting the pump, such as debris in the sump
Whether the code returns on a fresh cycle

✓ One safe check you can try

1. Turn the dishwasher off. 2. Wait a minute, then start a new cycle. 3. Check the filter at the tub floor for food debris or broken glass, and clear it if you see any. 4. Make sure the drain hose under the sink is not kinked. 5. If 3C returns, stop using the dishwasher and call us.

! Why to stop there

A restart does not show whether the pump itself or the circuit driving it is the problem.
Standing water can come from the pump or from a blockage, and we check both.
We write the price down before we begin, and our work is warranted for 30 days.

Opening a panel yourself does not automatically cancel a manufacturer warranty, but it can cause accidental damage, and some manufacturers set their own service conditions. Check your warranty terms, or ask us, before deciding.

→Same appliance

Other Dishwasher codes

SRSamsung Dishwasher Code SR: Water Not Draining Out 1E / IE (rotary models)Samsung Dishwasher Code 1E / IE on Rotary Models: Heater Overheating Blinking: Heavy (without Express 60) / NormalSamsung Dishwasher Heavy or Normal Light Blinking: Leak Detected Blinking: Normal, Delicate + Quick / Normal, Delicate + Smart Auto / Normal, Quick+ + Smart Auto / Smart Auto, Normal + DelicateSamsung Dishwasher Normal Light Trio Blinking: Supply Water Too Hot Blinking: Normal + HeavySamsung Dishwasher Normal and Heavy Lights Blinking: Thermistor Reading Blinking: Normal, Heavy + Express 60Samsung Dishwasher Normal, Heavy and Express 60 Blinking: Thermistor Short Blinking: Normal, Heavy + Quick / Normal, Heavy + Smart AutoSamsung Dishwasher Normal, Heavy and Quick Lights Blinking: Low Water LC / LESamsung Dishwasher Code LC / LE: Leak Detected

3C3C questions

Does 3C mean I need a new pump?

Not necessarily. The code says the pump is not operating correctly, which can come from the pump, its wiring, or something jamming it. We test before we recommend any part.

Is there water left in my dishwasher after 3C?

Often some. Do not run the cycle again repeatedly. Check the filter, then call us if the code keeps returning so we can look at why it will not clear.

Will turning it off and on help?

Sometimes a restart clears a one-time glitch. If 3C shows again on the next cycle, the pump circuit is the place we start. We then look at the wiring and the control output that drives the pump.

Book a visit

Still seeing 3C?

A technician diagnoses it on site and gives you the price in writing before any work starts.

(713) 561-5298