Samsung Washing Machine 4C Error
Also shown as: 4E · E1 · nF
Your Samsung washing machine has stopped because it cannot get the water it needs. Samsung groups 4C with 4E and E1, and in its Caribbean/Latin guidance with nF — they are the same fault shown differently on different models: water is not entering the washer correctly. In most cases this is a supply problem you can check yourself, not a failed part.
One thing to know first: after 4C appears, Samsung notes that all buttons are disabled for about 3 minutes. That lockout is normal — it is not a second fault.
Safety first
- Turn both water taps off before disconnecting any hose — a supply hose under pressure can spray and flood.
- Unplug the machine before reaching behind it to the inlet connections.
- If a tap or hose is frozen, let it thaw on its own; do not force fittings.
Common causes
A tap is closed or only partly open
Samsung's first check on its information-codes page: make sure the water taps are open — and, in its Latin guidance, opened completely and left open while the washer runs.
Blocked or kinked supply hoses
Hoses that are bent, kinked or clogged starve the machine of water.
Clogged inlet mesh filters
Debris in the water supply is caught by small mesh filters inside the washer's inlet connections. Enough build-up blocks water from entering at all.
Hot and cold connected incorrectly — or hot not connected at all
Samsung is explicit: if you do not connect the hot water line, you can get this error when the washer tries to use hot water — which can happen even on cycles labelled Cold.
Insufficient water pressure or a frozen tap
Both are on Samsung's own checklist for this code.
Drain hose pushed too far into the drain pipe
Samsung's fill-error guidance includes the drain side: the drain hose should not be inserted more than 6 inches into the drain pipe.
Step-by-step checks
- Open both taps fullyTurn the hot and cold supply taps fully on and leave them open while the washer runs.
- Straighten the supply hosesFollow each hose from tap to machine. Remove kinks and sharp bends, and check the hose is not clogged.
- Confirm hot goes to hot and cold goes to coldCheck the connections at the back of the washer. The hot line must be connected even if you only ever wash in cold water — Samsung warns the error can appear on Cold-labelled cycles if it is missing.
- Do not use Flood Safe hosesSamsung's guidance for this error specifically says not to use Flood Safe hoses, which can restrict the flow the machine expects.
- Check the drain hose depthMake sure the drain hose is inserted no more than 6 inches into the drain pipe and is not kinked.
- Clean the inlet mesh filtersTurn the water supply valves off, disconnect the hoses from the back of the washer, and look inside the washer's connections. If debris has built up on the filters, carefully remove the filters, clean them, refit them, reconnect the hoses and turn the valves fully on again.
- Reset the way Samsung specifies for this codeUnplug the washer — or switch off its circuit breaker — for 1 minute. Restore power and run a cycle. (Samsung publishes different wait times for different code families; for this fill error its figure is 1 minute, and that is the figure we use.)
When to call a technician
If 4C returns after the taps, hoses, connections and filters have all been checked and cleaned, Samsung's guidance is to request service — the fault is then inside the machine (for example the inlet valve) rather than in your plumbing.
Call sooner if you find a leaking hose connection, a damaged tap, or water damage behind the machine — those are plumbing problems, not washer settings.
Model differences
| What you see | What it is |
|---|---|
| 4C | The current display form of this fault on most models. |
| 4E or E1 | The same "water is not supplied" fault on older/other models — Samsung lists 4C, 4E and E1 together. |
| nF (and 1 4C) | "Not filling" — the name used in Samsung's Latin/Caribbean guidance for the same error. |
| Buttons do nothing for ~3 minutes | Normal. Samsung states all buttons are disabled for 3 minutes after this code appears. |
One-page checklist — 4C
- Both taps fully open
- Supply hoses straight, unkinked, unclogged
- Hot connected to hot, cold to cold
- Hot line connected (even for cold washes)
- No Flood Safe hoses fitted
- Drain hose in no more than 6 inches
- Inlet mesh filters cleaned
- Power off 1 minute, then run a test cycle
Official Samsung references
Frequently asked questions
Is 4C the same fault as 4E?
Yes. Samsung lists 4C, 4E and E1 as one entry — "water is not supplied" — and its Latin guidance adds nF ("not filling") to the same group. The display differs by model; the checks are the same.
Why did 4C appear on a cold wash?
Because the hot line matters even then. Samsung warns that if the hot water line is not connected, the error can occur when the washer attempts to use hot water — which may happen even on cycles labelled Cold.
The buttons stopped working after 4C appeared. Is it broken?
No. Samsung states that all buttons are disabled for 3 minutes after this information code appears. Wait out the lockout, then run the checks.
How far should the drain hose go into the drain pipe?
No more than 6 inches, per Samsung's guidance for this error.
I cleaned everything and 4C is still there. What now?
Samsung's instruction at that point is to request service. The supply side has been eliminated, so the cause is internal.