Samsung Dishwasher Error Code CL — What It Means & How to Fix It

What Does This Error Mean?

CL on your Samsung dishwasher simply means the Child Lock is active. This is not a fault or error — it's a feature. When Child Lock is on, the buttons are disabled so curious children can't change settings or open the door mid-cycle. Your dishwasher is working perfectly — you just need to deactivate the child lock. This takes about 3 seconds to fix.

Affected Models

Samsung DW80R9950UG
Samsung DW80R5061US
Samsung DW80K5050US
Samsung DW80J3020US
Most Samsung dishwashers 2014+

Common Causes

Child lock was intentionally activated and you forgot how to turn it off
A child or pet accidentally pressed the button combination that activates child lock
A power surge or reset accidentally triggered the child lock feature
Demo mode was activated which sometimes also enables child lock on some models
Multiple buttons pressed simultaneously during cleaning of the control panel

How to Fix It

Locate the Child Lock button on your dishwasher's control panel. On most Samsung models it is labeled with a padlock icon or the words 'Child Lock.' It is sometimes shared with another function button.

Not all models have a dedicated Child Lock button. Check your owner's manual if you can't find it.
Press and hold the Child Lock button for 3-5 seconds. The CL indicator should disappear from the display and the buttons should become responsive again.

Make sure to press and HOLD — a quick tap won't deactivate it. Hold until you hear a beep or see the CL indicator go out.
If holding the Child Lock button doesn't work, try holding the Delay Start button for 3-5 seconds on older Samsung models. Samsung has changed the child lock button assignment across different model generations.

On some models, the child lock combination involves holding two buttons at once. Your owner's manual will show the exact combination for your model.
If you can't find your owner's manual, search Samsung's website at samsung.com/us/support with your model number (found inside the door frame). The digital owner's manual will show the exact child lock procedure for your machine.

The model number sticker is usually located on the left side of the inner door frame — visible when the door is open.
As a last resort, perform a full factory reset. Unplug the dishwasher for 10 minutes, then restore power. On most models this clears all special modes including child lock. Some models may require holding a specific button combination during power-up — check the manual.

A factory reset will clear your custom cycle settings in addition to child lock. You'll need to reconfigure any saved preferences.

When to Call a Professional

CL does not require a technician — it's a built-in feature, not a fault. If you cannot deactivate child lock after trying the steps below, contact Samsung support at 1-800-726-7864. They can guide you through the exact button sequence for your specific model.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why won't my Samsung dishwasher start? It just shows CL.

When Child Lock is active, the dishwasher ignores all button presses — including the Start button. The machine isn't broken; it's intentionally locked. Deactivate the child lock by holding the Child Lock button (or Delay Start button) for 3-5 seconds. Once CL disappears from the display, all buttons will work normally.

Can I use my Samsung dishwasher with child lock on?

If child lock was activated before the cycle started, the dishwasher won't start at all. If it was activated during a running cycle, the cycle will continue to completion — the lock only prevents button input changes, not an already-running cycle. Once the cycle finishes, you'll need to deactivate child lock to start a new cycle.

How do I prevent child lock from being accidentally activated?

Unfortunately there's no way to disable the child lock feature entirely — it's built into the firmware. The best prevention is to be aware of what button combination activates it on your model. Knowing which buttons to avoid pressing simultaneously prevents accidental activation. Also, wiping down the control panel with a damp cloth (rather than pressing buttons firmly) during cleaning helps.