hE1
Samsung Dishwasher
Severity: ModerateWhat Does This Error Mean?
The hE1 error on a Samsung dishwasher points to a problem with the drying heater or its temperature sensor. At the end of the wash cycle, the dishwasher uses a heating element to warm the air inside the tub, which evaporates moisture from your dishes. When the drying heater is not working — or the sensor monitoring it has failed — the machine shows hE1. Your dishes will come out wet, but the wash performance is not affected.
Affected Models
- DW80R9950UG
- DW80T9940US
- DW80T5550US
- DW80M9550US
- DW80K5050US
- Samsung dishwashers with condensation or fan-assisted drying
Common Causes
- The drying heating element has burned out and can no longer heat the air at the end of the cycle
- The high-limit thermostat on the drying heater has tripped, cutting power to the element as a safety measure
- The thermistor monitoring the drying heater temperature has failed and is reporting incorrect data
- A loose or corroded wiring connector to the drying heater has broken the circuit
- The control board has a fault and is not sending power to the drying heater at the correct time
How to Fix It
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Unplug the dishwasher and wait 2 minutes, then restore power. Run a full cycle with the heated dry option selected.
A power reset can clear a temporary control board fault. Make sure heated dry is actually selected — some Samsung models default to air-dry only.
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Check your cycle settings. Make sure you have selected a cycle with heated dry enabled, not air dry or eco-dry only.
Some energy-saving cycles bypass the drying heater entirely by design. hE1 should only appear on cycles that actually use the heating element.
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Open the door at the end of the cycle. If the inside of the tub is still steamy and warm, the wash heater is working — but the dry heater is not.
This confirms hE1 is specifically a drying phase problem and not a general heating fault.
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As a workaround until repaired, add a rinse aid to the dispenser if you have not already. Rinse aid dramatically reduces water spots and improves drying even without the heater active.
Rinse aid lowers the surface tension of water so it sheets off dishes instead of forming droplets that leave spots.
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If the error returns on every heated-dry cycle, schedule service with a Samsung-authorized technician. The drying element or its thermostat will need testing and likely replacement.
High-limit thermostat trips (where the safety switch has cut the heater) are sometimes resettable — a technician will check this before recommending a full element replacement.
When to Call a Professional
Drying heater replacement requires accessing components beneath the dishwasher tub — this is a technician repair. Drying heater replacement typically costs $100–$200 including parts and labor. A high-limit thermostat reset or replacement may be less expensive at $60–$120. Call Samsung support at 1-800-726-7864 to check if your appliance is still under warranty.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is hE1 on a dishwasher the same as hE2?
They are related but refer to different heating components. hE1 relates to the drying heater — the element that dries your dishes at the end of the cycle. hE2 typically refers to a steam generator fault on models with steam cleaning features. If your dishes come out wet but the washing performance is fine, hE1 is the more likely code.
My dishes come out wet — is that always hE1?
Not necessarily. Wet dishes can also be caused by: not using rinse aid, overloading the dishwasher (items touching block air flow), or using an eco cycle that skips heated drying. Check those factors first. hE1 is the cause only if the machine is actively showing that error code alongside the wet-dishes result.
Can I use the dishwasher normally while hE1 is showing?
Yes — the washing and rinsing functions are not affected by hE1. Your dishes will be cleaned normally. They just will not be dried by the heater. Practical workaround: open the door a crack at the end of the cycle and let steam escape — air drying works reasonably well for most dishes.