Samsung washing machine error 6E (bE)
Error 6E (also known as bE) occurs quite frequently in Samsung washing machines. It can occur at the very beginning, in the middle, or even sometimes at the end of a wash cycle. The machine suddenly stops working, freezes, and the display shows "6E." What does this code mean, what malfunction causes it, and how can it be fixed? We'll discuss all of this in this article.
Let's decipher the code
This code can be briefly deciphered as a heating element error. But what does the phrase "heating element error" mean? What does it actually mean? It covers two malfunctions. The first is related directly to the heating element, when the heating element burns out completely and requires replacement. The second is related to problems with the heating element's power supply, when its contact burns out or the wiring breaks. In both cases, the heating element stops functioning, and the self-diagnostic system reacts to this in the manner described above.
Important! If you have a Samsung washing machine manufactured before 2007, you may see the code bE on the display instead of 6E – these mean the same thing.
How to get to the heating element?
Before deciding whether to replace the heating element or repair the contacts and wiring, you need to determine what exactly is broken. It's impossible to do this without disassembling the Samsung washing machine. So, there's only one option: get to the heating element and see what's wrong. Here's what to do.
- Remove the detergent drawer and then drain the water from the drum through the special hose located near the waste filter. If your Samsung machine displays error 6E before the drum has filled with water or the washer has drained, you can skip this step.
- We dismantle the top cover of the Samsung washing machine.
- Remove the screws located to the right and left of the powder compartment, as well as one screw located on the right side of the control panel.
- We pry the control panel up with a flat-head screwdriver and slide it upward. There's no need to remove the panel at all, as it has a substantial bundle of wires running to it, and removing them and then replacing them is unnecessary work.
- Now let's move on to the hatch seal. It needs to be removed. It's not difficult, but if you're having trouble, read the article. How to remove a washing machine door seal.
- There's a narrow decorative panel at the base of the washing machine's front housing. It's attached with clips. To remove these clips, use a flat-head screwdriver to pry them open, then remove the panel.
- Under the lower ledge of the front panel of the Samsung washing machine we find 4 bolts and unscrew them.
- There are a few more screws above the top lip of the front panel that need to be removed.
- Disconnect the wiring from the sunroof locking device. There is no need to remove the device itself.
- We take hold of the front wall with both hands, lift it up slightly, remove it and put it aside.
Well, we can see the heating element right under the Samsung washing machine's hatch, protruding from the front wall of the drum. More precisely, we don't see the entire heating element, but only a small part: the contacts, the rubber seal, the base of the housing, and the mounting element, but that's already very good.
Replacing the washing machine heater
Well, let's grab a multimeter and check the resistance of the heating element contacts. If the resistance reading is 25-30 ohms, the element is likely working properly. If the display shows a zero or a one, the part needs to be replaced. If the heating element is working properly, carefully inspect the contacts and the wiring supplying the element; there's bound to be something wrong.
A burnt contact or wiring can be seen even without checking them with a multimeter.
If the heater is faulty, you need to replace it, but first, let's remove the faulty part. This is easy:
- unscrew the central nut, which is located between the heating element contacts;
- very carefully, grab the pin with pliers and swing the heating element from side to side;
- We apply a light blow to the hairpin with pliers, the heating element should move slightly inward;
- Using the same flat-head screwdriver, we remove the heating element.
Now let's inspect the burnt-out heating element. A faulty washing machine heating element typically becomes coated with a large amount of scale and other debris. If you have a ceramic heating element in your car, this is the worst thing. Do not buy exactly the same heating element under any circumstances; it is better to look for a metal equivalent, since heaters with a ceramic coating have proven to be very poor.
We find and buy a standard metal heating element for a Samsung washing machine, sand the mounting surface, insert the new element into the hole, and screw it in place. Then we attach it to the wiring contacts, assemble the washing machine, install it, and test it for functionality.
To summarize, error 6E on a Samsung washing machine almost always indicates a moderate breakdown. So don't delay, carefully read our article, and get to work repairing your "home helper." Don't put it off, otherwise your machine won't wash. Good luck!
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The video was poorly filmed. All you can see is the back of her head.
Good article. Thank you!
It took me a while to get it done, but I got it done. Thank you.
Well explained. Thank you!
In our car, the heating element was in the back! It's even simpler there.
Error 6e. Worked for 12 years. It would give this error whenever I launched any program. I changed the motor brushes. And that was it. It worked. Maybe this info will be useful to someone.
I also solved this problem by replacing the brushes. It's a shame I read this comment afterward.
For me, it was the brushes too. It's easy to check. Put the washer on spin. If the error message pops up but the drum still doesn't spin, turn it off, spin the drum a bit, and then put it on spin again. It will likely spin for a while before the error message appears. Then it's 100% the brushes.
The spin cycle works fine. The error only appears when the wash cycle starts. It runs for 15 minutes, then stops and displays error code 6E.
Good afternoon. I'm setting it to delicates—it shows 6e. Does it work if I use quick cycle or rinse and spin? Is it the brush or the heating element, what do you think? Thank you!