The **HC** display on a Samsung dishwasher points to **high-temperature / heater error**. Treat it as a diagnostic direction rather than a parts order: operating conditions, wiring, sensors, actuators, and control electronics can overlap. A display code is evidence from the control system, not a component test result. That distinction matters because a connector, supply condition, obstruction, or feedback signal can mimic a failed component. The recorded display form is **HC**. Search normalization stores it as **HC** while preserving the characters a homeowner actually sees.
Reviewed by Ethan Mercer · Last reviewed August 17, 2026
Written by
Ethan Mercer Appliance Repair Content SpecialistPublished August 17, 2026Updated August 22, 2026Technically reviewed August 17, 2026
Content status:
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Error codeHC
ApplianceDishwasher
Quick answer
High-temperature / heater error.
Model compatibility: Samsung can reuse or reformat codes across series and model years, so HC may mean something different on another appliance or generation. Confirm this against your model’s documentation and record your full model number before acting.
Plain language
What this code means
The **HC** display on a Samsung dishwasher points to **high-temperature / heater error**. Treat it as a diagnostic direction rather than a parts order: operating conditions, wiring, sensors, actuators, and control electronics can overlap. A display code is evidence from the control system, not a component test result. That distinction matters because a connector, supply condition, obstruction, or feedback signal can mimic a failed component. The recorded display form is **HC**. Search normalization stores it as **HC** while preserving the characters a homeowner actually sees.
Signs
Symptoms you may notice
On affected Samsung dishwasher models, heating may be weak, absent, excessive, or stop unexpectedly.
When the HC condition is present, the appliance can pause when the control detects an unsafe or implausible temperature condition.
Depending on the exact model, drying, washing, cooking, or defrost performance can change depending on the appliance.
One clue that supports the HC diagnosis is that hC appears during the dishwasher function associated with high-temperature / heater error.
The HC display becomes more meaningful if the cycle can stop, drain, fail to fill/heat, or repeat a stage.
These are simple, non-hazardous checks only. If anything is unclear, stop and contact a technician.
With HC recorded, confirm the selected cycle or cooking mode is supposed to use heat.
A safe owner-level check is to check airflow, vents, filters, water supply, or door closure when those conditions affect temperature.
Before opening any service area, allow the appliance to cool before any owner-accessible inspection.
To rule out an accessible cause, do not open energized high-voltage or heating sections.
The next non-invasive check is to record the code before resetting.
For HC, start by doing this: check water supply, drain path/filter, door, detergent/suds, and visible leaks only when relevant.
Important safety warning. Stop use for active leakage near electrical parts, burning smell, or repeated breaker trips. Do not defeat leak or door-safety switches. If resolving HC would require energized internal access, that is the point to hand the diagnosis to a qualified technician.
Get help
When to request repair service
For HC, the service threshold is straightforward: A returning heating/over-temperature code after external checks requires model-specific testing of sensors, heaters/ignition, relays, wiring, airflow, or control electronics. Bring the exact model number and a photo of the display so the diagnosis stays tied to the documented Samsung code.
Book your repair
Seeing this code on your Samsung appliance?
Book a specialist visit for a clear estimate and approval before any repair.
One controlled restart is reasonable after correcting an obvious external issue. A recurring **HC** display should be treated as diagnostic evidence, not as a reason to keep rebooting the appliance.
That depends on the accompanying symptom. A code with no safety hazard may allow a short diagnostic check, but **HC** should not be ignored if performance is deteriorating or the display keeps returning.
No. **HC** tells you which condition or check the control detected. The same display can result from the named component, its wiring, a connector, a supply/airflow/water condition, or the control that reads it.
The same-looking code can be reused on another Samsung appliance family or reformatted by region/model year. Match the appliance type and exact model before applying a meaning. This page therefore keeps **Dishwasher HC** separate from same-looking codes used by other Samsung appliance families.
