For the Samsung Washer families covered by the source set, **AE3** means **communication / electronic control error**. The first useful step is to preserve the exact characters and model number before power cycling the appliance. Samsung appliances monitor whether a function reaches an expected state within a certain sequence. When that check fails, the control can store or display a code even though the root cause may sit elsewhere in the same circuit. The recorded display form is **AE3**. Search normalization stores it as **AE3** 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:
Verified
Error codeAE3
ApplianceWasher
Quick answer
Communication / electronic control error.
Model compatibility: Samsung can reuse or reformat codes across series and model years, so AE3 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
For the Samsung Washer families covered by the source set, **AE3** means **communication / electronic control error**. The first useful step is to preserve the exact characters and model number before power cycling the appliance. Samsung appliances monitor whether a function reaches an expected state within a certain sequence. When that check fails, the control can store or display a code even though the root cause may sit elsewhere in the same circuit. The recorded display form is **AE3**. Search normalization stores it as **AE3** while preserving the characters a homeowner actually sees.
Signs
Symptoms you may notice
Depending on the exact model, the appliance can lose communication between control boards, display, inverter, or other electronic modules.
A symptom that fits AE3 is that controls can become unresponsive, a feature can stop, or the code may appear after power-up.
The AE3 display becomes more meaningful if intermittent operation can occur if a connection or power condition is unstable.
The AE3 display becomes more meaningful if aE3 appears during the washer stage associated with communication / electronic control error.
One clue that supports the AE3 diagnosis is that the cycle may pause, stop, retry, drain, or refuse to advance until the condition is cleared.
Why it happens
Possible causes
varies by model/region — cross-region baseline — Communication / electronic control error
Before you call
Safe checks you can make
These are simple, non-hazardous checks only. If anything is unclear, stop and contact a technician.
Before opening any service area, power the appliance off once using the documented method, then restore power and see whether the code returns.
Before requesting service for AE3, record whether the issue followed an outage, update, move, or service event.
The next non-invasive check is to do not reseat internal live connectors unless qualified to follow the exact service procedure.
The next non-invasive check is to record the code and the cycle stage where it appears.
To rule out an accessible cause, check owner-accessible water supply, drain hose/filter, load balance, door, detergent, or power only when relevant.
With AE3 recorded, power-cycle once only where Samsung's guidance recommends it; if the same code reappears, move to model-specific diagnosis.
Important safety warning. Disconnect power and stop use for active leakage near electrical parts, smoke, burning smell, or repeated breaker trips. If resolving AE3 would require energized internal access, that is the point to hand the diagnosis to a qualified technician.
Get help
When to request repair service
A returning communication/electronic-control code can require harness, connector, board power-supply, firmware, or module testing. If AE3 keeps returning, record the stage at which it reappears so the technician can test the communication / electronic control error path instead of replacing parts by guesswork.
Book your repair
Seeing this code on your Samsung appliance?
Book a specialist visit for a clear estimate and approval before any repair.
A single documented power reset can help after an external condition or power event is corrected. If **AE3** returns at the same stage, repeated resets only erase useful evidence and do not repair the cause.
That depends on the accompanying symptom. A code with no safety hazard may allow a short diagnostic check, but **AE3** should not be ignored if performance is deteriorating or the display keeps returning.
No. **AE3** 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 **Washer AE3** separate from same-looking codes used by other Samsung appliance families.
