The **1 1C** display on a Samsung washing machine points to **low-water-level or leak-detection 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 **1 1C**. Search normalization stores it as **11C** 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 code11C
ApplianceWasher
Quick answer
Low-water-level or leak-detection error.
Model compatibility: Samsung can reuse or reformat codes across series and model years, so 11C 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 **1 1C** display on a Samsung washing machine points to **low-water-level or leak-detection 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 **1 1C**. Search normalization stores it as **11C** while preserving the characters a homeowner actually sees.
Signs
Symptoms you may notice
The 1 1C display becomes more meaningful if the appliance can receive too little water or fail to confirm the expected water level.
1 1C can be accompanied by this pattern: the code often appears near the beginning of a fill stage.
Depending on the exact model, water may enter slowly, intermittently, or not at all.
A symptom that fits 1 1C is that 1 1C appears during the washer stage associated with low-water-level or leak-detection error.
When the 1 1C condition is present, 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 — Low-water-level or leak-detection 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.
The next non-invasive check is to confirm the household water supply valve is fully open where the appliance uses one.
For 1 1C, start by doing this: check accessible supply hoses for kinks and clean inlet screens only as described by Samsung.
Before opening any service area, check whether water actually enters before the code appears.
Before requesting service for 1 1C, verify hot/cold hose routing and water pressure when relevant to the exact appliance.
A safe owner-level check is to record the code and the cycle stage where it appears.
Before opening any service area, verify owner-accessible water supply, drain hose/filter, load balance, door, detergent, or power only when relevant.
Important safety warning. When working around a washing machine that shows 1 1C, keep the checks external and non-invasive. Disconnect power and stop use for active leakage near electrical parts, smoke, burning smell, or repeated breaker trips.
Get help
When to request repair service
If supply flow is proven good and the display returns, inlet valves, flow/level sensing, wiring, or control electronics may require diagnosis. A repeatable 1 1C event is more useful diagnostically than repeated resets, because it shows when the low-water-level or leak-detection error check is failing.
Book your repair
Seeing this code on your Samsung appliance?
Book a specialist visit for a clear estimate and approval before any repair.
Resetting can clear a temporary state, not a persistent issue. If **1 1C** comes back, preserve the code and move to the safe checks or model-specific service path.
Do not keep operating the appliance through a hazardous symptom just to see whether **1 1C** clears. If there is heat, water, electrical, gas, or food-safety risk, stop and arrange diagnosis.
Not automatically. Samsung error codes are diagnostic indicators, not part numbers. Confirm the circuit around **1 1C** before replacing anything.
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 1 1C** separate from same-looking codes used by other Samsung appliance families.
