Seeing **bE3** on a Samsung washing machine narrows the problem to **button / control-panel input error**. What you do next depends on whether the code is an issue, a normal status/test message, or a model-dependent interpretation. 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 **bE3**. Search normalization stores it as **BE3** 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 codeBE3
ApplianceWasher
Quick answer
Button / control-panel input error.
Model compatibility: Samsung can reuse or reformat codes across series and model years, so BE3 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
Seeing **bE3** on a Samsung washing machine narrows the problem to **button / control-panel input error**. What you do next depends on whether the code is an issue, a normal status/test message, or a model-dependent interpretation. 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 **bE3**. Search normalization stores it as **BE3** while preserving the characters a homeowner actually sees.
Signs
Symptoms you may notice
The bE3 display becomes more meaningful if one or more controls may not respond as expected or may appear held down.
bE3 can be accompanied by this pattern: the appliance can beep, cancel, or refuse to start while the input is detected.
A symptom that fits bE3 is that the code can return immediately when the control panel self-check runs.
One clue that supports the bE3 diagnosis is that bE3 appears during the washer stage associated with button / control-panel input error.
The bE3 display becomes more meaningful if the cycle may pause, stop, retry, drain, or refuse to advance until the condition is cleared.
These are simple, non-hazardous checks only. If anything is unclear, stop and contact a technician.
The next non-invasive check is to make sure no object, moisture, cleaner residue, or protective film is pressing the control.
For bE3, start by doing this: dry and clean the exterior control surface without flooding it.
Before requesting service for bE3, try the documented Control Lock/Child Lock procedure if relevant.
To rule out an accessible cause, do not open the panel to bypass a stuck key.
The next non-invasive check is to record the code and the cycle stage where it appears.
The next non-invasive check is to verify owner-accessible water supply, drain hose/filter, load balance, door, detergent, or power only when relevant.
Important safety warning. Safety takes priority over clearing bE3. 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 the control is clean and unobstructed but the input code returns, the keypad, harness, or control board may require diagnosis. A repeatable bE3 event is more useful diagnostically than repeated resets, because it shows when the button / control-panel input 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.
You can try the one reset Samsung documents for the model, but **bE3** returning afterward means the condition still exists. Note the operating stage instead of cycling power repeatedly.
Continue only if the appliance is otherwise safe and the owner-level checks are appropriate. Stop for leakage near electrical parts, smoke, burning odor, arcing, gas concerns, repeated breaker trips, uncontrolled heating, or unsafe temperatures.
Not automatically. Samsung error codes are diagnostic indicators, not part numbers. Confirm the circuit around **bE3** 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 bE3** separate from same-looking codes used by other Samsung appliance families.
