Seeing **HE** on a Samsung washing machine narrows the problem to **water-temperature / heating-system error**. What you do next depends on whether the code is an issue, a normal status/test message, or a model-dependent interpretation. Samsung uses overlapping code conventions across model years and regions. This page keeps the appliance context attached to the code so a same-looking string from another product family is not misapplied. The recorded display form is **HE**. Search normalization stores it as **HE** 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 codeHE
ApplianceWasher
Quick answer
Water-temperature / heating-system error.
Model compatibility: Samsung can reuse or reformat codes across series and model years, so HE 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 **HE** on a Samsung washing machine narrows the problem to **water-temperature / heating-system error**. What you do next depends on whether the code is an issue, a normal status/test message, or a model-dependent interpretation. Samsung uses overlapping code conventions across model years and regions. This page keeps the appliance context attached to the code so a same-looking string from another product family is not misapplied. The recorded display form is **HE**. Search normalization stores it as **HE** while preserving the characters a homeowner actually sees.
Signs
Symptoms you may notice
While HE is active, heating may be weak, absent, excessive, or stop unexpectedly.
When the HE condition is present, the appliance can pause when the control detects an unsafe or implausible temperature condition.
HE can be accompanied by this pattern: drying, washing, cooking, or defrost performance may change depending on the appliance.
On affected Samsung washing machine models, hE appears during the washer stage associated with water-temperature / heating-system error.
One clue that supports the HE diagnosis is that 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.
As an external check for HE, 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.
For HE, start by doing this: allow the appliance to cool before any owner-accessible inspection.
With HE recorded, do not open energized high-voltage or heating sections.
To rule out an accessible cause, record the code and the cycle stage where it appears.
With HE recorded, verify owner-accessible water supply, drain hose/filter, load balance, door, detergent, or power only when relevant.
Important safety warning. Disconnect power and stop use for active leakage near electrical parts, smoke, burning smell, or repeated breaker trips. For HE, stop troubleshooting immediately if the symptom crosses into a safety hazard rather than a normal diagnostic condition.
Get help
When to request repair service
If the owner-accessible checks do not clear HE, A returning heating/over-temperature code after external checks requires model-specific testing of sensors, heaters/ignition, relays, wiring, airflow, or control electronics. The repair should confirm the monitored function and its feedback before any board or component is condemned.
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 **HE** comes back, preserve the code and move to the safe checks or model-specific service path.
Short owner-accessible checks may be reasonable when the appliance is safe. Persistent **HE**, worsening performance, or any electrical/water/heat hazard is a reason to stop use.
Treat **HE** as a starting point, not a replacement instruction. Wiring, feedback signals, operating conditions, and electronic controls can mimic a failed component.
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 HE** separate from same-looking codes used by other Samsung appliance families.
