If a Samsung washing machine shows **tC**, the verified Samsung meaning in this research set is **temperature sensor error**. Use the code to narrow the diagnosis, then confirm the exact model because code scope can change by product generation or region. The exact stage when the code appears can be as important as the characters themselves. Note whether it happens at startup, during fill, heating, cooling, draining, spinning, drying, or after a power event. The recorded display form is **tC**. Search normalization stores it as **TC** 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 codeTC
ApplianceWasher
Quick answer
Temperature sensor error.
Model compatibility: Samsung can reuse or reformat codes across series and model years, so TC 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
If a Samsung washing machine shows **tC**, the verified Samsung meaning in this research set is **temperature sensor error**. Use the code to narrow the diagnosis, then confirm the exact model because code scope can change by product generation or region. The exact stage when the code appears can be as important as the characters themselves. Note whether it happens at startup, during fill, heating, cooling, draining, spinning, drying, or after a power event. The recorded display form is **tC**. Search normalization stores it as **TC** while preserving the characters a homeowner actually sees.
Signs
Symptoms you may notice
When the tC condition is present, the control can stop or limit operation because a temperature reading is missing or implausible.
tC can be accompanied by this pattern: heating, cooling, drying, or defrost behavior can become inconsistent.
The tC display becomes more meaningful if the display can return at a similar stage each time the affected sensor is checked.
On affected Samsung washing machine models, tC appears during the washer stage associated with temperature sensor error.
Depending on the exact model, 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 — Temperature sensor 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.
A safe owner-level check is to record when the code appears and whether the appliance had just heated, cooled, or defrosted.
For tC, start by doing this: confirm vents, doors, filters, and ambient conditions are normal where they affect the sensor reading.
The next non-invasive check is to use the exact model manual before assuming the sensor itself is defective.
With tC recorded, record the code and the cycle stage where it appears.
Before opening any service area, check owner-accessible water supply, drain hose/filter, load balance, door, detergent, or power only when relevant.
Before requesting service for tC, power-cycle once only where Samsung's guidance recommends it; if the same code returns, 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. For tC, 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 tC, Persistent temperature-sensor codes usually require resistance/connection checks at the sensor, harness, and control—work best done with the model-specific service procedure. 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.
You can try the one reset Samsung documents for the model, but **tC** returning afterward means the condition still exists. Note the operating stage instead of cycling power repeatedly.
Short owner-accessible checks may be reasonable when the appliance is safe. Persistent **tC**, worsening performance, or any electrical/water/heat hazard is a reason to stop use.
Not automatically. Samsung error codes are diagnostic indicators, not part numbers. Confirm the circuit around **tC** 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 tC** separate from same-looking codes used by other Samsung appliance families.