Samsung HE: Heating Error
Medium severity
HE on a Samsung dishwasher shows up when the machine can't confirm the water inside is reaching the temperature the cycle called for, which can mean the heater or the sensor watching it.
Applies to: Most Samsung DW-series dishwashers with digital displays
What it means
Samsung describes HE as an incorrect-temperature-detection fault, which covers two different failure points that look identical from the display. The dishwasher's internal temperature is being detected incorrectly, or the heater isn't reaching the expected temperature during the cycle.
Either way, the practical effect is the same: wash and rinse water is what actually breaks down grease and dried-on food, and heat is also what drives the dry cycle by evaporating the moisture left on dishes. When the control board can't confirm the water got hot enough, or can't trust the number the sensor is reporting, it stops rather than run a cycle that looks complete but leaves dishes greasy, spotted, or still wet.
Common causes
- A failing heating element
- A faulty temperature sensor/thermistor feeding bad readings to the control board
- Wiring or connector issues between the heater and the control board
What you can check yourself
- Empty the dishwasher and run a normal cycle to see if the code is a one-time glitch
- Power-cycle at the breaker for a minute before restarting
- Descale the interior if you have hard water, since heavy limescale buildup can affect the heater and sensor
Call a professional when
Heater and sensor issues involve mains-voltage components inside the tub, so if the reset doesn't clear it, this is a job for a licensed appliance technician.
Related
- Samsung dishwasher codes — full list of Samsung fault codes
- Samsung tE — temperature sensor fault, closely related to HE
- Samsung 1E / IE — on rotary-arm models, an overheating variant of the same family
- Dishwasher Not Heating, Drying, or Sanitizing — symptom guide across brands