Samsung Dishwasher Error Code LE — Leaking Water Detected

What Does This Error Mean?

The LE error means your Samsung dishwasher has detected water leaking into the base tray at the bottom of the machine. A float switch in the drip tray triggers this code when water accumulates there. The dishwasher stops immediately to prevent flooding your kitchen floor. This could be a minor issue like an oversudsing problem, or something more serious like a cracked hose or failed pump seal. Don't restart the machine until you find and fix the source of the leak.

Affected Models

DW80R9950UG
DW80R5061US
DW80K5050US
DW80J3020US
Most Samsung built-in dishwashers with leak sensor

Common Causes

Using regular dish soap instead of dishwasher detergent, causing excessive suds that overflow into the base tray
Leaking door gasket or door seal that allows water to drip down into the base during a cycle
Cracked or loose hose connection (fill hose, drain hose, or internal spray arm hose)
Failed water inlet valve that drips when the dishwasher is off, slowly filling the base tray
Cracked or damaged tub — less common but possible on older machines or after impact damage

How to Fix It

Do not restart the dishwasher yet. First, pull the dishwasher forward to access the front bottom. Open or remove the kick plate at the very bottom. Look inside with a flashlight — you should see a plastic drip tray. Use towels or a sponge to remove any standing water from the tray.

The LE code will continue showing until the float switch in the tray drops back down, which won't happen until the tray is dry.
Check what detergent you're using. If anyone used regular hand dish soap, laundry detergent, or too much dishwasher detergent, excessive suds can overflow into the base. Run a rinse-only cycle with no detergent, then dry the tray. Switch to the correct amount of dishwasher-specific detergent.

Even a tiny amount of regular dish soap causes massive suds in a dishwasher. One tablespoon can fill the machine with foam.
Inspect the door gasket by running your finger around the entire rubber seal. Look for cracks, tears, or sections that have pulled away from the door. Close the door on a piece of paper — if you can pull the paper out easily, the seal isn't tight enough there.

Replacement door gaskets are model-specific. Search your model number plus 'door seal' on appliance parts sites.
Check all hose connections you can see — the fill hose entering from under the sink, and the drain hose connecting to the drain. Look for any dampness, mineral staining, or cracks near the fittings. Tighten any loose clamps.

Turn off the water supply under the sink before inspecting hose connections.
If the tray fills again after running a test cycle, trace the source while the cycle is running. Use a flashlight to look inside the base area during the fill cycle. The origin of the drip will become visible. Once identified, either repair the part yourself or call a technician.

A mini waterproof camera or phone placed in the base can help you see exactly where the drip originates during a cycle.

When to Call a Professional

If you find a cracked tub, a failed pump seal, or a damaged water inlet valve, this is a job for a technician. Those repairs involve disassembling the dishwasher interior and working with water supply connections. Expect $150-$350 for leak repairs depending on the source. A cracked tub is often not worth repairing on an older machine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the LE error dangerous? Will my floor flood?

The LE error is actually a good thing — it means the leak detection system worked and stopped the machine. Without it, water would run onto your floor. There is water in the base tray, but the floor flood was prevented. Act promptly, but don't panic — the machine caught the problem early.

I dried the tray but the LE error keeps coming back. Why?

The leak hasn't been fixed — the tray is just filling up again when you run the machine. You need to find the source, not just keep drying the tray. Common repeat offenders are a dripping water inlet valve (which drips even when off) and a slowly weeping hose connection.

Can I reset the LE error by unplugging the dishwasher?

Unplugging will clear the code from the display, but it won't dry the drip tray or fix the leak. The float switch will immediately re-trigger LE as soon as water reaches it again. Dry the tray first, then fix the source of the leak — only then will a reset stick.