Dishwashers: Won't drain

A common misdiagnosis: HC (heater error) can occur even with a perfectly good heater. If the pressure switch detects low water level during the heater operation step, a safety program activates and the heater doesn't operate. Water temperature doesn't rise, triggering HC. Always check drain hose installation and water level before replacing the heater.

The 5C drain error uses a progressive retry system: the drain pump check code occurs, followed by an 11-occurrence check, 5-minute pauses, and 3 retry conditions. It only displays 5C1 through 5C5 after exhausting retries. During the retry period, the display shows 'pause'. This means a drain issue might not show an error code immediately — the dishwasher will keep trying for a while.

When removing the water inlet valve hose clamp, hold it tightly. The clamp is under tension and if released, it can become a projectile and cause injury. Also, residual water will be in the valve and connecting hose — lay a towel on the floor.

The DW80F800UWS '01' version and DW80F600UTS '01' version (check the Label Rating sticker) have different error behavior: no 9E (low water) error code and no 5E (drain) error code on these versions. The over-level water error (oE) also checks drain error causes on these versions.