Question 1

the third rack on top won't slide smoothly, it feels like it's catching or grinding on something.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The glide rails for the top (utensil) rack are probably clogged with hard water scale, food gunk, or a small piece of broken plastic from a utensil that's fallen into the track. FIX Remove the top rack by lifting it up and out. Look at the two plastic glide rails on the inside top of the tub. Wipe them clean with a damp cloth. Then, inspect the wheels on the sides of the rack itself. Spin each one and look for debris wrapped around the axles or cracks in the wheels. Clean them with an old toothbrush and some warm vinegar if there's scale buildup. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The rack might be slightly bent from overloading. Compare it to the shape of the glide rails—it should sit perfectly flat. If it's warped, you can sometimes gently bend it back by applying pressure in the opposite direction, but go slow; the plastic can snap. HEADS UP Don't force it or yank it out. You can derail the wheels from the track, which is a pain to reassemble. Also, don't lubricate the tracks with kitchen oil or spray lubricant—it'll attract more grime. If they need lubrication, use a tiny amount of food-grade silicone spray on a cloth, then wipe the rail, not the rack wheels.

Question 2

dishes are still wet and spotted at the end of the cycle, even with rinse aid full and using the sanitize or high temp option.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The heating element that dries the dishes at the end of the cycle (the "Dry" phase) might not be coming on, or you're using an eco/energy-saving cycle that skips the heated dry to save power. FIX First, check your cycle selection. Cycles like Eco or Delay Start (depending on settings) often use condensation drying only, which leaves dishes wetter. Run a Normal or Heavy cycle with the Heated Dry or Sanitize option selected—these force the heater to run. Also, ensure your rinse aid dispenser is actually dispensing; the little float in the dispenser door can get stuck. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If you're sure you're using a heated cycle and still get no heat, the heating element or its high-limit thermostat might have failed. You can sometimes check this by running a cycle, then carefully feeling the lower part of the door (where the vent is) near the end of the cycle when it should be in Dry mode—it should be very warm to the touch. If it's cold, the heating system has an issue. HEADS UP Plastic items will always be wetter than ceramic or glass—that's physics (they don't retain heat as well). For better drying of plastics, use the top rack only and make sure you're loading dishes so water can drain off them, not pool in cups or bowl bottoms.

Question 3

it's making a loud grinding or rattling noise during the wash cycle, sounds like it's coming from the bottom.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS Something hard—a piece of bone, glass, a pit, or even a loose screw—has gotten past the filter and is being tossed around by the wash arm or, worse, is stuck in the wash motor's circulation pump. FIX Immediately cancel the cycle and let everything settle. Unplug the machine. Remove the lower rack and the filter assembly. Use a flashlight and look all around the sump (the plastic basin at the bottom). Feel around with your hand for any foreign objects. Then, manually rotate the lower spray arm. Does it spin freely, or is it hitting something? Check the holes in the spray arm for blockages. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the noise persists after a thorough clean-out and with an empty tub, the circulation pump itself might have a damaged impeller or bearings. On these models, a failing pump can make a metallic grinding sound. That's a component-level repair that typically needs a technician. HEADS UP Seriously, scrape your plates. The "Linear Wash" filter is good, but it's not a garbage disposal. Hard debris is the number one cause of pump failure and these pumps are not cheap. If you hear a new, persistent noise, don't just run more cycles hoping it'll clear—you'll likely make the damage worse.

Question 4

the 'wi-fi' light just keeps blinking blue forever on my dw80r9950us, i can't get it to connect to my phone.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The dishwasher is stuck in pairing mode, usually because the initial setup via the SmartThings app got interrupted or your home network's settings are incompatible (like using WPA3-only security or a 5GHz-only band). FIX You need to do a hard reset of the Wi-Fi module. Press and hold the Wi-Fi button on the control panel for about 10 seconds until you hear a beep and the light turns off. This clears the old pairing data. Then, go through the setup in the SmartThings app from scratch. Make sure your phone is on your home's 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network during setup—the dishwasher doesn't connect to 5GHz. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK Check your router. If you have a combined network name (SSID) for 2.4GHz and 5GHz, some routers have trouble with IoT devices. Try temporarily creating a separate 2.4GHz network with a different name (like "Home-2G") and WPA2 security, then connect the dishwasher to that. Also, ensure your router isn't using MAC address filtering that's blocking the dishwasher. HEADS UP The connection process is finicky. Have your Wi-Fi password ready and do the setup close to the dishwasher. If your internet goes down or the router reboots, the dishwasher will usually reconnect automatically, but if it doesn't, you might have to repeat the reset process.

Question 5

my dishwasher door won't latch shut all of a sudden, it just bounces back open when i try to close it.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS The door latch mechanism is likely jammed with a small piece of debris (like a broken plastic fork tine or a seed) or the strike plate on the tub is misaligned. It's a physical blockage preventing the hook from engaging. FIX Unplug the dishwasher. Shine a flashlight into the latch receptacle on the front of the tub (the square hole where the door latch clicks into). Look for any foreign objects. Use needle-nose pliers or a toothpick to carefully remove anything you see. Next, inspect the actual latch hook on the door itself for damage or obstructions. Manually move the hook with your finger to see if it springs back freely. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK If the latch moves freely and the path is clear, the strike plate (the metal piece around the tub's latch hole) might be bent or out of alignment. You can slightly loosen its screws, tap it into better alignment with the door closed (but not latched), and then re-tighten. Be gentle—it's thin metal. HEADS UP Don't force the door closed. If you slam it hard enough to engage a jammed latch, you can break the plastic latch assembly or the door hinges, which is a much bigger repair. The machine is designed not to run if it doesn't sense a proper latch, so forcing it won't help anyway.

Question 6

the bottom of my samsung dishwasher is full of standing water after a cycle, it never seems to drain all the way.

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS Yeah, this one's common. The drain hose has a high loop that's probably missing or installed incorrectly, which can let sink water backflow into the machine. The other usual suspect is food debris clogging the filter assembly or the drain pump impeller. FIX Start with the simple stuff. Remove the lower rack and take out the filter assembly (twist and lift). Clean all the parts—the main filter, fine filter, and the plastic cup—under running water. Check the area in the sump where the filter sits for any chunks. While you're there, reach a finger into the drain opening (power off!) and feel for any obstruction in the impeller. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The drain hose routing is critical. It must have a high loop (secured to the underside of the countertop or the side of the sink cabinet) that rises above the level of the drain connection in the sink disposal or drain pipe. If it doesn't, siphonage will keep it from draining fully. Re-secure the hose to create that high loop. HEADS UP Never run a cycle with the filter out or incorrectly seated. It lets food debris straight into the pump and can kill it. Also, avoid using those solid detergent pods if you have persistent drainage issues; they can leave a gel-like residue that gums up the works.

Question 7

my samsung dw80r9950us just shows '3c' on the display and won't start a cycle, what does that mean?

Accepted Answer

DIAGNOSIS That's a water supply error. The dishwasher is trying to fill but isn't getting enough water fast enough, usually because the water inlet valve is clogged or the supply line is kinked/not fully open. FIX First, make sure the water supply valve under your sink (the one that feeds the dishwasher line) is turned on all the way. Then, pull the dishwasher out carefully and check the braided supply line for any kinks. If those are fine, the inlet valve screen is likely clogged with mineral deposits. You'll need to disconnect the power and water, remove the lower kick plate, find the valve (where the supply line connects), and clean the little filter screen inside the inlet port. IF THAT DIDN'T WORK The pressure switch (or flow meter, depending on the model year) that tells the board water is flowing might be faulty. If the water supply is definitely good and the valve screen is clean, that sensor could be the culprit and usually requires a pro to diagnose and replace. HEADS UP Don't just clear the code and restart it a bunch of times. If the valve is clogged, it can overheat the fill motor in the valve assembly trying to work against the blockage, which is a more expensive fix.

Samsung DW80R9950US Linear Wash Dishwasher

Other Dishwashers