Samsung Washing Machine ddC Error
Also shown as: dC3 · DC3
What to check first
- Work out which ddC you have — opened-without-pausing, or not-detected-closed; the table below separates them.
- Opened it mid-cycle? Press the Add Door to close properly, then press and hold Start/Pause (Hold to Start) to resume (Samsung Singapore).
- Detection fault? Check the Add Door latch is securely fixed and nothing is caught in the Add Door (Samsung US).
ddC exists only on AddWash models — machines with a small second door, the Add Door, set into the main door so a forgotten item can be added mid-cycle. Samsung documents this code in two places with two different emphases, and both are real. Its US and Latin pages call it an Add Door error: the Add Door is not detected as closed and locked. Its Singapore and UK pages describe a usage message: the Add Door was opened without pressing Start/Pause first. Which one you have depends on what you just did — the table below separates them.
Do not confuse ddC with dC. dC is the main door (and, on some models, an unbalanced load). ddC is only ever the small Add Door.
Safety first
- The Add Door is designed for a paused machine — Samsung's own procedure is pause first, then open. Never force it against a turning drum or a hot, full tub.
- Do not wedge or tape the Add Door latch to bypass the code — the same rule as the main door. A door the machine cannot verify is a door it should not spin behind.
- Stop condition: stop using the machine and unplug it — and do not run it again until it has been checked — if you smell burning, see smoke, find damaged electrics (a scorched plug, a melted or cut cable), or water is leaking in quantity.
Common causes
Add Door opened without pressing Start/Pause
Samsung Singapore's wording: “This message appears when you open the Add Door without pressing Start/Pause (Hold to Start).” The UK page says the same. It is a usage message — the machine is telling you the pause step was skipped.
Add Door not detected as closed and locked
Samsung's US and Latin wording for ddC/dC3. The machine cannot verify the Add Door, so it reports the error even though the door may look shut.
Laundry or other items caught in the Add Door
On Samsung's US/Latin check list for this code: laundry or other items caught in the Add Door stop it closing and securing correctly.
Latch not securely fixed
The other item on Samsung's check list: the Add Door latch must be securely fixed for the door to be detected as closed and locked.
Step-by-step checks
- Work out which ddC you have (table below)If you have just opened the Add Door mid-cycle, it is Samsung's usage message. If the code appears at the start of a cycle, or with the Add Door untouched, treat it as the detection fault.
- Opened without pausing: close it properly, then hold Start/PauseSamsung Singapore's recovery: press the Add Door to close properly, then press and hold Start/Pause (Hold to Start) and try again.
- Adding laundry the documented waySamsung Singapore's procedure: open the Add Door and input laundry, close the Add Door properly, then press and hold Start/Pause (Hold to Start) to resume operation.
- Detection fault: check the Add Door latchSamsung's US/Latin checks: the latch is securely fixed, laundry or other items are not caught in the Add Door, and the Add Door is closed and secured correctly.
- DC3 on UK models: turn off and restartSamsung UK's instruction for DC3, its “Add door lock issue”, is to turn the machine off and restart the cycle.
When to call a technician
Samsung's US and Latin guidance ends this code plainly: if the code cannot be corrected, or if there is damage to the Add Door or latch, request service.
Damage is the dividing line. A bent Add Door or a broken latch will keep reporting ddC no matter how carefully it is closed — quote the code (ddC / dC3) when you book.
Model differences
| Your situation | What ddC means on your machine | Do this |
|---|---|---|
| You opened the Add Door during a cycle without pausing | Usage message — Samsung Singapore/UK: the Add Door opened without pressing Start/Pause. Not a broken part. | |
| Code shows at the start, or with the Add Door untouched | Detection fault — Samsung US/Latin: the Add Door is not detected as closed and locked. | |
| DC3 on a UK model | Samsung UK lists DC3 separately as an “Add door lock issue”. | |
| Your code is dC, not ddC | A different door: dC is the main door error (and an unbalanced-load error on some models). |
One-page checklist — ddC
- Decided which ddC this is (table above)
- Add Door pressed properly closed
- Start/Pause (Hold to Start) pressed and held to resume
- Latch securely fixed; nothing caught in the Add Door
- Damage to the Add Door or latch = service
Official Samsung references
Frequently asked questions
Is ddC the same as dC?
No. dC is the main door error (and an unbalanced-load error on some models). ddC — also shown as dC3 or DC3 — is only ever about the small Add Door set into the main door on AddWash models.
I opened the Add Door without pausing. Have I broken something?
Samsung's Singapore page treats it as a message, not damage, and gives the recovery: press the Add Door to close properly, then press and hold Start/Pause (Hold to Start) to try again.
What is dC3 / DC3?
The same Add Door error in its other display forms. Samsung's US and Latin pages list “ddC, dC3” together; its UK page lists DC3 as an “Add door lock issue” and advises turning the machine off and restarting the cycle.
The Add Door is shut, but ddC stays. What now?
Work through Samsung's checks: the latch securely fixed, nothing caught in the Add Door, and the door closed and secured correctly. If the code cannot be corrected — or there is damage to the Add Door or latch — Samsung's guidance is to request service.