Quick answer
The most common causes: loading that blocks the spray arms, clogged spray-arm nozzles, a dirty filter, or old or insufficient detergent. White film is usually hard water with too little rinse aid or salt. If you can’t hear spraying, or the water is cold, the pump or heater needs checking.
Overview
A dishwasher relies on hot water sprayed hard from rotating arms, with detergent released at the right time. Any problem with distribution, temperature or detergent shows straight away on the dishes.
Water across much of Jordan is fairly hard, making white film on glassware common — controllable with salt and rinse aid on models that support them.
Likely causes
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1
Incorrect loading
Large trays and pots can stop a spray arm turning or shield other dishes; overloading stops water reaching every surface.
Related parts: Spray arms
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2
Clogged spray-arm nozzles
Rice grains and limescale block the small nozzles, weakening spray in certain areas.
Related parts: Spray arms
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3
Dirty filter
A clogged filter reduces water reaching the pump, lowering pressure and redepositing food on dishes.
Related parts: Dishwasher filter
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4
Wrong detergent or dispenser not opening
Damp, clumped or too little detergent — or a dispenser blocked by a plate.
Related parts: Detergent & rinse-aid dispenser
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5
White film and spots on glass
Usually hard water with too little rinse aid or softener salt (if your model has it), or too much detergent.
Related parts: Detergent & rinse-aid dispenser
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6
Cold water or low pressure
A failed heater, a weak circulation pump or too little water entering all weaken cleaning.
Related parts: Heating elementCirculation (wash) pumpWater inlet valve
Safe checks before calling a technician
Unplug the dishwasher before any check, and close its tap if there is a leak. Wear gloves when checking the sump in case of broken glass, and don’t open the side or bottom panels.
- Load dishes facing the centre and keep large items away from the dispenser and arms.
- Spin the spray arms by hand before starting to check they don’t hit anything.
- Remove the spray arms (per your manual) and clear the nozzles with a thin wooden stick under water.
- Clean the bottom filter thoroughly.
- Use dry, fresh detergent in the right dose, and fill the rinse aid.
- Pick a programme suited to the soil level; quick programmes are for lightly soiled loads only.
Parts involved
Spray arms
Rotating arms with small nozzles that spray the dishes; blocked nozzles or collisions weaken cleaning.
Dishwasher filter
A filter assembly in the tub floor that catches food debris before it reaches the pumps; needs regular cleaning.
Circulation (wash) pump
Drives water at pressure to the spray arms during washing; weakness means dirty dishes.
Detergent & rinse-aid dispenser
Holds detergent and releases it at the right time, and doses rinse aid in the final rinse.
Heating element
Heats wash and final-rinse water, and helps drying on many models.
Water inlet valve
An electric valve that opens to let in the right amount of water at each stage.
When should you call a technician?
- You can’t hear water spraying during the cycle.
- Dishes are cold at the end of the programme.
- 3C, PC or HE appears.
- The problem persists after cleaning the filter and arms and fixing the loading.
Need a Samsung repair technician?
Send us the model, the error code and a description of the fault — or book a technician visit in Amman, Zarqa, Salt, Madaba or Sahab.
Related error codes
Frequently asked questions
Why is there a white film on my glasses?
Usually hard water and too little rinse aid or salt, sometimes too much detergent. Adjust per your manual.
Are tablets better than powder?
Both work well if dry, fresh and suited to the programme. Tablets may not fully dissolve on very short programmes.
Can I use hand dish-washing liquid in the dishwasher?
Never — it creates heavy foam that can leak out and trigger a leak code, and it doesn’t clean properly.