Written by Daniel Reviewed by Angela

Samsung Dishwasher Normal Light Blinking? (here’s why & what to do)

If you own a Samsung dishwasher that doesn’t have a display screen to show any error codes, it will rely on a series of blinking lights to indicate any errors or faults. These appliances tend to last longer because there’s less to go wrong with lights than there is a LED display screen.

If your Samsung dishwasher is blinking lights it indicates there’s a problem. In this article we cover all of the combinations of flashing lights starting with the normal light. We will tell you what each light combination indicates and offer fixes for these issues to help you get your dishwasher running properly as soon as possible.

Table of Contents

What Do Blinking Lights Indicate On A Samsung Dishwasher?

The Samsung dishwasher blinking lights are indicators of various problems, faults or perceived faults detected by various sensors in the dishwasher. Below, we list all of the possible combinations of blinking lights you’re likely to find on your Samsung dishwasher beginning with “normal”.

Lights Blinking	Indicates
Normal Light Blinking	Too much moisture
Normal, Auto & Express 60 Lights Blinking	Button stuck
Normal & Auto Lights Blinking	Dishwasher too hot
Normal, Delicate & Quick Lights Blinking	Appliance too hot (higher than 80 C)
Normal & Delicate Lights Blinking	Stuck button
Normal, Heavy & Express 60 Lights Blinking	Thermistor possibly short circuited
Normal, Heavy & Quick Lights Blinking	Insufficient water in the dishwasher
Normal & Heavy Lights Blinking	Defective thermistor

Let’s have a closer look at each of these:

Normal Light Blinking

If the normal light is blinking or flashing it indicates that one (or more) of the internal sensors has detected too much moisture or water in an area where there shouldn’t be any.

The normal light will blink and the dishwasher will not turn off but continue to operate the drain function. This could be caused by;

Accidental spillage of water near a sensor
A water leak (inlet valve malfunction, hose leak)
Too much detergent used
Wrong type of detergent used (creating too many soap suds)
Blocked drain hose (clogged waste disposal, blocked air gap)
Blocked filter
Blocked drain pump

As you can see there are multiple possible causes of this issue and you will need to investigate each one to ascertain the cause and solution to this issue. If this seems too much for you, we recommend contacting Samsung Support.

Normal, Auto & Express 60 Lights Blinking

If all 3 of these lights are blinking simultaneously, it indicates that the dishwasher has detected a stuck button. The buttons on the dishwasher can become stuck by dirt, grease, grime or even liquids. Once the button or buttons become stuck you will see the 3 light combination blinking.

If your Samsung dishwasher doesn’t have the Express 60 & Auto options the same fault will be displayed by the normal & quick+ lights blinking.

You can often solve this by turning the dishwasher off and then pressing each button in turn a couple of times firmly to help break any stickiness that’s holding the button down.

In some cases, spraying the buttons with WD 40 or some rubbing alcohol can help to clear any dirt or grime. Once the buttons are free and unstuck, you should try to prevent this from happening again by only ever pressing the centre of the button.

As well as making sure that the area around the buttons is kept clean and dry at all times.

Normal & Auto Lights Blinking

This combination indicates that the dishwasher has become too hot. This is typically caused by the water entering the appliance being too hot or there’s a heating malfunction.

The first thing you should do is empty the dishwasher and then run a normal cycle whilst the dishwasher is empty. This can clear the system of any problems but if this doesn’t work, you’ll need to contact Samsung Support to help with this issue.

Normal, Delicate & Quick Lights Blinking

If your Samsung dishwasher is blinking these 3 lights, it indicates the water inside the appliance is too hot. This is not the same as the above error. This could be caused by the temperature in your appliance having been set to higher than 80 C (176 F).

If the temperature has been set below this figure and the lights are still flashing, it indicates there’s a problem with the water supply or the dishwasher. It could also be a sensor error but whatever the cause, we recommend contacting Samsung Support for advice and support.

If your appliance doesn’t have the quick option this same fault could be indicated by the following light flashing combinations;

Normal & Smart Auto
Normal, Smart Auto & Delicate

Normal & Delicate Lights Blinking

This combination also indicates a problem with a stuck button. This could be displayed instead of the Normal, Auto & Express 60 combination but indicates the same thing.

Sometimes this can be cleared by simply turning the dishwasher off and restarting it. However, if it persists, you may need to replace the button which is best left to a technician.

Normal, Heavy & Express 60 Lights Blinking

If you see this combination of lights flashing on your Samsung dishwasher, it indicates the problem with the thermistor. It could have short circuited which can sometimes be cleared by disconnecting the power supply for 10 to 15 minutes.

However, if the same combination of lights continues to flash, the thermistor is probably defective and will need to be replaced. We recommend contacting Samsung Support if your dishwasher is still under warranty or a technician of your choosing if not.

Normal, Heavy & Quick Lights Blinking

If you see these 3 lights flashing on your Samsung dishwasher, it indicates that there is not enough water in the dishwasher. There are several possible causes for this but the most likely is that you forgot to add detergent to the dispenser which has caused the appliance to run dry.

It could also be a sensor error which can be solved by restarting the appliance.

If your dishwasher doesn’t have the quick option, the same problem is indicated by the normal, heavy and smart auto lights flashing.

Normal & Heavy Lights Blinking

This combination indicates that the thermistor isn’t working properly. This is different to the normal, heavy & express 60 lights flashing which typically indicates that the thermistor has short circuited.

The normal and heavy lights flashing is a more generic error indicator that is often caused by a software error or the thermistor has actually become defective.

Due to the nature of this code, we recommend contacting Samsung Support to diagnose and fix this issue for you.

Samsung Support Contact Details

During the course of this article we have recommended contacting Samsung support for a number of faults. You can contact Samsung Support by following this link or by telephoning this number 0333 000 0333.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my Samsung dishwasher flashing normal and won t turn off?

If your Samsung dishwasher has the normal light flashing it indicates that it detects moisture in an area where there should be none. The dishwasher will continually try to drain to clear that moisture which is why it won’t turn off.

What do the flashing lights on my Samsung dishwasher mean?

On Samsung dishwashers that don’t have LED display screens all errors are communicated by a series of flashing lights. Each combination of flashing lights indicates a different fault or suspected fault. Consult your user manual for more information.

How do you reset a Samsung dishwasher?

You can reset a Samsung dishwasher by disconnecting the power supply for 10 to 15 minutes. After that time has passed, reconnect the power supply and the dishwasher should be reset.