4 sourced reports, with what to check before you buy. Each one links to the page it was reported on.
2 of these reports describe a fire, explosion or shock risk.
Costly or dangerous
Samsung DW80R5061US dishwasher fire recall (CPSC 23-180) — moisture intrusion into electrical connections
Safety risk
The CPSC recall 23-180 covers DW80R5061US (the model matching this subject). This is a critical safety issue: moisture intrusion can cause overheating and fire. The remedy is a free in-home repair (protective moisture barrier + firmware update).
What to check. If you own this model, verify your serial number against the CPSC recall and schedule the free repair immediately. Do not use the unit if you notice burning smells, heat, or discoloration.
Samsung DW80R5061US/AA dishwasher reportedly caught fire mid-cycle (Nov 2025); Samsung closed case with 'no defect found'
Safety risk
A law firm's report documents a real fire incident on this exact model (DW80R5061US/AA) in November 2025. Samsung's investigation took 24 days and closed with 'no defect found,' attributing the fire to dirty drain hose water dripping onto the circulation motor — an explanation the report says is physically unsupported.
What to check. This corroborates the recall's fire risk on this model. If you own one, treat any unusual heat, smell, or noise seriously and stop using the unit until it is inspected.
Samsung DW8-R5061US/AA stops rinsing after wash — pump pulses but does not pump water
An owner of this exact model reports the rinse cycle failing: the pump pulses audibly but moves no water. Cleaning filters and the chopper screen under the pump impeller did not fix it. A commenter suggests checking for a 5C error code via the service manual's inspection procedure.
What to check. If your unit stops rinsing, first clean all filter stages and the chopper screen; if that fails, run the diagnostic check-code recall to see whether a 5C error is stored before replacing the pump.
Samsung DW80 series common failures: not draining (~30%), door latch not engaging (~25%), leak sensor false alarm (~20%)
A repair technician's guide covering the DW80 platform (including DW80R5061US) ranks the most common service-call failures: drain problems at ~30%, door latch at ~25%, and leak sensor false alarms at ~20%. The guide states all five DW80 variants share one platform and parts catalog.
What to check. If you buy this model, expect the drain path to be the most likely failure point; check the drain hose and filter for blockages before calling a technician. Door latch and leak sensor issues are also common.
These reports come from the pages linked under each item: owner forums, repair guides and workshops. They are not a diagnosis of any one unit, and a careful check of the one you are buying still applies.
Text from the Kriko Dishwashers catalog, version 0.1.2, under the CC-BY-SA-4.0 license.
