How a Bosch reports a fault
Bosch dishwashers report faults as an E followed by two digits, such as E15 or E24. Newer boards also use four-digit versions, like E3100 or E6103, with the same meanings in finer detail. Models with a front display show the code there; on models with controls along the top of the door, it appears on that top-edge display, and a few models flash a combination of indicator lights instead. A code is the control board telling you which circuit or sensor it stopped trusting. It does not name the failed part. E25 looks the same on the display whether a cherry pit is wedged under the pump cover or the motor itself has died. Our technicians treat the code as a clue and let a meter decide what gets ordered.
Most Bosch calls our team takes in Olympia, Lacey and Tumwater involve E24, E25 or E15. Scale seldom matters on Olympia’s soft city supply. In town the trouble tends to be too much detergent: it foams, spills over into the base and lifts the leak float. Private wells around Black Lake and Littlerock carry iron and fine sediment that clog the inlet screen, so E16, E17 and E18 fill faults show up out there. Connect a Bosch to a brand-new disposal in a Hawks Prairie or Tumwater Hill kitchen, forget to punch out the knockout plug, and E24 arrives on the first load. Older Eastside and South Capitol cabinets hide drain hoses that sag or kink. And after a windstorm outage, an unsteady supply can bring up E27.
Bosch codes, first checks and our part
| Code | What it means | Safe first check | When to call us |
|---|---|---|---|
| E06 | Door sensor circuit fault reported by the control | Switch off at the breaker for 30 seconds, then restart | If it returns, we test the door switch and its wiring |
| E09 | Heater inside the circulation (heat) pump reports a fault | Kill the breaker, count thirty seconds, restore it and retry | Repeat codes mean metering the pump heater circuit |
| E12 | Limescale buildup detected in the heat pump | Run a dishwasher descaler through an empty cycle, per the manual | If it returns soon after descaling, especially on well water |
| E14 | Flow meter or filling system problem | Make sure the shutoff below the sink is turned all the way on | Bosch treats it as a service code, so call us |
| E15 | Leak protection tripped because the base pan holds water | Close the water valve under the sink and stop running cycles | Call now, before the floor under the machine soaks it up |
| E16 / E17 | Filling problem; water may not be entering properly | Look for a kinked or crushed inlet hose under the sink | If the hose is clear, the inlet valve or its screen needs testing |
| E18 | Water flow too low or tub level not reached | Open the supply valve fully and check faucet pressure nearby | Good house pressure points to the inlet valve or clogged screen |
| E19 | Detergent dispenser solenoid circuit fault | Cycle the breaker for 30 seconds, then run an empty cycle | If it repeats, the dispenser and wiring get metered |
| E22 | The filter is blocked | Twist the filter out and wash off grease and seeds by hand | If a clean filter doesn’t clear it, the drain path needs checking |
| E23 | Drain pump is faulty, clogged or blocked | Clean the filter and check the sink drain, then stop there | Call us; the drain pump needs testing on site |
| E24 | Not draining; filter, drain hose or disposal connection is blocked | Clean the filter, straighten the drain hose, check the disposal plug | If water still sits, we check the air gap and pump |
| E25 | Drain pump blocked, or its cover is loose or missing | Power off; wearing gloves, lift the filter and clear debris at the pump cover | If the impeller is jammed or broken, call us |
| E27 | Household power supply to the dishwasher is too low | Reset the breaker once and note whether lights dim | If it recurs, an electrician checks voltage first, then we test |
Clearing a Bosch code without hiding the fault
Bosch offers two resets. To cancel a cycle, hold Start, or the Reset button on some models, for about four seconds; the machine pumps out for roughly a minute and stops. To clear a control fault, switch the dishwasher off at its breaker, wait about a minute, restore power and run an empty cycle. That is enough for E06, E09 or E19 after a power flicker. A reset is the wrong move for E15: water is already in the base, so shut the supply valve and leave it off. Resetting E24 or E25 without cleaning the filter only brings the code back halfway through the next load.
A Bosch visit from our crew
We arrive with the code already noted from your request, then prove it. Our technician lifts the filter, checks the pump impeller, and meters the inlet valve, float switch or heater before naming a single part. The price lands on paper before any wrench turns. A yes means that repair total already holds the $99; turn the job down and your bill stops at the $99. Drain pumps and inlet valves for common Bosch series usually ride on the van, so a Westside rambler or a Meridian Campus townhome is often fixed the same trip, with a test cycle, clean-up and a written warranty.
Bosch dishwasher code questions
Why does my new Bosch dishwasher show E24 on its first cycle?
Look under the sink. If the Bosch drains into a disposal that was just installed, the knockout plug inside the disposal’s dishwasher inlet may still be in place, and the water has nowhere to go. Bosch lists that plug among its first E24 checks. The other usual suspect sits out of sight: a drain hose pinched flat where the tub meets the cabinet wall. If both check out, our technicians test the pump and the air gap.
Does soft Olympia water cause problems in a Bosch dishwasher?
Not scale, as a rule. Soft water needs less detergent, and a full scoop, or a pod plus extra powder, can foam. Foam spills into the base, lifts the leak float and brings up E15, and over time excess detergent in soft water can etch glassware. Use less, and use only automatic dishwasher detergent. If E15 appears with normal dosing, the leak is real and needs finding.
My Bosch dishwasher shows E15. Should I keep running loads?
No. E15 means the leak protection has found water in the base, and Bosch says to shut off the water supply and get help. Close the valve under the sink, leave the machine off, and lay a towel along the front edge. Please don’t tip the dishwasher to drain the base; that can spread water onto electrical parts. Our crew traces the real source: hose, seal, pump or sump.
My Bosch dishwasher is on a well near Littlerock and shows E18. What is worth checking?
E18 means too little water reached the tub. Start below the sink: the shutoff should be open all the way and the inlet hose lying without a pinch. Then run a kitchen faucet: weak flow points to the well system or a clogged whole-house filter. If house pressure is fine, iron sediment packed into the inlet valve screen is a common find on Thurston County wells, and our technicians check that next.
Will you tell me if my Bosch dishwasher is still under the maker’s warranty?
Yes, and before anything else. Our technician reads the model and serial tag on the door edge and asks when the dishwasher went in. If Bosch coverage still applies, we say so first, so you can decide whether to use it. Once coverage has lapsed, the work runs our way: a diagnosis, a price on paper, and our own warranty in writing on whatever we fix.
