Error codes · Bosch · Dishwashers

Bosch dishwasher error codes: most of them are water in the base, the drain, or a filter nobody has pulled.

A Bosch dishwasher prints an E with a number, and most of them are plumbing or housekeeping — a drain hose with no high loop under the sink, a pump cover not clicked down after the filter was pulled, a cup of water in the base from a spill. Find the code below, work the checks in order, and clear it with the reset in the strip above the table. The ones that need a technician say so.

Covers: 2015-and-newer 100, 300, 500, 800 and Benchmark series dishwashers (SHX, SHP, SHE, SHV, SGX, SHS, SHEM, SHPM, SHXM, SHVM, SGXM) with the E-code display, and the no-display models that blink the Clean or Rinse light.

Bosch · First

Before you clear it

Bosch prints E codes (E15, E24, E25). A dishwasher with no display blinks the Clean or Rinse light; the manual's table reads the pattern.

1

The display prints E:15 or E15 — same code, the colon is the display's own. Bosch calls the model number the E-Nr (SHPM88Z75N/01) and dates the machine by the FD number beside it; both are on the plate on the inner edge of the door, read with the door open.

2

The reset: press and hold Start (the key printed Reset 3 sec) for about three seconds — the display shows 0:01, the dishwasher drains for a minute and switches off. Then switch its breaker off for one full minute (most are hard-wired; one on a cord unplugs under the sink), switch it back on and start a Quick wash. A code that comes straight back is real.

3

A model with no display reports a fault by blinking the Clean (or Rinse & Dry) light while the cycle stops — hold Start three seconds to cancel and drain, then check the drain, the filter and the base in the order below; the manual's table turns the blink pattern into one of these codes.

4

The drain is the install: the hose must rise in a high loop under the sink (or go through an air gap on the counter) before it reaches the disposal or the sink tailpiece, and a new disposal must have its knockout punched out. That plumbing is a licensed plumber's work.

5

A Wi-Fi model (most 800 series since 2019) shows the code, its meaning and the next step in the Home Connect app under the dishwasher's tile. The service test program is not published for owners — leave it to the technician.

Section 1 of 4

Water in the base and the drain

E15, E24 and E25 are the three a Bosch owner meets most. E15 means water has reached the base pan under the tub — stop and act, never a wait-and-see.

E15#1

Also printed as E:15

Check, then call
Code

Water in the base

What it means

The float switch in the base pan under the tub lifted — water collected under the dishwasher. The control shuts the inlet and runs the drain pump so the base cannot overflow; on an AquaStop model the tap symbol lights with it.

Check first
  1. Turn the water supply off under the sink and switch the dishwasher's breaker off.
  2. Pull the dishwasher out a few inches (the kick plate off first) and look for a wet floor, a drip at the inlet line, or a wet pump cover inside the tub — a spill from a tipped bowl, a cracked spray arm, or a pump cover left off after the filter was cleaned all land in the base.
  3. Tilt the dishwasher back about 45° with a helper over a towel so the water in the base runs out the back, then set it level again. The float drops and the code clears on the next power-up.
  4. A machine with no leak that still trips: the base pan is holding condensation from a cycle run with the door opened early, or the drain hose siphoned water back in — check the high loop.
The fix

Drain the base, fix the drip, reseat the pump cover and run a Quick wash. If the base fills again with the lines dry and the cover down, the water is coming from inside — a tub seal, a door gasket, the sump or a hose off the circulation pump. That is a service call; on a machine under warranty, a warranty call.

Stop & call

Water in the base that comes back with every hose tight and the pump cover seated is a leak inside the cabinet. Keep the supply off and the breaker off until it is looked at — a dishwasher cannot be run with a wet base. On a machine under warranty it is a warranty service call.

E24#2

Also printed as E:24

Check, then call
Code

Drain hose blocked or kinked

What it means

The drain pump ran and the water did not leave the tub — the hose is pinched, the drain it empties into is blocked, or the pump cover has lifted.

Check first
  1. Under the sink: the drain hose is not kinked where it bends up into the high loop, and it is not crushed behind the dishwasher.
  2. The disposal: a new disposal with its knockout plug still in takes no water; a disposal full of food backs up the hose. Run it with water for a minute.
  3. The air gap on the counter, when there is one — pop the cap and clear the lint and food from inside it.
  4. Inside the tub: the filter is out, the pump cover under it is clicked down (press until it clicks, not just laid in), and nothing is wedged in the pump impeller — a glass chip, a bone, a pit.
  5. Hold Start three seconds to drain; if water stays in the tub, the drain itself is blocked — pour a bucket of water down the sink; if it backs up, the house drain is the problem.
The fix

Straighten the hose, clear the disposal, the air gap or the pump, click the cover down and run a Quick wash. A dishwasher that still prints E24 with a clear hose, an open drain and a clean pump has a drain pump that runs and moves nothing — a part.

Stop & call

A tub that will not drain with the hose, the disposal and the pump cover all clear is the drain pump — a service call. Do not run another load on standing water; on a machine under warranty it is a warranty service call.

E25#3

Also printed as E:25

Fix at home
Code

Drain pump blocked or cover loose

What it means

The drain pump turned and found something in its way, or its cover is not seated so it cannot build pressure. Nearly always a thing in the pump.

Check first
  1. Pull the bottom rack and the filter (turn the round filter a quarter turn and lift). Under it is the pump cover — press its tab and lift it out.
  2. Reach into the pump opening with a flashlight on it: a broken glass, a toothpick, a label from a jar, a fruit pit. Turn the impeller by hand; it should turn freely with a slight resistance.
  3. Put the cover back and press until it CLICKS — a cover laid in without the click is this code on the next cycle.
  4. The drain hose and the disposal as under E24.
The fix

Clear the pump, click the cover down, refit the filter and run a Quick wash. An impeller that will not turn with the pump empty, or a pump that hums and never moves water, is the drain pump — a part, a service call.

E22#4

Also printed as E:22

Fix at home
Code

Filters clogged

What it means

Water is not getting through the filter fast enough — the fine filter, the coarse filter or the micro filter is packed with food, or something is sitting in the sump.

Check first
  1. Pull the bottom rack and turn the round filter counterclockwise a quarter turn; lift the whole filter assembly out — the cylinder, the flat micro screen and the coarse cup come as one.
  2. Rinse every part under the tap with a soft brush; grease and paper labels block the fine mesh even when it looks clean.
  3. Look into the sump the filter sat in — pull out whatever is there.
  4. Seat the filter and turn it clockwise until the arrows line up; a filter not locked lets debris into the pump.
The fix

Clean filters clear the code. Pull and rinse them every two to four weeks in normal use — it is the one maintenance a Bosch asks for.

E23#5

Also printed as E:23

Service call
Code

Drain pump fault

What it means

The control drove the drain pump and read a motor that is not turning or a winding it does not believe — not a blockage, the pump itself.

Check first
  1. The pump cover and the impeller as under E25 — a jammed impeller can print this instead.
  2. Switch the breaker off for one full minute and run a Quick wash.
The fix

E23 that returns with the impeller clear is the drain pump or its wiring — a part, replaced from under the dishwasher. A service call.

Stop & call

A drain pump code after a reset with a clean pump is a service call. Hold Start three seconds to drain what it can; on a machine under warranty it is a warranty service call.

Section 2 of 4

Water coming in

E18#6

Also printed as E:18

Fix at home
Code

No water coming in

What it means

The dishwasher opened its inlet valve and the water never arrived — the tap is closed, the line is kinked, or the pressure is too low. The tap symbol (Check water supply) lights on models that have it.

Check first
  1. The supply valve under the sink (a small lever or knob on the hot line) is fully open — a valve a quarter turn open fills so slowly the control gives up.
  2. The braided line to the dishwasher is not kinked where it bends up under the cabinet floor or behind the kick plate.
  3. The hot tap at the sink runs with normal pressure; a clogged house filter, a water softener regenerating, or a well pump between cycles stalls the fill.
  4. On an AquaStop hose (the thick hose with the box at the tap end), the box is not sitting in a puddle — a wet AquaStop box has shut the hose off and it is replaced as a part.
The fix

Open the valve all the way, straighten the line, reset and run a Quick wash. With the valve open and good pressure at the sink, the inlet valve on the dishwasher (behind the kick plate on the left, where the line attaches) is not opening — a part.

E17#7

Also printed as E:17

Check, then call
Code

Fill level too high

What it means

More water came in than the cycle asked for — the water pressure is higher than the valve can meter, or the valve is slow to close.

Check first
  1. The house pressure: a pressure regulator that has failed lets 100 psi into the lines and every valve in the house struggles. A plumber reads it at the hose bib in a minute.
  2. The supply valve under the sink is fully open, not half — a half-open valve chatters and overshoots.
  3. Switch the breaker off for one minute and run a Quick wash.
The fix

A house at normal pressure (40–80 psi) that still prints E17 has an inlet valve closing late, or a flow meter misreading — a part, a service call. High house pressure is a licensed plumber's fix.

Stop & call

E17 that returns with the pressure right is the inlet valve or the flow meter. Turn the supply off between loads and call it in; on a machine under warranty it is a warranty service call.

E16#8

Also printed as E:16

Check, then call
Code

Water keeps coming in

What it means

The control found water entering when the valve should be closed — foam from too much detergent fooling the level sensor, or an inlet valve that will not shut.

Check first
  1. Turn the supply valve under the sink off. If the tub keeps filling with the valve closed, the water is siphoning back from the drain — the hose has no high loop, or the air gap is clogged.
  2. If the tub stops with the valve off, open it again and watch: water running in with the dishwasher idle is the inlet valve.
  3. Suds: a cycle run with dish soap instead of dishwasher detergent, or a tablet in a machine fed very soft water, foams over the level sensor. Cancel, scoop the foam, run a Rinse with nothing added.
The fix

Fix the high loop or clear the foam and the code clears. An inlet valve that passes water with the dishwasher idle is a part — leave the supply off until it is replaced so the floor stays dry.

Stop & call

Water that keeps entering with the dishwasher idle and the drain clear is a valve that cannot shut. Keep the supply off and call it in; this one is never a wait-and-see. On a machine under warranty it is a warranty service call.

E14#9

Also printed as E:14

Check, then call
Code

Flow meter fault

What it means

The small turbine that counts the water coming in sent no pulses while the valve was open — either no water passed it, or the meter is stuck.

Check first
  1. Everything under E18 first — a closed valve or a kinked line prints E14 on some models.
  2. Switch the breaker off for one minute and run a Quick wash.
The fix

E14 that returns with the water on and the pressure good is the flow meter or its wiring, inside the inlet assembly — a part, a service call.

Stop & call

A flow meter code after a reset with the supply confirmed is a service call. On a machine under warranty it is a warranty service call.

E13#10

Also printed as E:13

Fix at home
Code

Incoming water too hot

What it means

The water arriving at the dishwasher measured hotter than the control allows — above about 160°F. The dishwasher heats its own water; the supply only needs to be warm.

Check first
  1. The water heater's setting — 120°F is the usual mark; a heater turned up to the top of its dial, or a tankless unit set high, feeds the dishwasher water it will not accept.
  2. A hot-water recirculation loop that keeps the line at tank temperature, or a dishwasher plumbed to the heater's outlet right beside the tank, lands here too.
The fix

Turn the water heater down to 120°F (a licensed plumber's job on a gas heater you are not sure of) and let the line cool; the code clears on the next fill. A dishwasher on 120°F water that still prints E13 has a temperature sensor reading wrong — a part.

Section 3 of 4

Heating, washing and the controls

E09#11

Also printed as E:09

Service call
Code

Heater fault

What it means

The flow-through heater that warms the wash water is not heating, or the control measured a temperature it does not believe. The dishwasher may wash cold and never dry.

Check first
  1. Switch the breaker off for one full minute and run a Quick wash. Feel the inside of the door at the end of the wash — a dishwasher that washed hot was heating.
  2. Limescale: a hard-water house that has never used a descaler may read as a heater fault; see E12 below.
The fix

E09 that returns is the heater (built into the circulation pump housing on these models) or its relay on the control — a part, replaced from under the dishwasher. A service call.

Stop & call

A heater code after a reset is a service call. The dishwasher runs cold meanwhile, which rinses but does not sanitize; on a machine under warranty it is a warranty service call.

E12#12

Also printed as E:12

Fix at home
Code

Limescale on the heater

What it means

The heater is coated in scale and the control sees it heating slowly. Hard water with no rinse aid and no descaler lands here after a year or two.

Check first
  1. The rinse aid dispenser on the door is full — rinse aid is what keeps the scale from settling on everything.
  2. White film on the glasses and the tub walls: that is the same scale.
The fix

Run an empty cycle on the hottest wash with a dishwasher descaler (citric acid works) in the bottom of the tub, then keep the rinse aid full. Two descaling runs in a row for a heavy coat. A heater that still trips with the tub clean is the heater — a part.

E20#13

Also printed as E:20

Service call
Code

Circulation pump fault

What it means

The control drove the wash pump — the one that sprays the arms — and read a winding or a motor that is not turning. The arms never move and the dishes come out as they went in.

Check first
  1. Switch the breaker off for one full minute and start a Quick wash; listen for the hum of water hitting the door after the fill.
The fix

A circulation pump that never runs after a reset is the pump motor or its control — a part under the tub. A service call.

Stop & call

E20 after a reset is a service call; nothing in the pump is reachable from the tub. On a machine under warranty it is a warranty service call.

E21#14

Also printed as E:21

Check, then call
Code

Circulation pump jammed

What it means

The wash pump tried to turn and could not — something has gone past the filter and into the pump, or the pump's rotor is stuck.

Check first
  1. Pull the filter and look into the sump; the circulation pump draws from there, under the filter housing. Fish out whatever is there — a bit of glass, a cherry pit, a label.
  2. The filter was locked in place (arrows lined up) the last time it was cleaned; a loose filter is how things reach the pump.
  3. Switch the breaker off for one minute and run a Quick wash.
The fix

A clear sump and a locked filter settle most of them. A pump still jammed is opened from under the dishwasher — a technician's job, and a worn rotor is a part.

Stop & call

E21 that returns with the sump clear is a service call. On a machine under warranty it is a warranty service call.

E28#15

Also printed as E:28

Service call
Code

Water sensor fault

What it means

The turbidity sensor (Bosch's AquaSensor) that reads how dirty the wash water is answered with a reading the control does not believe. The dishwasher still washes; it just cannot judge the soil.

Check first
  1. Pull the filter and wipe the small clear window in the sump floor beside the filter seat — grease over the sensor eye prints this.
  2. Switch the breaker off for one minute and run a Quick wash.
The fix

A clean sensor window that still trips is the sensor or its wiring — a part under the tub, a service call. Dishes still wash meanwhile on a fixed-length cycle.

Stop & call

E28 that comes back after cleaning the sensor window is a service call. On a machine under warranty it is a warranty service call.

E01#16

Also printed as E:01 · E02 · E:02 · E03 · E:03

Service call
Code

Control electronics fault

What it means

The control module found a fault inside its own circuits. Bosch publishes E01, E02 and E03 as technical faults with no home check.

Check first
  1. Switch the breaker off for five full minutes, switch it on and start a Quick wash.
  2. A storm or a flicker the night before: once is a power blip; twice is the board.
The fix

A control code that returns after a five-minute power cut is the control module — a part, behind the door panel. A service call.

Stop & call

E01, E02 or E03 after a reset is a service call. Nothing inside the door panel is a home repair; on a machine under warranty it is a warranty service call.

Section 4 of 4

Not a fault

CL#17

Also printed as Key symbol · Lock symbol

Fix at home
Code

Childproof lock is on

What it means

Not a fault. The panel is locked so a child cannot change the cycle — the display reads CL on some models and shows the key or lock symbol on others; the keys do nothing.

Check first
  1. Press and hold the key the panel marks for the childproof lock (on most, the > or Info key beside the lock symbol) for three to four seconds until the symbol goes out.
The fix

The lock turns off and the panel answers again. It stays off until it is set again.

h:01#18

Also printed as h 01 · H:01 · h:24 · h:12

Fix at home
Code

Delay start is set

What it means

Not a fault. The dishwasher is counting down a delayed start — h:03 is three hours until it begins. It runs by itself when the number reaches zero.

Check first
  1. To start now, press the delay key until the display reads h:00 (or 0h), then press Start.
The fix

Nothing to fix. The number counts down by the hour; a display still showing h:xx hours later is the timer, not a stall.

Warranty · When to file

When it's a warranty call

Every unit leaves with the manufacturer's full factory warranty. The codes below name a part inside the machine — once the checks have ruled out the install, the power and the hoses, call Bosch's line with the model and serial, and text us if you want a hand with the claim.

All units are surplus inventory (open box, cancelled order, customer return, overstock, or minor scratch & dent). Every unit includes the manufacturer's full factory warranty. Please inspect thoroughly in person before purchasing — cosmetic imperfections or missing accessories are possible.

Still stuck?

Text us the model number and what it's doing — we'll point you at the next step.

A fix, a part, or a warranty call — the plate's model and serial plus one line about the symptom is all it takes to tell which.

These pages are educational. Every appliance is a little different — follow the manufacturer's manual and local code, and leave gas, water heater and 240V work to a licensed installer.