Bosch Washing Machine Fault Codes: Full List and What Each One Means
✅ Safe to check yourself
This is a common, low-risk check most people can do safely. Always unplug the appliance (or isolate power) before touching internal parts.
Bosch washing machines with a digital display show faults as a letter-and-number code, usually starting with E or F followed by two digits. Older or more basic models without a display use a pattern of flashing lights instead, so if your machine doesn’t show a code but stops mid-cycle and blinks, check your model’s manual for what the flash pattern corresponds to — the numbering isn’t always identical to the digital codes below.
Worth knowing before you check the table: most of these codes and their meanings are shared across Bosch’s whole current washing machine range — Serie 4, Serie 6, and Serie 8 machines generally use the same E:xx scheme. A handful of codes do vary by series or by how old the machine is, so if a code below doesn’t match what your model is doing, the safest next step is checking the fault code section of your specific model’s own manual (linked from your model’s page on this site) rather than assuming this table is wrong.
Bosch fault code table
| Code | What it means | Likely cause |
|---|---|---|
| E16 / F16 | Door not detected as closed | Door isn’t shut properly, or the door lock mechanism itself has failed |
| E17 / F17 | Water isn’t filling correctly | Supply tap closed, low mains pressure, or a blocked inlet valve |
| E18 / F18 | Machine isn’t draining | Blocked pump filter, a kinked outlet hose, or a failed drain pump |
| E19 / F19 | Water is taking too long to heat | Faulty heating element or a failed temperature sensor |
| E21 / F21 | Motor fault | Drum jammed by an object, worn motor brushes, or a motor driver fault |
| E23 / F23 | Leak detected | Water escaping inside the machine or in the base tray — stop using the machine until this is checked |
| E24 | Drain pump failure | Pump physically damaged or its impeller obstructed |
| E27 | Door lock sensor fault | The latch mechanism or its sensor isn’t reporting correctly |
| E30 | Temperature sensor fault | The NTC probe that reads water temperature has failed |
| E32 | Load imbalance | Washing bunched to one side, or the machine is overloaded |
| E36 | AquaStop system fault | Problem with the AquaStop hose or an internal leak (AquaStop-equipped models only) |
| F43 | Drum not turning | Motor jam, worn brushes, or motor failure |
Which of these need a professional?
E23/F23 (leak), F43 (drum not turning), and E36 (AquaStop fault) point at problems that are either an electrical/water safety concern or need the machine at least partly dismantled to fix properly — not something to attempt yourself. E18/F18 (drainage) is usually the most DIY-friendly: checking and clearing the pump filter resolves it in a large share of cases before any part needs replacing.
A quick reset, if you want to try it first
Unplug the machine, wait a minute or two, then plug it back in — this clears a genuine number of one-off faults without needing to fix anything, since some codes are the control board being overly cautious about a borderline reading rather than a real fault. If the same code comes straight back once you start a cycle, treat it as real and work through the likely cause above.
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