Bosch Dishwasher Error Codes E24, E25, E15 and E22: What They Mean
E24 and E25 on a Bosch dishwasher are drainage faults, E22 is a filter fault and E15 is the water protection code, which means a leak has been detected. Three of the four can start with a check you can do yourself. E15 is the exception: close the tap, stop using the machine and book.
Bosch's own troubleshooting order is used below. The manuals list possible causes but publish no failure rates, so the order is a checking sequence and not a ranking of what fails most often.
Before you open anything
Find the rating plate and note the E-Nr, including the part after the slash, and the FD number. Bosch uses both for support and repairs, and the matching manual is the one to follow, because a similar-looking dishwasher can have different instructions. The Bosch Australia support pages list 1300 369 744 as the support number.
For E22, E24 and E25 checks:
- Stop the programme and let the water cool. Bosch warns that opening the door mid-programme can release hot water.
- Switch off and unplug at a dry, reachable socket before reaching into the sump. Bosch's pump cleaning steps require the power to be disconnected, and NSW Fair Trading advises holding the plug, not the cord.
- If the dishwasher is hardwired, or you cannot reach the plug, do not pull the machine out or expose wiring. Leave it for a technician.
- Close the water tap if you can reach it safely, and keep hands dry around plugs and switches.
Bosch dishwasher error codes at a glance
| Code | What it means | Owner check | When to book |
|---|---|---|---|
| E24 | Waste water is not clearing. Bosch lists a blocked or kinked drain hose, a sealed siphon connection or a loose pump cover | Look at the visible hose for kinks, and confirm the pump cover is locked if your manual allows access | The hose is hidden behind cabinetry, the drain connection needs altering, or E24 returns |
| E25 | Waste water pump blocked, or pump cover not locked in position | Clean the filters and the pump chamber only where your manual describes it, power off | The cover will not release, the fault returns after cleaning, or the pump needs testing |
| E22 | Dirty or blocked filters | Remove, clean and refit the filter assembly as the manual shows | E22 returns with clean filters |
| E15 | Water protection activated: a leak has been detected | Close the tap and look for water around the base from outside the machine | Always. Do not keep resetting it |
Sources: the Bosch manuals for the SMS46GI01A and the SMS8EDI01A, and Bosch's E15 support page. Newer Australian manuals use extended codes. The SMS8EDI01A, for example, shows E:61-03 for water not draining, E:61-02 for a blocked waste water pump and E:92-40 for blocked filters. Match the full code on your display to your own manual before applying anything above.
E24: the waste water is not clearing
Bosch's Australian manual ties E24 to the discharge hose, the siphon connection and the pump cover. It does not say E24 means the pump motor has failed, so a new pump is not where to start.
The causes in Bosch's order are a blocked or kinked waste water hose, a siphon connection that is still sealed, and a loose pump cover. With the machine isolated, look at the visible hose for a kink or crushing. Do not drag a built-in dishwasher out just to see a concealed hose. If your manual lets you reach the pump cover, check it is locked.
If the fault comes back after those checks, or the hose is concealed, book a technician. Opening or altering the fixed drain connection is plumbing work, and NSW requires a licence for plumbing and draining work whatever the cost. Pump testing, internal wiring and control board diagnosis are technician jobs.
Our guide to a dishwasher that is not draining covers the same symptom for every brand, and the Bosch brand page has a shorter note on E24.
E25: the pump chamber or its cover
E25 has two documented causes: the waste water pump is blocked, or the pump cover is not locked in position. Bosch's remedy is to clean the pump and secure the cover.
Where your manual authorises it, the older Bosch manual describes this sequence: disconnect the power, remove the baskets and filter assembly, scoop or sponge out the standing water, lift off the white pump cover, check the area under it for foreign objects and press the cover back until it engages. Refit the filters and baskets. Not every Bosch cover releases this way, so follow your own model's instructions and stop if the cover will not come off.
Broken glass and sharp debris collect in this area. Wear hand protection and do not reach in blind. Cleaning the chamber is as far as an owner goes. Removing the pump motor, disconnecting terminals or opening the underside is repair work, and Bosch's Australian manual reserves opening the appliance and repairs for a technician. If the chamber is clear, the cover is secure and E25 returns, stop repeating the procedure and book.
E22: filters
Bosch lists dirty or blocked filters as the cause of E22, with the instruction to clean them. It is the plainest maintenance code of the four. Isolate the power, let the water cool, take out the filter assembly as the manual shows, rinse it, check it for sharp debris and refit it fully before the next cycle.
If E22 returns with clean, correctly seated filters, book a technician. Do not go on to remove panels or replace sensors yourself.
E15: water protection
Bosch's support page says E15 means a water leakage, and its Australian manual says the water protection system has activated and to turn off the tap and call customer service with the fault code.
Close the tap and stop using the machine. Look from outside for water around the base and for a damaged or kinked hose. Do not remove panels, tip the machine to empty it, bypass the protection or restart it repeatedly to make the code disappear. The code tells you water reached the protection system and nothing about where it came from, so the leak still needs to be found. Some inlet hoses contain an electric valve, and the Australian manual warns not to cut or immerse them.
Power is the point that gets confused. The SMS8EDI01A manual says the appliance should stay connected to power so the water protection keeps working. The same manual says that if the machine or its cord is damaged, you should unplug it or switch off the fuse, turn off the tap and contact service. If there is any electrical danger, that takes priority: switch off from a safe, dry spot and keep clear of a wet plug or machine.
E09 and E01
Bosch's E09 support page says not to try to resolve it at home: close the tap, switch off and book service. We found no Australian source that gives E09 a single component meaning, so we do not name a part for it.
E01 has no stand-alone definition in the Australian manuals we checked. The SMS8EDI01A manual lists E:01-00 to E:90-10 under a general technical fault. For that group the manual says to switch off, unplug or switch off the fuse, wait at least two minutes, then restore power. If the fault returns, turn off the tap, unplug and call Bosch with the code. That procedure is for that model and that group of codes. It is not a universal reset.
Who does which job
| Job | Who | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Filter cleaning, and pump chamber cleaning where the manual allows | Owner, with power off | Bosch publishes an owner procedure with a power disconnection step |
| Pump motor, heater, control board, internal wiring or an internal leak | Qualified appliance technician | Bosch reserves opening the appliance and repairs for technicians |
| Hardwired connection, socket or a low supply voltage fault | Licensed electrician | Electrical wiring work in NSW needs a licence. The SMS8EDI01A manual sends a low mains voltage code (E:90-01) to an electrician |
| Altering the fixed drain or water supply connection | Licensed plumber or drainer | NSW requires a licence for plumbing and draining work |
None of these dishwasher faults calls for gas or sealed refrigerant work. Energy Safe Victoria advises against repairing faulty electrical appliances yourself and says a qualified repair technician or licensed electrician should do it.
Booking a Bosch dishwasher repair
We are an authorised repairer for Bosch and repair its dishwashers across Wollongong and the Illawarra. Have the full code, the E-Nr and FD numbers, whether water is inside or outside the machine, and what you have already checked. If the code is a leak, our note on a dishwasher leaking water covers the usual sources, and what fails on each brand in the Illawarra puts it in context. When you are ready, book a repair or call 02 4229 3777.
