Having a Bosch dishwasher troubleshooting manual nearby inspires confidence – the confidence to try and troubleshoot the dishwasher yourself. But realistically, you need the simplest troubleshooting manual you can find, and that’s the reason behind this guide.
This manual will enable you to troubleshoot your Bosch dishwasher when it won’t start, clean, or drain, when there are no lights on the control panel, and when the dishwasher starts and stops. More importantly, you can troubleshoot common dishwasher error codes.
Remember, DIY fixing is time-salvaging and money-saving, and that’s why we encourage that. But realistically, not every issue should be DIY. Some require an expert, especially those involving part replacements, and I’ll point them out.
So, let’s dive in!
In a hurry? Consider the 5 Bosch dishwasher problems shared below and their quick fixes.
Quick Bosch Dishwasher Troubleshooting Manual
| – | Problem | Likely Cause | Fix |
| 1. | The dishwasher Won’t Start | Software glitch, failed power or water supply, wrong setting, or unlatched door. | Reset the dishwasher and check its power and water supply. Deactivate Child Lock or Delay Start, and adequately latch the door. |
| 2. | The Dishwasher Won’t Clean | Dish overload, pre-rinsed dishes, clogged filter, obstructed spray arms, failed water supply, or defective detergent dispenser. | Don’t overload or pre-rinse the dishes, clean the filter and unobstruct the spray arms, and ensure the dishwasher receives adequate water. Replace a defective detergent dispenser. |
| 3. | The Dishwasher Won’t Drain | Clogging, kinked drain hose, excess suds, pump failure, or damaged drain impeller | Clean the dishwasher, unkink a kinked drain hose, avoid detergent overuse, and replace a failed pump or damaged impeller. |
| 4. | No Lights on the Control Panel | Lack of power, locked controls, unlatched door, malfunctioning control panel, or defective control board | Check the power supply, cancel Child Lock, properly latch the door, and replace a failed control panel or main control board. |
| 5. | The Dishwasher Starts and Then Stops | Power or water interruption, improperly latched door, or a malfunctioning part. | Check the water and power supply, properly latch the door and replace a defective control panel, pump, fan assembly, motor, or electronic control board. |
5 Common Bosch Dishwasher Problems (Plus Quick Troubleshooting Manual)
Below are five common Bosch dishwasher problems for troubleshooting DIY with a manual:
1. Bosch Dishwasher Troubleshooting Not Starting
A Bosch dishwasher won’t start for different reasons. Sometimes the cause is power-related, where the dishwasher won’t turn on, and in other cases, the issue has nothing to do with the power supply.
Here’s what to check when your Bosch dishwasher won’t start:
- Software glitch – Like all appliances, a dishwasher may suffer a software glitch, and once that’s the case, it may fail to start.
- Failed power supply – Your dishwasher won’t start if it doesn’t have power. So, check for a tripped breaker, loose plugging, non-working socket, blown-up fuse, and even a power blackout.
- Failed water supply – Just like the dishwasher won’t start without power, it won’t start due to the lack of water. Check if the water supply valve is turned on and the inlet hose is kinked.
- Wrong setting – If either Delay Start (which delays the starting time) or Child Lock (which locks the control panel) is active, the dishwasher won’t start.
- Unlatched door – Check if the door is firmly latched. If it’s not, the dishwasher won’t start.
Fix
Since you can’t detect a software glitch by observation, consider resetting the dishwasher to fix it if that’s the case.
Generally, are two Bosch dishwasher reset techniques to consider:
Option 1 – Hold the ‘Start’ button for 3-5 seconds and then start a new cycle.
Option 2 – Unplug the dishwasher for at least 5 seconds and then plug it back in and restart it
What else?
If the dishwasher won’t start after a reset, check its power supply and ensure it turns on. Then inspect its water supply to ensure the valve is turned on and clear any kinks.
Meanwhile, cancel Child Lock or Delay Start by holding the switches for about 3 seconds. And if the door is unlatched, try to latch it firmly. If the door won’t lock, check if the door latch is damaged, and replace it.
Other Issues Related to a Non-Starting Bosch Dishwasher
Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Start Wash Cycle
Sometimes the Bosch dishwasher won’t start the wash cycle – meaning it won’t clean the dishes. If so, it’s likely due to any of these issues discussed earlier:
- Disrupted power supply – perhaps due to a blown-up fuse
- Software glitch
- Wrong settings, such as Child Lock or Delay Start
- Unlatched door
- Failed water supply
In addition, the dishwasher might not start the wash cycle due to an error code or poor drainage. I’ll address these two issues later in this post.
Bosch Dishwasher Not Starting Red Light Flashing
Dishwashers display error codes in different ways, and one of them is by blinking. In the case of a Bosch model, the dishwasher won’t start but blinks red light due to any of these issues:
- Electronic glitch
- Error code
- Improperly latched door
- Failed water supply
In addition to the above four issues I’ve already discussed, your Bosch dishwasher might be blinking red light and not starting due to insufficient rinse aid, which you should refill.
And if it’s not the rinse aid, the issue could be a failed component such as the heating element, touchpad, or drain pump. And if so, replace the failed part.
Bosch Dishwasher Won’t Start Just Beeps
Another way that the Bosch dishwasher may show an error is by beeping. In most cases, the Bosch dishwasher won’t start but only beeps due to one of these issues:
- Power issues such as a tripped breaker or burnt thermal fuse
- Failed water supply
- Improperly latched door
- Wrong wash cycle
- Dish overload
- Wrong rinse air or detergent
- Clogged filter
- Jammed selector knob
In this case, check the power and water supply as shared earlier and ensure you firmly latch the door and select the correct cycle. Avoid overloading the dishes, use the recommended rinse aid and detergent, clean a clogged filter, and try to free up a stuck selector knob.
2. Bosch Dishwasher Problems Not Cleaning
It’s not normal for a Bosch dishwasher to start and fail to clean, but it can happen. When it does, it could be due to any of these issues:
- Dish overload – Check if the dishwasher is filled up with dishes. There should be room for the spray arms and the dishes to turn.
- Pre-rinsed dishes – There is no need to pre-rinse the dirty dishes. Small food residues are necessary for the detergent to activate and clean the dishes.
- Clogged filter – If the filter is food clogged, the dishwasher won’t clean. So, check that.
- Obstructed spray arms – The dishes and food debris can block the spray arms. If so, the dishwasher won’t clean the dishes.
- Failed water supply – Your dishwasher relies on an adequate water supply to clean the dishes. If there’s an interruption, the appliance won’t do its job.
- Defective detergent dispenser – Likewise, the dishwasher won’t clean if the detergent dispenser is defective. The reason is that it needs the detergent to initiate a clean cycle, and that’s not possible with a faulty detergent dispenser.
Fix
Reduce the number of dishes if it’s an overload and avoid pre-rinsing them. If the filter is food-clogged, clean it and ensure no dirt or dishes obstruct the spray arms.
Meanwhile, ensure the dishwasher receives water, and if the detergent dispenser appears faulty, replace it.
3. Bosch Dishwasher Troubleshooting Not Draining
Sometimes a Bosch dishwasher won’t drain at the end of the cycle. If so, it’s often due to any of these issues:
- Clogging – It could be that the pump, drain filter, drain hose, air gap, or garbage disposer is blocked, thus preventing drainage.
- Kinked drain hose – Water won’t drain if the drain is kinked.
- Excess suds – Too many suds, often due to detergent overuse, can prevent drainage.
- Pump failure – If the pump fails, it won’t be able to pump out water.
- Damaged drain impeller – If the drain impeller is broken, it’ll also interfere with the drainage.
Fix
Check if the pump, drain filter, drain hose, air gap, or garbage disposer is food-clogged and clean it, and if the drain hose is kinked, straighten it out. Avoid putting too much detergent if there are many suds, and replace a failed pump or damaged drain impeller.
4. Bosch Dishwasher No Lights On Control Panel
Though it’s pretty odd for the Bosch dishwasher control panel lights not to turn on, it can happen. In most cases, the reason is one of these:
- Lack of power
- Locked controls
- Unlatched door
- Malfunctioning control panel
- Defective control board
Fix
Check the dishwasher’s power supply to ensure it turns on. Disable Child Lock to free up the control panel, and fully latch the door. If some of the buttons are non-responsive, replace the control panel. But if all the buttons are non-responsive, replace the control board.
5. Bosch Dishwasher Starts Then Stops
Occasionally, the dishwasher won’t complete a cycle. It starts but only aborts mid-cycle.
As far as a Bosch dishwasher model goes, here are the reasons why the dishwasher starts and stops mid-cycle:
- Power interruption
- Water interruption
- Improperly latched door
- Malfunctioning part (the pump, fan assembly, motor, or electronic control board)
Fix
Ensure your dishwasher has power (turns on) and fill up with water. Then check the door to ensure it latches firmly. If it doesn’t, check the door latch for damage and replace it.
And if that doesn’t work, call an expert to check the pump, fan assembly, motor, and electronic control board for fault and replace what’s faulty.
Bosch Dishwasher Troubleshooting Codes
Let’s now talk about the error codes on a Bosch dishwasher. These codes usually indicate a fault, and below is a table to troubleshoot them:
| Error Code | Cause | Troubleshooting |
| E12 | Limescale buildup | Descale the dishwasher |
| Bosch Dishwasher Troubleshooting E15 | Leak detected | Turn off the water supply and call Bosch support |
| E16, E17, or E18 | Water filling issue | Check the dishwasher’s water supply |
| E22 | Clogged filter | Clean the clogged filter |
| E23 | Drain pump fault | Check the drain pump for clogging, and if it’s faulty, replace it |
| Bosch Dishwasher Troubleshooting E24 or E25 | Drainage problem | Unclog the drain pump, filter, pump impeller, or any other clogged part |
Closing Thought:
Above is a Bosch dishwasher troubleshooting manual you can use to supplement what you already have. With it, you can troubleshoot your Bosch dishwasher when it doesn’t start, clean the dishes, or drain wastewater. Moreover, you can use it when the control panel doesn’t light up, the dishwasher won’t complete a cycle, and address common error codes.
Also Read: