Bosch dishwasher E15: How to fix the error

Can you still remember your first apartment of your own? Even though independence and freedom make living in your first own four walls so great, it also has a few disadvantages at first. Particularly when it comes to comfort, some of you will first have to get used to living in your “student digs. After all, technology that was a matter of course in the family home is sometimes missing. Even today, convenient household appliances such as a dishwasher are the exception rather than the rule in the first apartment. Unfortunately, you can’t avoid washing plates, cups and pots by hand. Of course, the joy is great when you finally get your first dishwasher. However, it is all the more annoying when it refuses to work. This is the case, for example, when your Bosch dishwasher displays E15. What this error message means and how you can fix it, we want to explain to you in the following.

Bosch dishwasher E15: What does it mean?

Strikes the dishwasher for the first time, the shock is often great. This is not only because people are afraid of an expensive repair or even the purchase of a new device. Some people even think of the devil and immediately expect possible water damage if something goes wrong. But the whole thing is not really bad as a rule. If you are not too clumsy, you can even solve this problem yourself. If, on the other hand, you have two left hands, it’s better to leave them off the dishwasher and consult an expert. If you still have a manufacturer’s warranty or even a guarantee on the device, you should probably also play it safe. Otherwise, you will cause damage to the dishwasher, which will then be passed on to you.

If your Bosch dishwasher displays E15, it is a problem with the so-called float switch. This switch registers an internal water leakage in your dishwasher. There can be several reasons for such an unwanted water accumulation in the interior of the dishwasher. For one thing, the so-called pump pot seal may be worn or there may be a loose union sleeve on the salt container. Also conceivable is a defective water pocket or even a leaky drain pump or heating pump. A holey or even torn door seal can also lead to an error message. Furthermore, you have to think about broken hoses, drain lines or supply lines. As you can see, many different components can cause your Bosch dishwasher to display E15. In the following, we show you how you can find out the culprit.

Bosch dishwasher E15: finding the cause

Before solving the problem, the first question is which component is causing the error message in the first place. To do this, you should check the above-mentioned areas of your dishwasher piece by piece. Before you start overzealously, you have to follow important safety instructions. First of all, disconnect the dishwasher from its power source. It’s a known fact that water and electricity don’t get along too well. You should also turn off the water source to prevent it from flowing into the dishwasher. We also advise you to put on rubber gloves. This is not primarily for safety reasons, but for hygienic reasons. Once you’ve taken these points into account, you’re ready to go. How you best proceed with troubleshooting, we explain to you in the following.

Look at the pump seal

Your first glance should lead you in the direction of the pump bowl seal. This is located just behind the strainer of the dishwasher. Unfortunately, some devices from Bosch and other well-known manufacturers often have their Achilles heel in the area of the pump bowl. This is because it is fitted with a seal that is sometimes too small. Whether this is the cause that your Bosch dishwasher displays E15, you can discover by looking inside.

If the seal is undersized, it is hardly surprising that water sometimes leaks into the interior of the device. This is registered by the float, which causes the error message to be issued. If you find that the seal is too small, you can breathe easy. After all, the pump seal can be easily purchased (11.99 euros on Amazon). After that, the problem should be solved and you get around the replacement of the entire pump pot.

Swivel nut from the salt container

Should you not have found the pump pot, you do not have to despair. There are other components that can ensure that your Bosch dishwasher displays E15. For example, the union nut that closes the salt container. This does not necessarily have to do with the fact that you have not closed the container properly. Sometimes the nut loosens by itself in the course of time. If the nut is not tight, the water from the inside of the dishwasher can penetrate into the bottom area. This is registered by the float switch, which causes the error message to be issued. However, the solution to the problem is not complicated. You just have to tighten the nut again. Then it won’t let any more water through.

View of the water pocket

Another source of the problem is again not located in the lower part of the dishwasher, but usually on the side wall. We are talking about the water pocket. Through it, water from the pipe enters the interior of the dishwasher. If the pocket is leaking or even if there is damage to it, the water can make its way to the lower part of the dishwasher. Once there, the float in turn reacts, which can also trigger the error. Checking the water pocket is a bit more complicated than the first two repair options. First you have to remove the side panel of the machine. Now you can reach the pocket and check it. If it is defective, you will have to replace it. However, you should only do this if you are confident enough to do so. In this case, you will have to buy a new, usually quite expensive water pocket, so we advise you to go to an expert. This is at least the case if you still have warranty or even guarantee on the device.

• Also interesting: Dishwasher signs: What do they mean?

Check drain and heating pump

If the problem still hasn’t resolved, you’ll need to look for causes in more atypical places. In particular, the drain pump or heating pump can namely also cause your Bosch dishwasher to display E15 in exceptional cases. If they are defective, they cannot pump properly. As a result, the dishwasher suffers from water loss and the float switch registers the water rise in the bottom again. As a result, you can read E15 on the display of your device.

Dishwasher door seals

Anyone who has ever opened their dishwasher in the middle of a wash cycle will know that the water shoots crisscross here. To ensure that the water remains exclusively with the dishes, there are various seals around the dishwashing compartment. This also applies to the dishwasher door, of course. Over time, however, this seal can become brittle and even crack.

As a result, the water from the dishwashing compartment During the rinsing process penetrates to the outside and sticks to the door. There it slowly but surely runs to the bottom where again the float switch is activated. A door seal (24.99 euros at Amazon) can be easily replaced.

Pipes as a trigger

Inside a dishwasher, there is a permanent water circuit. To ensure this, there are supply lines and discharge lines. The most significant are the supply and drain hoses. The task of the inlet hose is to draw water from the faucet and make it available to the dishwasher for the cleaning process. The drain, in turn, is to pump out the dirty water during and after the cleaning process. If one of these hoses should possibly have a defect, it can also lead to a water accumulation in the underbody. It is therefore advisable to inspect both hoses for possible weak points. Older hoses in particular can become porous over time. Sometimes this is not so easy to detect. One indication of possible damage is white deposits that can be found on the hose. These are an indication that water is leaking from here. After all, the white deposits are lime deposits that remain after the water dries.

Bosch dishwasher E15: How to get rid of the water

But how do you get rid of the error message now? Since it is a reaction of the float switch, the error disappears the moment the float is no longer floating in the water. To put it simply, you have to get rid of the water in the interior. Simply pumping it out is often not possible here, unfortunately. Alternatively, you can dump it out when your dishwasher is removed. To do this, simply lay it on its side. With built-in dishwashers, of course, dumping is not so easy. Here you should simply be patient for a few days. During this time, the remaining water simply evaporates and you can use the dishwasher again.