Bosch Dishwasher E15 or E24 Error? What It Means & Fixes

E15 on a Bosch dishwasher means there's water in the base of the machine and the leak protection has switched on. E24means it isn't draining properly. They look similar on the display, but they're opposite problems: E15 is water escaping where it shouldn't be, E24 is water not leaving the way it should. Here's what Bosch says about each, what you can check yourself, and when it's time for a technician.

Bosch E15: water in the base

Bosch dishwashers have a pan under the tub with a safety switch in it. When water collects in that pan, the switch trips and the display shows E15. Bosch's own description: the safety switch has detected water in the base of the dishwasher, and the leakage protection system has activated.

What to do right away

1. Turn off the water supply to the dishwasher — usually a valve under the kitchen sink.
2. Check the floor in front of and under the machine. If water is on the floor, turn off power to the dishwasher at the breaker as well.
3. Think about the last cycle: was regular dish soap or a new detergent used? Foam that overflows the tub is one way water ends up in the base.

That's where Bosch's self-help stops: for E15, Bosch says to turn off the water and contact service. The water in the base came from somewhere — a loose hose clamp, a worn seal on the pump or the sump, a cracked hose, or foam — and the code will come back until that leak is fixed.

What we usually find

• A loose or cracked hose connection inside the base.
• A worn seal on the circulation pump or the sump.
• Foam from the wrong detergent — then no part has failed at all, and the fix is drying the base and switching detergent.

Bosch dishwashers sit under the counter, so finding the leak means sliding the unit out without damaging the cabinets or the floor. That's a normal part of the visit.

Bosch E24: not draining

E24 is the drain error — and one of the most searched dishwasher problems, along with "Bosch dishwasher not draining" in general. Bosch ties it to a blocked drain filter, and lists these checks:

1. Clean the filter. It twists out of the bottom of the tub. Rinse it under the tap and put it back until it locks.
2. Check the drain hose behind and under the machine for kinks — common after the dishwasher was pushed back into place.
3. Check the pump cover under the filter is seated and not loose.
4. New install with a garbage disposal? The knockout plug inside the disposal's dishwasher inlet has to be removed. If it wasn't, the dishwasher can never drain.
5. Reset the dishwasher as described in your owner's manual and run a short program.

If the water still sits in the tub after all five, the problem is past the filter: a failing drain pump, a blockage in the line, or the hose connection at the sink. For more on drain problems across all brands, see our dishwasher not draining guide.

And E25?

E25 is the next step along: Bosch says it means the drain pump is blocked, or the pump cover is loose or missing. Remove the filter, take off the pump cover under it, and clear out what's inside — carefully, because the usual culprit is broken glass. If E25 returns with a clean pump, the pump itself needs replacing.

When to call a technician

• E15 that comes back after the base has dried out.
• Water on the floor, or under the cabinet.
• E24 or E25 after the filter, hose and pump cover are clean and seated.
• A hum from the pump with no water moving.

For a Bosch dishwasher in NYC, our standard "not draining" repair is $340 with parts and labor, and a leak repair is $290. The diagnostic is $100, credited in full if you go ahead. See Bosch dishwasher repair for models, prices and what else we fix.

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