Bosch dishwasher E24 error: water not draining

E24   (also shown as F24 on some models)

Why it happens

Bosch USA's E24 page says the code means "the dishwasher is not draining properly due to the drain filter being blocked." It lists the symptoms you may notice: water pooling at the bottom of the dishwasher after a cycle, the dishwasher pausing or stopping unexpectedly, and gurgling or humming noises.

Bosch's European support page for E24 puts it this way: "If the E24 or F24 error code appear on the appliance one reason could be a blocked pump."

Bosch's not-draining guide explains what blocks them: "Foreign objects, such as slivers of glass, food or dirt, can clog the dishwasher's filters and/or pump." A kinked or twisted drain hose can also stop the water getting out.

Bosch USA adds one cause specific to installations where the drain hose runs into a food waste disposer (a "garbage disposal"): if the disposer is new, the installer may not have removed the plug from its dishwasher drain connection.

How to fix it

Switch the dishwasher off before you start, and keep protective gloves to hand for the pump step.

Clean the filters, following Bosch's not-draining guide:

1. Remove the dishwasher rack.
2. Unlock the filter unit at the base of the dishwasher and carefully pull it out.
3. Separate the unit by carefully unscrewing the cylindrical filter first.
4. Clean both filters under running tap water. A small brush helps to clean the inside of the filter gently.
5. Reassemble the unit and put it back into the dishwasher.
6. Twist the filter to lock it into position until both arrows line up.

Clear the drain pump, again from the same guide:

1. Take out the bottom basket and lift the filter unit away.
2. Soak up the standing water with a soft sponge and ladle it out of the appliance.
3. Bosch says it is essential to wear protective gloves before you place your fingers in the pump area, since the debris can include slivers of glass. Using a teaspoon, prise off the pump cover.
4. Grip the cover by the lug and pull it upwards until it resists, then pull it forwards.
5. Check the pump for foreign objects and remove them.
6. Replace the pump cover and make sure it engages until it clicks.
7. Put the filter back with the arrows aligned and replace the basket.

Check the drain hose. Bosch's guide says to disconnect the machine from the power supply first, then check that the drain hose "has no kinks or twists" and straighten any you find. Bosch USA also says to check the siphon connection and make sure it is sealed.

If the hose runs into a food waste disposer, Bosch USA says to make sure the plug has been removed from the disposer's dishwasher drain connection.

Reset. Bosch USA says that after fixing the problem, you should reset the dishwasher and error code according to the owner's manual, because the reset differs between models.

Check that it worked

Bosch's not-draining guide suggests testing with the quickest programme. When it ends, there should be no water standing in the bottom of the tub and E24 should not return. If the pump cover did not click back into place, Bosch USA's E24 page tells you to check that the pump cover is not loose, and its error code list ties a loose or missing cover to E25, so refit it properly.

Model and region variants

• E24 and F24. Bosch Malta's page states that the same drain fault can show as E24 or F24.
• E24 and E25. On Bosch USA's error code list, E24 is the blocked-filter drain fault and E25 means "the drain pump is blocked or the drain pump cover is loose or missing". The pump clearing steps above apply to both.
• Food waste disposers. The disposer plug check comes from Bosch USA's page and only applies if your dishwasher drains through a disposer.

Washing machines show their drain faults differently: LG uses OE, explained on the LG OE error page. If you are dealing with a washer that will not fill, see the Samsung 4C page, and for a dryer that cuts out hot, the Samsung dryer HE page.

E24 is usually a blockage in the filter or pump that Bosch expects owners to clear themselves. When the filter, pump and hose are clean and the code persists, Bosch's advice is clear: close the water tap, switch off the appliance and book one of its engineers.