Bosch Washing Machine E18 Error: Meaning, Causes & Safe Checks

E18 Check carefully Safe checks first

Quick answer

Bosch E18 (F18 on some models) means the machine isn’t draining. Bosch’s fix is to clean the drain pump behind the service flap so the impeller turns freely, then check the drain hose and where it connects for kinks or blockages. Hot water can scald, so let it cool. If it still won’t drain, book a Bosch engineer.

Also shown as F18 d02

Check your model

Bosch UK confirms what E18 means, but some of the steps below come from a Bosch page for another country. They are general checks, and your UK manual takes priority. Check your manual, or Bosch UK support with your model number.

What E18 means on a Bosch washing machine

The washing machine isn’t draining: the water isn’t being pumped away.

Applies to: Bosch washing machines. Some models show F18 or d02 for the same fault.

What you might notice

Likely causes

What you can safely check yourself

Stop and call a qualified engineer if:
  • The code or problem comes back after you’ve done the safe checks on this page.
  • The next step would mean removing a cover or panel, or working on the pump, valves, heater, motor, door lock or wiring. That is a job for a qualified engineer.
  • Water is leaking from inside the appliance or is near the plug or socket. Don’t touch the plug with wet hands or while standing in water. Switch off at the consumer unit instead.
  • The appliance is still under warranty. Contact the manufacturer first, because DIY work can affect your cover.

Work through these in order. Stop as soon as one of the signs above applies.

Clean the drain pump filter Take care

Before you start
  • Switch off and unplug the appliance at the wall socket before you touch hoses, filters or the back of the machine. Make sure your hands and the plug area are dry.
  • Water inside can be hot after a hot wash. Wait for it to cool before opening a filter.
  • Expect water to come out. Put towels and a shallow tray or baking dish down first.
  • Never force a locked door, a stuck filter cap or a seized part. Forcing it usually causes more damage.
Where the drain pump filter usually is Filter flap bottom front, one side Shallow tray + towels drain slowly, a bit at a time Filter cap turn anticlockwise slowly Some models have a small emergency drain hose here too
Where the drain pump filter usually is. Positions vary by model — check your manual.
  1. Find the small flap at the bottom front of the machine. Your manual shows the exact location and whether there is a small emergency drain hose.
  2. With towels and a tray in place, release the water slowly, using the emergency hose if there is one, or by turning the filter cap a little at a time. Expect more water than you think, and empty the tray as often as you need to.
  3. When the water has stopped, unscrew the filter fully and remove fluff, coins, hair grips and other debris. Rinse it under the tap.
  4. Look into the opening to check the pump blade can turn freely. If you can see it, manufacturers suggest turning it gently with a pencil, never with your fingers.
  5. Refit the filter firmly in its locked position and close the flap. Check for drips the next time the machine runs.

For this fault: Bosch: drain through the small drainage hose behind the service flap, or by unscrewing the pump cover slowly into a large container. After refitting, pour 1 litre of water into the detergent drawer to check the pump cover doesn’t leak, then run the drain or spin programme.

Don’t reach in with fingers past the filter opening.

Don’t open the filter while the machine is running or the water is hot.

Check the drain hose position and for kinks Take care

Before you start
  • Switch off and unplug the appliance at the wall socket before you touch hoses, filters or the back of the machine. Make sure your hands and the plug area are dry.
  • The appliance is heavy. Pull it out slowly, ideally with help, and don’t strain the hoses or the cable.
Drain hose height and standpipe Outlet height min–max: see your manual Don’t push the hose in too far it can siphon or block No kinks or loops
Drain hose height and standpipe. Positions vary by model — check your manual.
  1. Check the drain hose behind the machine is not kinked, twisted or squashed against the wall.
  2. Check how far the hose goes into the standpipe or sink trap. Pushed in too far, it can siphon or block.
  3. Check the height of the hose outlet against your manual. Manufacturers give a minimum and maximum height above the floor or the machine base.
  4. If the hose has been extended, check the joint. Extensions narrow the flow and make blockages more likely.

Check the sink trap, spigot or standpipe isn’t blocked

  1. If the machine drains into the sink waste, run the sink tap and check the sink empties normally.
  2. Food debris often builds up where the machine’s drain hose joins the sink pipework. With the machine unplugged, you can undo that connection and clear it.
  3. If the machine was just installed, or the sink waste was replaced, check the blanking cap or bung has been removed from the spigot the hose connects to.
  4. If the sink itself drains slowly, the household drain is blocked rather than the machine. Clear it as you would any blocked sink.

When to call an engineer

If the checks above don’t clear E18, or any of the stop signs apply, contact Bosch or a qualified appliance engineer. Have the model and serial number from the rating label ready, and start with Bosch UK support.

Repair or replace?

Most E18 cases are cleared by the safe checks above. If they don’t help, the remaining causes are parts an engineer has to diagnose. We don’t publish repair prices because they vary by area, part and model.

Related problems

Related codes

Questions people ask

Bosch’s UK page mentions the inlet hose for E18. Why?

The introduction on Bosch’s UK E18 page mentions a filter or cold-water inlet hose blockage, but every step it gives is about draining, and Bosch’s other English-language pages and its UK manual describe E18/F18 as a drain fault. Start with the drain checks. If they don’t help, also check the inlet hose isn’t kinked.

Is F18 the same as E18?

Yes. Bosch says some models show the same fault as F18 or d02.

Different code or symptom? Use the fault finder, see all Bosch washing machine codes, or read how Bosch codes work. Not sure it’s safe? Read our safety information.

Sources

Last checked against these sources: .

We write every page in our own words from manufacturer guidance and check it against the sources above. If your manual says something different, follow your manual. How we check.