Bosch Dishwasher Not Draining (E24 and E25): The Checks, in Order

A Bosch dishwasher not draining is one of the most common dishwasher problems we see, and most of the time the cause is something you can check yourself in about twenty minutes. Bosch reports drain trouble with two codes: E24 when water can't leave the machine, and E25 when the drain pump itself is blocked. Below are the checks in the order we do them on a service call, starting with the easiest and ending with the ones that need a technician.

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What E24 and E25 mean on a Bosch dishwasher

The two codes narrow the search before you pick up a tool:

• E24 means the dishwasher tried to pump water out and it didn't drain in time. The blockage is usually somewhere along the drain path: the filter, the drain hose, the garbage disposal connection or the kitchen drain itself.

• A Bosch dishwasher E25 code means the problem is at the drain pump. Something is caught under the pump cover, such as a piece of glass, a fruit pit, a label or a toothpick, or the pump has failed.

Older Bosch models without a display show the same faults as a pattern of flashing lights, or simply stop with water left in the tub. The checks are the same either way.

Before you start

Switch the dishwasher off, and if you can reach it, turn off its circuit breaker. Lay towels in front of the door, because there may be a few inches of dirty water in the tub. Scoop it out with a cup and soak up the rest with a sponge so you can see the filter. Wear gloves: broken glass is one of the usual culprits.

A little water sitting under the filter after a normal cycle is not a fault. Bosch dishwashers keep a small amount in the sump, the low area under the filter, to protect the pump seals. Standing water above the filter is the sign of a real drain problem.

Check 1: clean the filter

The filter sits at the bottom of the tub. On most Bosch models it's a cylinder you twist counterclockwise and lift out, with a flat fine-mesh filter underneath. Rinse both under the tap and scrub the mesh with a soft brush. Grease and food fibres build up into a film you can barely see, and that film alone can slow drainage enough for the dishwasher to show E24.

While the filter is out, look into the opening below it and pick out anything solid: seeds, bones, glass or pieces of paper label. Then refit the filters and make sure the cylinder locks in place. A filter that isn't seated lets debris go straight into the pump.

Check 2: clear the drain pump cover

With the filters out, you'll see a small plastic cover in the sump, usually white or grey. On most Bosch dishwashers it unclips: lever the tab up with the handle of a spoon, then pull the cover toward you. Under it is the drain pump impeller, a small plastic wheel. Look for anything caught around it and remove it carefully, glass especially.

Gently turn the impeller with the spoon handle. It should move freely, with a little play. If it's stiff, grinds or won't turn at all, something is still jammed or the pump is damaged. Snap the cover back until it clicks. If the cover isn't fully seated, the dishwasher won't drain properly even with a clean pump.

[PHOTO 1 · shot: the open sump of a Bosch dishwasher with the filter removed and the pump cover visible · alt text: "Bosch dishwasher not draining: filter removed to reach the drain pump cover"]

Check 3: the drain hose

The drain hose runs from the pump to the sink drain or the garbage disposal. The most common problem is a kink behind the dishwasher, especially after the machine has been pushed back in following an installation or a floor repair. Open the sink cabinet and follow the hose as far as you can see it. It should rise in a high loop under the counter, or connect to an air gap on the sink, before it drops into the drain. That loop stops dirty sink water from flowing back into the dishwasher.

A clogged hose often feels firm in one section instead of hollow. To check it, disconnect it at the sink end over a bucket and make sure water and debris come out freely.

Check 4: the garbage disposal connection

If your dishwasher drains into a garbage disposal, check two things. First, run the disposal for a few seconds with the cold tap on, because a disposal full of food waste blocks the dishwasher inlet. Second, if the disposal is new, make sure the knockout plug was removed. Disposals ship with a plastic plug sealing the dishwasher inlet, and it has to be knocked out during installation. A Bosch dishwasher E24 code that appears the day after a new disposal goes in almost always means this.

Check 5: the kitchen drain

Run the kitchen tap for a minute. If the sink itself drains slowly or gurgles, the blockage is in the household plumbing beyond the dishwasher, and the dishwasher is simply the first appliance to complain. That's a job for a plumber or a drain snake, not a dishwasher repair.

How to reset a Bosch dishwasher after a drain fault

Once you've cleared the cause, reset the dishwasher so it pumps out and clears the code. On most Bosch models, pressing and holding the Start button for about three seconds cancels the cycle and runs the drain pump for about a minute. Your model's manual confirms the exact button. Then run a short or rinse cycle with the dishwasher empty and watch: the water should be gone at the end, and the code shouldn't come back.

When the Bosch drain pump itself has failed

If the filter, hose, disposal and kitchen drain are all clear and the code returns, the pump is the likely cause. The usual signs:

• You hear a hum during the drain phase but no water moves.

• E25 comes back even though the pump cover and impeller are clean.

• The pump buzzes or rattles, or the impeller has a broken blade.

A failed drain pump is a common Bosch repair and is usually done in one visit. We also check the non-return valve, a small flap that stops drained water from flowing back in, because a stuck valve can look exactly like a dead pump. If water is collecting under the dishwasher or the display shows E15, that's a leak in the base rather than a drain fault. Our Bosch repair page explains what that code means.

Is a Bosch dishwasher not draining worth repairing?

Usually, yes. Drain faults are almost always a filter, a hose, a pump or a valve, and those are inexpensive parts compared with a new built-in dishwasher, its installation and, on panel-ready models, refitting the cabinet panel. The answer changes only on an older machine that also has a leaking tub or a failing control board. Our dishwasher repair page explains how we diagnose first and give you a written estimate before any work starts.

[PHOTO 2 · shot: the old drain pump or the debris found, beside the repaired dishwasher · alt text: "Bosch dishwasher drain pump replaced after an E25 code"]

How to keep it from happening again

• Clean the filter once a month, or more often if you run the dishwasher every day.

• Scrape plates into the trash. Seeds, bones and labels from jars are what end up in the pump.

• Run the garbage disposal before you start the dishwasher.

• Don't push the dishwasher hard against the wall after cleaning behind it. That's how drain hoses get kinked.

For other dishwasher symptoms, from dishes coming out dirty to dishes not drying, our dishwasher troubleshooting page walks through the usual causes. Bosch also publishes manuals and care guides for its models on its US website.