Error Codes
Bosch Dishwasher E15 Error: What It Means
Bosch's E15 code is an Aquastop leak-sensor warning - water has been detected where it shouldn't be. Here's what to do the moment you see it.
E15 is one of the more important codes a Bosch dishwasher can show. It means the Aquastop leak sensor at the base of the machine has detected water pooling in the base pan - somewhere it shouldn't be during normal operation. It's a protective code designed to stop the machine before a small leak becomes water damage to your kitchen floor.
What Usually Causes It
- An internal leak from a hose, valve or pump seal that has developed a crack or come loose
- Overfilling or excess suds from using the wrong type of detergent
- A false trigger from a faulty Aquastop sensor itself
What to Do Immediately
Turn the dishwasher off at the power and don't run another cycle. Check that you've been using dishwasher-specific detergent rather than regular dish soap, since excess suds is a genuinely common and easily fixed cause. If you switched detergents recently and the code appeared right after, that's worth ruling out first.
Why You Shouldn't Keep Running Cycles
Continuing to run the dishwasher while E15 keeps appearing risks the base pan overflowing onto your kitchen floor, which can damage flooring and cabinetry. Because the actual leak source - hose, valve, pump seal or sensor - is inside the base assembly, it needs a technician to open the unit and pinpoint exactly where the water is coming from.