How to Fix Washing Machine E18 Error & Clear Drain Blockage | Bosch Home UK/Ireland

[@aleksuuu]

expect way more water from the hose than what's shown in the video... i learned it the hard way :/

[@anaymakan6989]

The amount of water is 3x-4x the amount shown in the video

[@tjfSIM]

@@anaymakan6989 Yep same! At least three of those containers filled up - probably as it was mid-cycle. A lot of water came out when I opened the filter cover as well. I did find the cause of the blockage though, so thumbs up!

[@lucyfriedland5712]

TRUE!!! I’m getting 10x the amount of water than I expected

[@lucyfriedland5712]

Expect a mop buckets worth

[@bunnyteja4400]

U guys are preparing for a tsunami...

[@andydrb9673]

Useful video but a couple of things to be aware of. 1. It takes AGES to drain the water and you'll need a bigger container than the one in the video. As I didn't want water flooding my floor I got a large bowl and shut the valve off to periodically stop the flow of water and empty the bowl. Mind numbing but better than water all over the floor. 2. When you unscrew the filter a load of gunky water will flood out so ensure you have an old towel and clothes spread out and to hand. 3. After doing the first 2 steps my washing machine still showed the E18 error which was only fixed by taking the hose off and cleaning that.

[@shishirjathar1411]

Machine stopped mid cycle with E 18. As many others have mentioned, the water came out non-stop until I thought that the tap was on and hence the water would not stop. Now, when I tried to unscrew the filter it moved half turn and then jammed. I had to use pliers and cloth for grip and apply tremendous force to finally unscrew the filter completely. I realised I had not cleaned the filter for over 6 months or may be a year. Absolutely rotten lint came out along with a coin. Poor machine was still doing the job for last so many months until it finally gave in. Filter cleaned. Problem solved. Thank you so much for the video.

[@lindyc7847]

So proud of myself, just fixed my washing machine for the first time ever! And probably saved ££ in an engineer visit. The amount of water that you drain out of the hose is unreal. You will likely need 2 buckets so that one is filling still while you empty out the other one. Don’t underestimate the volume of water that will come out. My issue was a small ball of hair had collected in the impeller behind the filter. I used a torch, tweezers and a thin chopstick to loosen it and then pull it out. My hand actually also fit in the space in front of the impeller, but if you have large hands you may not get your whole hand inside to get at whatever you see. So something long (like a thin wooden chopstick) will really help if that is your problem. Thanks Bosch.

[@swetapanda2227]

Thank you... This was the most helpful video on KZbin I have seen till date

[@emilynewman-martin9510]

This worked perfectly. Please note: chances are that the load of washing won't have drained (like mine) and a huge amount of water will come out of the hose- far more than you'd think. I put a bucket under the hose, then when the bucket was full I reinserted the stopper into the hose to stop the flow of water. After emptying the bucket, I unplugged the hose and drained again. Repeated until no more water came out. Took quite a while so just be aware.

[@ABC_DEF]

It worked. The hole in the front was blocked by two whitening sheets. But I could have done without the chirpy music. Not what you want to listen to when you think your washing machine has ruined your day.

[@laurahunt9189]

Hilarious

[@AoP893]

Thanks for this. Drain pump had hair clip in. Suprised it got passed the drum. One to remember and to make sure to check all clothing beforehand. Tip to anyone who needs to refill containers to drain the machine just pop the bung back in the pipe. It goes in easy enough without making a mess.

[@WillG333]

Top tip if you don't immediately find an item such as a hair-clip or coin causing the blockage in the chamber where the filter and the pump impeller sit: there is also a small drain pipe leading out of that chamber - in my case, that drain pipe is what was blocked (an old piece of duct tape, about 3" x 3" must have been in my pocket and worked its way through the machine). That pipe goes out at a right angle on the left of the chamber - about 1.5" in diameter, and not super-easy to access. I ended up using a little allen key to locate and fish out the blockage.

[@AjugaBeluga]

Thank you so much! I had already drained it and couldn’t see anything but this is where my blockage was!! 🙏

[@hannahc1124]

Thank you for the video, with such great and easy to follow instructions! I also had much more water come out than the video showed, but Was able to stop the flow by Covering the hose with my finger in between dumping out containers full of water. But it worked, so no complaints here! Very thankful for a quick fix!

[@vickioconnor241]

Thank you, I was able to fix my machine today. 2 screws, 15 cents and a button off something I have never seen. Working perfectly.

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Great, we're happy to hear this video has helped you. Thanks, James.

[@dewinmoonl]

fixed ! perfect instruction. pro tip : get a BIG bucket / bowl there's a LOT of water in there. I used a small bowl to transfer it to the big one

[@blturn]

*Key things this video missed that may save somebody:* - When draining the water out of the little hose, you may need *multiple* containers. I am not joking, you may get a cup's worth of water or two buckets, so be sure to have a small container to drain the water into and a large container to empty the contents of the smaller container. - After clearing out the pump and propeller for any debris, ensure you secure the pump cover tightly back on. Keep screwing until you see the little arrow on the pump cover is pointing up and can’t screw any further. If you don’t do this, water will continuously drip out of the pump cover and onto your floor.

[@lousuffer3046]

Great video, worked a treat. I'm not sure if my model differs but about 10 times the amount of water came out, plus the cap unscrews completely instead of a quarter turn

[@KasumiRINA]

It's same on all machines, they cut the part where there was most of the screwing, and amount of water depends on how much you have there so it differs.

[@benherron8694]

It worked for me. One coin and some bits of wood found at the impeller. Still got E18 after that. Removed hose from drain and found it was blocked with washing powder crystals. Knocked that clear with a screwdriver and now it works.

[@MoritzAdler]

Thank you so much Bosch, this is awesome. Just saved me hours of work, reading through manuals and then eventually calling a handyman. Great Video!

[@Unggoy_Murderer]

Fantastic video, solved my Bosch washer dryer error 18 / E18 issue. It was making a buzzing sound from that area before it errored out. I had the machine in storage for a while, lesson learned to drain the machine fully next time!

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi Callum, thank you for your post. I am so glad to hear that this has helped you in resolving the issue with your washer dryer. Thanks, Mandy.

[@TimOliver]

Nice one, that worked. Maybe one day somebody will be able to explain something without bloody ukeleles and whistling. We’ll still understand !!!

[@jacobitemoray]

Perfect, after taking about two buckets of water out the wee tube , I then found a screwdriver bit stuck in the propeller. Working fine now..

[@benlane3359]

Brilliant youtube vid. Saved us the time, expense and carbon of having to get some guy out instead. Top youtuber

[@Sadie9579]

Amazing Advice, Thankyou. We followed your instructions after I ran several cycles and they kept stopping with E18. Dislodged a blockage in the filter and washing machine restored v quickly to working order.

[@mikele8476]

which part call "in the filter" ? tk

[@Barry_Tsedaka]

Prepare an empty 20 liter bottle before you open the bottom hose... Regardless - very good explanation

[@debraxu6946]

Very clear and helpful instructions! Truly saved me!

[@karenakinci2786]

Yes, about 9 liters of water and I couldn't get the little door off so I had to use a beaker. Have a very large bucket handy and kink the rubber hose or stop it with your thumb while emptying your small container into the bucket. I cleared a blockage in the filter but it still wouldn't work and there was another blockage in the rubber seal of the drum - a hairball the size of a fieldmouse. That's not on the video; to be fair that seems to be a completely separate drum error but so very closely related, I can't understand why they didn't mention it. Very useful video though, thanks for that.

[@AdamJCmusic]

Thanks for that, just got around 2 gallons of water over my kitchen floor now 🤣 but seriously this did work 👌

[@lennycook206]

Didn't think to use the draining hose then? Some people just can't be helped I guess...

[@ishaaqaboubaker969]

I think the problem is it’s the kitchen floor not the laundry 👀

[@graemeparker3708]

Fantastic video...all done fixed and now working perfectly again. Found a toothpick in the drain covered in fluff 😉😉

[@KasumiRINA]

Thanks for this, had a different model of Bosch washing machine, and it started malfunctioning, Googled the E 18 error that appeared and it was just the drain needed cleaning of the small fut parts and blocked it (and a toothpick). Opening big the gray screwy thing was the hardest part. Also it was weird to have many tiny containers since big ones didn't fit.

[@sc00bzuk]

The problem with my Bosch washing machine ended up being the latter part of this video at the hose and pipe clamp. There was a serious amount of god knows what (I'll just call it disgusting gunk) stopping the water flow and causing the E-18 error code. God damnnnn what a stench it produced when I cleaned out that hose and pipe clamp 🤢 but overall what an easy fix this ended up being. I was so close to booking a washing machine engineer and then I found this video and I'm so glad I did. Thanks Bosch for the video and saving me a potentially huge dent in my pocket 😊👍🏾

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, thanks for your post. I am so pleased to hear that you have managed to resolve the issue. If you do need any further assistance, please don't hesitate to get back in touch. Thanks, Mandy.

[@LelaQavtaradze]

Gamarjoba.gavlebis dros ekranze daeweraE:18.gavwminde milic ra vushvelo.isev ar gaaq

[@kerowyn31]

A lot of water came out and it works! Thank you.

[@elaine3886]

I didn't get the E 18 message for some weeks after the machine was making a terrible noise although working ok. I thought it was a belt or something like this and called bosch but the cost of fixing it didn't seem worth it. Eventually it stopped draining and showed the error message and I fixed it (two pennies, a pound coin and a rusty nail!). Amazing - I was about to buy a new machine and the fix was easy - so next time it starts to rattle I'll check this again even if I don't get the error message.

[@TheFiskuss]

thank you for this guide, very helpful

[@benniepienaar2151]

Thanks very much for the explanation. I manged to unblock the pipe and it's now working.

[@lee1170]

Thanks. This gave me the opportunity to fix very quickly but explain to my wife I had to go get some “parts”. After an afternoon out browsing at the motorcycle shop and a lovely brunch with my girlfriend I returned to announce I repaired the problem saving us $450. I deserved the hero treatment from my wife that evening and a few beers.

[@dtaafe2857]

Wife AND Girlfriend. What a hero!! 😳

[@falcon55551]

Hahahaha this absolutely cracked me epic!

[@maltymaxbrothers1354]

Really useful video, managed to fix my washing machine no problem.

[@Edaryion]

And here I feared I will have to go back to hand-washing. 😅 😊 Thank you for this easy tutorial, I will try doing all of the steps.

[@mandydavies6665]

Drained the water but can’t get the cap out, it turns a quarter turn and have been trying this many times, sounds gritty inside there and giving some resistance. Fearing half a Golden Retriever is causing the blockage but can’t get at it! Any suggestions please?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, if you are unable to remove the filter cap there maybe something in the filter that is preventing it opening. I would recommend to firmly move the cap backwards and forwards to try and dislodge the obstruction. If this doesn't resolve the issue I would suggest that you call our Customer service department on 0344 8928979 to arrange an engineer inspection. Thanks Charlotte.

[@DanielVerberne]

Hey fellow Bosch owners! I'm a foolish parent who let their children play in dirt and sand and subsequently failed to clean that crud off towels and clothes before putting them in the wash! Yay! Now I have hours of tedious clean-up as I try in vain to remove as much of the stubborn grains of sand and grit everywhere! Don't be like me!

[@elliethfalloux372]

Too late 😂

[@Sadie9579]

And yes, draining the water out was approx 7 tubs worth and took a good 15mins.

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

We're glad to hear you have now resolved the issue. ~Donna

[@ingar.2210]

Excellent instructions, it worked beautifully. Thank you! ❤️

[@boblangford5514]

There seems to be some hair behind the impeller, and I think that is preventing it from rotating freely. Is there a way to remove the impeller to remove the hair?

[@peterwalsh994]

I have same problem and cannot get the blue device off the machine, most irritating!!

[@BBoss27]

Same issue here. Anyone know how to address this?

[@JoFlow1983]

Looks like it's either a design mistake or done on purpose, any long hair will get behind the impeller and block it over time. ... I wonder to try to pull it off with force, but a little bit afraid of breaking it

[@kristygreen7568]

Thank you. It reset and started the load over again. We emptied our container 6 times so yes it seemed like the whole load of water stuck there and not emptying.

[@jon.adalsteinn.brynjolfsson]

Thanks for the Video, just fixed my Siemens :)

[@sunny127]

Thank you, solved my problem :)

[@sumansudarshan7195]

Very good service by Bosch...German engineering

[@luqman3]

@Bosch: what do you do if the pump cover doesn't come off? It turns anticlockwise one quarter turn (till the handle is horizontal) and goes no further. It also doesn't come out. I can only turn it from vertical to horizontal... What do I do then?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, thank you for getting in touch. If the cover cannot be correctly removed, an engineer will be required to attend and fully assess the appliance. - Kieran

[@celia_matthews_]

Brilliant! Thanks ... got it unclogged. Much appreciated 🙌

[@aaronmathew5]

This video was really helpful to me.Thank you so much

[@timl7217]

I had a face mask, hair bobble and a hair clip stuck in there. Thanks for the video

[@latamaurya9306]

works like magic❤️. Thank you so much!! was very very helpful information 👍🏻

[@lizrobertson8126]

Not strong enough to unscrew the pump cover :-(

[@KrizuLily]

This was SO useful, thanks a bunch! 😊

[@Street_Fitter]

If you notice soapy water coming up through the sink drain it's more likely the fault is a clogged u-bend pipe under the sink

[@vaishalyrb1114]

Very helpful, solved the problem.

[@Edaryion]

I can not open the "pump cover", though I have a different Bosch machine. (Avantixx 7). I unscrewed some screws which I thought might be keeping it locked, but nothing. Any advice?

[@Edaryion]

Apparently I just needed to use more force. But the pump cover comes in two parts, the cover & the longer part below it, which I would call the filter & can not remove. I cleaned what I could see, but how do I clean the filter itself? There is some sort of pullable triangle but I can not figure out what it does.

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, to be able to advise further we would require the full E-nr and FD numbers from the appliance. Thanks Charlotte.

[@Edaryion]

Hi, thank you for your response! I did not expect that, it really shows how diligent you are, especially so quickly.@@BoschHomeUKandIreland I do not know how to acquire that data, the washing machine was bought second-hand I believe. Regardless, it works now. Just clearing what there was near the entry seems to have fixed it. Which is surprising because that is just the access cover & the items were not blocking any passage, just the one towards the... Exit of the cover. Odd, but hey! It works now so I am grateful. 😅

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

You're welcome, for future reference the numbers are located on the inside the appliance door. If you have unscrewed the cap and pulled it out this is all you need to do. The filter is where you have unscrewed and taken the cap out from. Great that you were able to resolve the problem! Thanks Charlotte.

[@Edaryion]

I am grateful for your explanation, Charlotte. 😁

[@devijr2841]

Informative....rectified my problem..Thank you👍🏻

[@vikasrajpurohit6056]

Thanks it helped me solve the error.

[@dailyyogaattemptstartingfr8666]

Thanks, E18 problem solved

[@rabnesbit]

Great video. I had huge problems with the blue cap previously. The biggest culprit was collar stays from my shirts. It blocked again yesterday but it was hair around the little wheel inside. Really need to clean out the drain hose, is it safe to pour Drano in there?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, thank you for getting in touch. We would advise cleaning this by hand, and to not pour anything into the drainage hole. We would advise running a cleaning programme, washing machine cleaner or descaler through your appliance.

[@paigemulcahy3492]

I can’t for the life of me get the blue cap off…

[@virenp]

Thank you. Solution worked.

[@markhill4659]

Very useful, thank you.

[@adrianvanatoru7392]

Thank you ! Very useful !

[@jonishy6183]

Really helpful!! Thank you

[@avivlerner]

Great video

[@periyaful]

Thank you my problem solved

[@rickwoldt]

Hi everyone... I was able to drain the water and clean the filter as per the video.. Prior to this I used the emergency release to unlock the door.. However, now I cannot close the door as the latch is locked.. Any advice?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, thank you for getting in touch. If the latch has become stuck since using this, we can only advise on having an engineer attend to reset and assess the latch/lock area. www.siemens-home.bsh-group.com/uk/customer-service/repair

[@livingincrete7157]

I opened the flap, drained off the water but the cap is STUCK. It will only turn a quarter turn. So the cap won't unscrew and therefore I cant remove it. Any advice? thanks.

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

If the filter cap cannot be removed then an engineer will be required for further inspection.

[@Whowhatwhen2ewwu1]

my pump cover is jamming. possible some material has slipped down and is stopping the pump cover from unscrewing. any other ways to get inside without destroying the tab???

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, thank you for getting in touch. If it is not removing as advised, an engineer would be advised to attend and assess.

[@Whowhatwhen2ewwu1]

@@BoschHomeUKandIreland yea not a bad idea.

[@non-girlygirl]

Very helpful.

[@themakeruk392]

the BEEPING IS SOUL DESTROYING!

[@bhavanimishra7775]

how should i unscrew the pump cover? its not budging and my fingers are already hurting

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi Bhavani, Drain the water first if you haven't already, and when you turn the filter, try pushing the filter in, and turn anticlockwise. Hope this helps! Thanks - Craig

[@jamesrobert6132]

Pump cover rotates from vertical position 120 degrees anti-clockwise and cannot be removed….. any ideas?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, this may be because you may have something obstructing the cover. If this cannot be removed we would recommend you to book an engineer. Thank you Donna

[@jamesleicher]

i had e29 and e18 error now check filter and inner pipe to pump all clear ,some thing else to look at?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, I am sorry to hear about this. Can you advise of your model number, and we can then assist further? Thanks, Mandy.

[@khodorkkassab3924]

Thanks man

[@catwalk586]

So hard to undo the blue plug

[@lesleymcmurray7114]

how did you manage this..mine is stuck

[@khimanidarshan3854]

Lesley Mcmurray my also blue clog stuck

[@Mialna]

Very hard

[@shishirjathar1411]

I think my drain pump is damaged. There is a very low humming noise when i put it in Drain/Spin cycle. I put it in this cycle to drain the water resulting from E18 error message. Can you please advise?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, I would recommend that the filter is checked for blockages. If this doesn't resolve the issue I would recommend to get in touch with our Customer service team on 0344 893 8979 to discuss the matter further. Thanks Charlotte.

[@tuhocan6580]

After opening the hoses at 0:45 and 0:55, there is still a lot of water in the drum. Do you know the reason?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, if water is still present, you have not fully drained the appliance. This will need to be done until the water stops running form the manual drain hose. - Kieran

[@franziskabuddle859]

I can see what to do but can't open the pump cover because of a vacuum. how did everyone break that?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, thank you for your message. If the pump cover cannot be opened it may suggest there is something blocking it from the inside. We would recommend an engineer to come out if you're unable to open the cover. Please visit our website for further assistance - bosch-home.com/ Thanks, James.

[@sk1fiend]

Update, after this fixed it a year ago. I get repeated E18 so going to have to get the back off and the entire exhaust tubing removed and checked.

[@italyinenglish8170]

The filter dial is stuck, I can't open it. I'm afraid of breaking it. How to do so?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, I'm sorry you have experienced difficulties with opening the filter. There may be something jamming it from the inside and if you are unable to dislodge this you will need to arrange an engineer inspection. Thanks Charlotte.

[@geethasaketh7501]

In that black tube water is not coming before in that water came. White screw type filter water is coming and today e18 signal is coming

[@myrahayde981]

Machine just paid me 46 cents to clear out pump! 🤣

[@hallyhunta1]

All I got was 3 toothpicks and some lint.

[@sangeethaajith18]

Thanks a ton

[@silverismoney]

What if the filter is not blocked, the drain pipe isn't blocked or kinked, and the inlet works fine ? what then ?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, If E18 is showing and all the checks have been carried out and the issue has not been resolved, I would recommend an engineer inspection is arranged. Thanks Charlotte

[@CY078]

Does everyone else pump cover (@54s) turn more than 90deg to the left ?? Mine seems to only turn that much and th cover won’t come off. I’m using pliers to turn it too and definitely forcing it to go past 90deg

[@CY078]

So in addition …. The pump cover may not be able to open because there is something stuck in the hose. So you have to take some bits off to get to it …. Video as per below kzbin.info/www/bejne/ppyVdH1mZatmgqc

[@gwxnythh]

Hi, my E18 still keeps appearing despite following the steps, does anyone know what to do?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, if this is not resolving the issue, then you may require an engineer visit. If you would like to arrange this then please either cal us on 0344 892 8979, or arrange online at www.bosch-home.co.uk/customer-service/repair-service. Thanks, Mandy.

[@warrenthomas6246]

Does not show how far to turn the cover to remove. Mine turns a quarter of a turn but won't come out

[@jackd7981]

I had the same issue. Turns out whatever is blocking the pump is blocking the plug. Try turning the plug back and forth many times to loose or move whatever is blocking the plug. That worked for me

[@Lilchino707]

Is it a full turn? Or 2 full turns?I feel like I might strip it

[@peterwalsh994]

@@Lilchino707 Hopeless, one small probelm and the whole machine packs in!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@user-kn8co4fo1l]

Ты лучший

[@vanessatrevisan9952]

Super

[@nijmenna]

Just had the pump replaced yesterday by a mechanic after repeated E18 error codes and no blockage in the hose or pump, only to find that the same error code popped up today! Anyone else had this issue?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, thank you for your message. I am really sorry to hear the error code is still appearing after the repair. I would recommend contacting your local customer service, to get the engineer back out. Thanks, James.

[@usecreate2937]

After putting off the inevitable, my machine eventually stopped draining on E18 and I finally had to strip down the machine down almost entirely to remove a 5 pence lollipop stick which was restricting the unscrew action of the filter cap to 90 degrees (kzbin.info/www/bejne/rF6sgZyMe6p6hrM - this is a poor design flaw on an otherwise faultless machine!). Eventually, a trolley coin popped out under pressure and thought the problem was resolved. E18 came back though albeit intermittently. Went back into the filter several times after and eventually pulled out a complete pair of knickers through the 1 cm plastic tube that precedes the filter, which appears to have been settled in the eco sump hose for several months/years. I suspect there was nothing wrong with the original pump and there is a blockage that was never fully cleared by the engineer upon the initial visit!

[@seancaseo84]

Good video, mind numbing music though

[@o_o-lu5gh]

Song name?

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hello, thank you for your comment. The track used in this video is Happy and Positive summer by KLM Music. Many thanks, Sam.

[@richardforsman]

For some reason I need to do this at least once a month. So annoying.

[@adamw8469]

I fixed it but it didn’t solve my problem... my wife is still here.

[@robinpetersson9963]

Cant get the pumpcover off -.-’

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, if you are unable to remove the pump cover this could indicate there is something in the filter jamming it or possibly a build up of limescale. I would recommend you contact Bosch Customer service on 0344 892 8979 to speak with one of our product specialists for further assistance. Thanks Charlotte.

[@sivamnanda]

How to resolve e17 error in Bosch washing machine

[@BoschHomeUKandIreland]

Hi, thank you for getting in touch, and we're sorry to learn you have this error code. Model depending, this can indicate a water supply issue, please assess this and if any further information is advised in your usual manual in regard to E17 checks.

[@Dezire4Lust]

Its alway a flipping hair pin !!