Many washing machines have a very common issue: standing water in the drum. If you are a Bosch washing machine that isn’t draining properly then this is nothing to panic over. In most cases, the problem is simply a coin trap that is obstructed and the pump can’t drain.
You don’t need to call a service technician to come and drain your washing machine to get it to drain properly. You can often handle this yourself in a matter of minutes by draining the standing water manually. The most common cause is a clogged pump, but it could be a number of other problems.
In this article, we will take a look at the reasons your Bosch washer isn’t draining and how to fix it, hopefully avoiding having to buy a new washing machine just yet.
How to drain water manually
The most common cause of a Bosch washing machine not draining correctly is a blockage in the drain pump also called a coin trap that collects things like coins, small socks, and hair pins. Before it can pass water through to the drain hose the pump has to be cleared manually.
Fortunately, you don’t need to call in a technician for professional service to handle this job. There may be other problems but the first thing to do is drain the standing water from the drum and into the drain hose. All you need is a bucket and a towel as there are no tools required.
- Turn off the power to your Bosch washer, or unplug it from the main electricity
- Look for a small panel at the bottom right of the washing machine
- Gently open the service flap to reveal the drainage hose and the drain pump cover
- Gently pull the small drain hose away from the clip and hold it over a receptacle to catch the lingering water
- Open the nozzle and let the water flow out into the receptacle
- Close the drain hose nozzle but don’t clip the hose back yet
- Unscrew the cap for the drain pump cover by turning it anti-clockwise
- Carefully remove the drain cap cover with a towel or shallow container at the ready to absorb the excess water that will come out
- Look for any foreign objects such as coins, small toys, or other debris, and carefully remove them
- Wipe off any sludge from the cap and from inside the pump compartment
- Replace the cap and secure it snugly and then reattach the drain hose to the clip
- Close the service flap turn the pump cover slowly and try to run a test wash to see how it handles draining water
If there were any foreign objects in the drain pump then it is likely that your problem has been solved. Do a test wash and see if there is any draining issue that leaves lingering water. If not then your problem is solved and you can use the Bosch washer without problems or it not draining water.
Run a cleaning cycle to remove odours
Once the test cycle is complete and you are sure there are no draining problems, then you will want to do a cleaning cycle. The water that you drained likely had some sludge and smelly water coming out of the drainage hose. The smell of this remaining water will affect the quality of the wash.
Open the door of the Bosch washer and add some deep clean washing powder directly inside. Run an empty cycle at 90°C on the drum clean setting. Don’t panic when you see the drum fill up with suds. This is normal and they will subside after.
In case of a blocked drain hose
When you next run a cycle after having cleaned out the pump and manually drained the remaining water from the drum you may still be left with standing water. If this is the case then you will need to check for a blockage in the Bosch washer drainage hose or main pipe that can restrict water flow.
The drainage hose is a flexible, corrugated hose that runs from the drum of the washing machine to a drainage pipe for draining water. It can be inserted into a pipe that drains directly to a storm pipe outside your hose, or to the pipes under the sink.
There are some possible clog causes. First, check to see if there is a kinked drain hose. If you moved your washing machine recently or it is unbalanced and often shakes around then this could cause the hose to get kinked and a clogged hose will restrict water flow. Move the hose to undo the kinked hose and that should be enough to get the water to drain again. However, you will need to manually drain the standing water before you run another cycle.
Take this opportunity to remove the hose and see if there are any obstructions in it or sludge build-up. Lint usually accumulates in this hose and can restrict the water passing through. With the presence of sludge, remove the hose from the washing machine and use a garden hose to flush it out completely. Then reattach the hose to the machine and run a test cycle once again.
If you still have some lingering water then the blockage is further down. You still don’t need a technician to come to repair. The next step is to simply check the main drain for obstructions.
- For drain hoses that are connected under the sink, have a towel ready and remove the drainage hose
- Check the hose for obstructions and inspect it for any damage such as a hold or crack
- With a towel or shallow container ready, remove the u-bend section of the pipe and check for sludge or obstructions
- If there are no blockages then reattach the drainage hose with a pipe clamp
- If any obstructions are found then this was the cause of the water not draining
- Clear the obstructions and run a test cycle
Once you have done all of these things and there is still water not draining there are two possibilities. It could be that the sink drain is blocked further down. If you have had a slow-draining sink then this is the issue right there. Try to unblock the drain by putting some vinegar and baking soda together to dissolve any sludge or hair that is clogging the drain. Using a drain snake is also a way to push out the obstacle or pull out any mass of material that has clogged the pipe.
The other possibility is that there is a malfunction in the washing machine itself.
Faulty drain pump
Once you have exhausted all of the other possibilities regarding your Bosch washing machine not draining then you have to look into the machine itself. After eliminating the sump drain hose, the trap is blocked, and the sink drain has a clog then the logical guess is a faulty drain pump. This needs a technician to come and do a service call, but you can self-diagnose the problem. If there is a problem with the pump itself then knowing this can help you avoid the technician doing a costly process of elimination. Since they charge per hour, the less time the technician spends on diagnosing the problem, the better.
A drain pump that is not working will not be able to eliminate the water from the drum. The way to find out if it is faulty is to first turn off the incoming water supply. Locate the one that comes into the room where you have the washing machine. Otherwise, look outside for the incoming water. Be careful if you live in a block of flats as you may be shutting off the water to your neighbours, too.
Drain off the water that is standing in the drum manually as described earlier. Then, pour a few cups of water into the detergent drawer. Start a washing program to see if the pump is making noise and the water gets drained.
If there is silence then the pump is dead. You may hear a whirring noise that is quite loud and this indicates a faulty pump that can’t drain the water.
Now you know what the problem is and can tell your technician with certainty. This allows them to order the part and fix the problem quickly.
Final Word
Although it can be quite annoying, a washing machine not draining properly is mostly an easy thing to fix without a professional repair needed. Following these steps will take a little while but once it is done your machine will be working perfectly and you will know how to take care of your Bosch washing machine yourself next time.
FAQ
What does the E:00 <-> -18 error code mean?
When you have a drain that is blocked then this is the error code you are likely to see. If you have standing water then watch for this code to help you understand the problem before you begin troubleshooting. If you see this code begin by manually draining the water and seeing if the drain pump is clogged.
What do the error codes E17, F17 or F29 mean?
These codes refer to the Aquastop filters and the water pressure. When one of them is lit then check to see if the filters in the water supply line are clear. If they look dirty or have sludge on them then clear them out and see if the error code goes away. If not, then you should check the water pressure of the incoming water supply. It should flow at 2.5 gallons per minute. If you have a reverse osmosis filter for your incoming water supply then this can affect your water pressure and activate the error code.
What do the E18 or F18 error codes mean?
Before you notice any water in the drum, you will likely see this error code depending on the model of your Bosch. Either of these errors indicates that a drainage hose is blocked or kinked. It could also indicate that the pump is blocked and the water can’t be drained effectively. You can use the guide above to help you figure out what the problem is as to why there is still water in the drum. A DIY action is easy to perform to get the water pumping out again.
Why does the sump hose keep getting kinked?
Since the discharge hose that runs to the main pipe is flexible, it is easily kinked. Very often the reason is because the hose is inserted into the drainage pipe too deeply. It shouldn’t be further than 4 inches deep. If the machine has been moved then this can also lead to it getting bent and restricting the water flow. Lastly, if your machine is unbalanced and often shakes around this can lead to the hose moving and becoming kinked.
