Bosch Dishwasher E15: AquaStop Has Shut the Water Off

What E15 means

The dishwasher goes quiet, refuses to start, or stops mid-cycle and shows E15, and there may be a little water in the pan underneath. A float switch in the base pan has lifted, telling the control that water has collected where it should not be. The AquaStop system responds by closing the water inlet at once so the leak cannot turn into a flooded kitchen floor.

Common causes of E15

Real leak from a hose, door seal or pump (assume this until proven otherwise)
Float switch in the base pan stuck or worn, signaling water that is not there
Condensation slowly collecting in the base pan

✓ One safe check you can try

1. Switch the dishwasher off at the breaker and close the water shutoff valve; the base pan sits right under live connections. 2. Open the door and, from where you stand, look at the floor of the cabinet and the tub edge for water or damp. 3. Do not pull or tilt the machine, because it is anchored to the counter and plumbing. 4. Wipe up any water and do not run another cycle until we have found the source.

! Why to stop there

Bypassing the float switch removes the one device keeping water off your floor.
A slow leak can travel under cabinets for days before it shows, doing far more damage than the original problem.
Tilting a built-in machine can loosen hoses and fittings that were fine before.

Opening a panel yourself does not automatically cancel a manufacturer warranty, but it can cause accidental damage, and some manufacturers set their own service conditions. Check your warranty terms, or ask us, before deciding.

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Other Dishwasher codes

E:01Bosch Dishwasher E:01: Cycle Ended Early, Heater Relay or Pump Unconfirmed 4Bosch Dishwasher Service Test Result 4: Water Filling 8Bosch Dishwasher Service Test Result 8: Temperature Sensor 16Bosch Dishwasher Service Test Result 16: Spray Diverter E:30Bosch Dishwasher E:30, Voltage Too High and the Machine Shut Down E:31Water in the Zeolite Container - Bosch Dishwasher E:31 FBosch Dishwasher F on an Older Display (Water Filling) 2HBosch Dishwasher 2H: Long Cycle Warning on Older Displays

E15E15 questions

Can I just hand-fill the tub and keep washing?

We advise against it. If the pan holds a real leak, any extra water will find its way out. Stop using the machine until we have confirmed where the water is coming from.

Will homeowner's insurance cover water damage from this?

That depends on your policy and on how the leak is classed, so ask your insurer. We can write down what we found to support your claim.

How soon should E15 be looked at?

Quickly. Because a real leak can damage flooring and cabinets, we treat this as a high-priority visit. You get a written price before any work, and our repair has a 30-day workmanship warranty.