When Your Bosch Washer Shows E17: Pump Overrun or High Water Reading

What E17 means

Your Bosch stopped partway through a wash and showed E17, which some models print as F17. The control saw one of two things: the drain pump ran longer than its normal limit without finishing the job, or the sensor reported that the tub holds more water than it should. Both readings lead to the same response, which is to stop the program before the drum overfills or spins wet.

Common causes of E17

Drain hose set too high or bent along its run
Pump or pump filter partly blocked
Pressure sensor that is aging and reporting levels incorrectly

✓ One safe check you can try

1. Switch the washer off at the outlet. 2. Pull the machine forward a little and look at the drain hose, checking for creases. 3. Measure where the hose rises: the top of its loop should sit no higher than about 3 feet off the floor. 4. Reseat the hose in the standpipe or sink trap, push the machine back without crushing the hose, and run a short drain cycle.

! Why to stop there

Moving a full washer by yourself risks a back strain and a pinched hose, and the cord can be dragged into the damp floor.
The high-level reading looks the same whether the cause is the hose, the pump or the sensor, so replacing the sensor first is an expensive guess.
Running further cycles to see whether the code clears adds water to a drum that may already be unable to empty.

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.

→Same appliance

Other Washer codes

dr:15Bosch Washer dr:15 Gives an Early Warning From the Power Limiter dr:19Bosch Washer dr:19 Shows That the Motor Phases Don't Match dr:20Bosch Washer dr:20 Signals a Shorted Inverter Output Stage dr:21Sustained High Voltage and Bosch Washer dr:21 dr:22Bosch Washer dr:22 Reports Failure of the Inverter's Own Temperature Sensor dr:02Bosch Washer dr:02 Indicates an Inverter Power Switch That Is Open dr:06Bosch Washer dr:06 and the Inverter's Temperature Protection dr:08A Bosch Washer With dr:08 Has a Drum Speed Sensor Problem

E17E17 questions

Why does E17 sometimes show up as F17?

Different display versions print the same condition with an E or an F prefix. Both point to the pump running too long or an abnormal water level, so the checks are identical.

Does a hose that is too high really matter?

Yes. The pump has to push water uphill against the hose height, and a drain loop above the recommended 3 feet makes the pump work past its limit or siphon water back toward the tub.

Should I keep washing small loads until a repair visit?

We would not. If the drain path is restricted, even small loads leave water behind, and the pump keeps straining. Leave the washer idle with the door ajar to dry until it is checked.