Er:03 on a Bosch Washer, Where the Door Lock Never Engaged

What Er:03 means

Choose a program and press Start, and the washer accepts the selection and then does nothing. Er:03 means the control commanded the door lock to engage, and the lock did not respond. It is the reverse of Er:02. Because the washer won't take on water until the door is confirmed locked, a stalled start is the usual clue. Bosch's service table gives a jammed lock or bad harness as the reasons.

Common causes of Er:03

Lock jammed by residue or a broken internal part
Wiring harness to the lock damaged near the hinge
Striker or latch tongue worn so it cannot engage

✓ One safe check you can try

1. Unplug the washer. 2. Examine the latch tongue on the door and the striker in the door frame for hair, lint or dried detergent. 3. Clean both with a dry brush, avoiding spray cleaners near the lock. 4. Plug the washer in. 5. Push the door shut with a decisive press rather than swinging it, and start a cycle.

! Why to stop there

Spraying cleaner into the lock area can reach the electrical contacts and create a second problem.
A worn latch and a failed lock act the same, so only a test tells us which part needs replacing.
Wedging or taping the door shut to fool the switch removes the protection against the door opening mid-spin.

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 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:10Bosch Washer dr:10, When the Power Limiter Switches the Drive Off dr:11dr:11 on a Bosch Washer Means Supply Voltage Sags Under the Motor's Demand Er:21Bosch Washer Er:21 Reports Too Much Foam

Er:03Er:03 questions

My washer clicks but won't start. Is that this error?

It can be. A click followed by silence often means the lock tried to engage and failed. If Er:03 appears after a few seconds, the cause is in the lock circuit.

Is this a safe thing to keep trying?

Repeated tries are harmless to the drum, but they can heat the lock coil. Wait a few minutes between attempts, and stop if the same code appears three times.

Why does the wire near the hinge matter?

The harness bends every time the door opens, so over years it can crack inside its insulation. The lock then loses signal even though the part itself is fine.