Bosch Dishwasher E24 Error? 6 Fixes for the Drain Fault (Most Take 10 Minutes)

Your Bosch dishwasher stops mid-cycle, the display shows E24 and there is a puddle in the bottom of the tub. The good news: E24 is the drain code, and drain problems on a Bosch are almost always something you can reach with your hands. The bad news is that the manual lists six possible causes and gives no order. This guide gives you the order, most likely first, and each fix takes 5 to 20 minutes.

One question splits the whole problem in half: does the machine hum for a few seconds at the end of the cycle, or is it silent? A hum means the pump is trying and something is blocking the way out, so start with the filter, the pump cover and the hose. Silence means the pump is not running, so jump to cause 5.

Start With These 30-Second Checks

1. 1Open the door and look at the water level. A tub full to the bottom of the lower rack means nothing drained at all; an inch in the sump means it drained partly, which points at the filter or hose.
2. 2Look under the sink. If the drain hose loops up and over into the disposal or drain, make sure the loop is still high and the hose is not squashed behind a bin or a bottle.
3. 3If the dishwasher was installed in the last few weeks and has never drained properly, the knockout plug on the garbage disposal is probably still in place. That is cause 4.
4. 4Cancel the cycle: hold Start for about three seconds, then close the door and listen. A short hum means the pump is alive.

1. Clean the Filter Cylinder and Sump

Bosch uses a three-part filter in the floor of the tub: a fine mesh plate, a coarse cylinder and a micro filter inside it. A film of grease or a single olive pit in the wrong place is enough to slow the drain past the time limit.

1. 1Switch the dishwasher off at the wall switch or breaker before you put a hand in the sump; the pump can start on its own when a cycle is cancelled.
2. 2Pull out the lower rack. If there is standing water, bail it out with a cup and a towel first.
3. 3Turn the filter cylinder a quarter turn counter-clockwise (the arrows on the top show the direction) and lift it out together with the flat mesh plate.
4. 4Rinse both under the hot tap and brush the mesh with an old toothbrush. Pull the micro filter out of the cylinder and rinse it separately; it is the part that clogs first.
5. 5Feel around the sump opening for glass, pits or a broken toothpick, then refit the plate and twist the cylinder clockwise until it clicks. A filter that is not locked lets debris straight into the pump.

2. Open the Drain Pump Cover and Clear the Impeller

Under the filter sits a small round cover held by a bayonet catch. Behind it is the drain pump impeller, and this is where glass splinters and fruit stickers end up. On the E25 variant of this code this is the cause nearly every time.

1. 1Confirm the dishwasher is off at the breaker or unplugged.
2. 2With the filter removed, find the round cover in the sump floor. Press the tab and turn it towards you until it lifts out (some models have a small clip you push down first).
3. 3Lift out any debris. Turn the white impeller with a finger; it should move freely with a slight ratchet feel. If it will not turn, work out what is jamming it with a toothpick, never with a screwdriver, which cracks the fins.
4. 4Refit the cover and turn it back until it clicks. A cover that is not locked is a common cause of E24 returning straight after cleaning.
5. 5Refit the filter, restore power and run a rinse cycle with the door closed.

3. Straighten the Drain Hose and Fix the High Loop

The drain hose runs from the dishwasher to the sink drain or disposal. It has to rise to a high loop under the countertop before it drops, otherwise sink water siphons back into the machine and the pump cannot push against it.

1. 1Switch the dishwasher off at the breaker before you move it or work behind it.
2. 2Open the cabinet under the sink and follow the hose. Straighten any kink and move whatever is pressing on it.
3. 3Check that the hose rises to a loop at least 20 inches above the floor before it connects to the drain. If it runs flat along the cabinet floor, fix it up with the clip that came with the machine or a cable tie.
4. 4Disconnect the hose at the drain end over a bucket and blow through it or push a length of flexible curtain wire through. A clog at the tail end is common on older hoses.
5. 5If the hose is cracked or has gone hard, replace it; a Bosch hose is under $25 and takes 15 minutes.

4. Remove the Knockout Plug or Clear the Air Gap

Two installation faults produce E24 from the first cycle. A new garbage disposal ships with a plastic plug in the dishwasher inlet that has to be knocked out. And an air gap on the countertop (the small chrome cylinder next to the tap) clogs with food.

1. 1Switch off the disposal at its breaker before you put anything in it.
2. 2Disconnect the dishwasher hose from the disposal inlet over a bucket and look into the stub. A solid plastic disc means the knockout was never removed; tap it inwards with a screwdriver and a hammer, then fish the disc out of the disposal chamber with pliers.
3. 3If you have an air gap, pull the chrome cap and the plastic cover off, and clear the debris inside with a toothpick.
4. 4Reconnect the hose with a fresh clamp and run a rinse cycle. If you had the disposal open, run it with water for 30 seconds first so the loose disc cannot end up in the dishwasher line.

5. When the Pump Does Not Run at All

If the machine is silent at the end of the cycle and the impeller turns freely, the pump motor or its wiring is the problem. The pump is a $40 to $80 part, but replacing it means pulling the dishwasher out and laying it on its back, so weigh that against a service call.

1. 1Switch the dishwasher off at the breaker and unplug or disconnect it before you pull it out; the Aquastop is often wired into a junction box.
2. 2Turn off the water supply, disconnect the inlet and drain hoses and slide the machine out onto a towel.
3. 3Lay it on its back. The drain pump is the small motor on the sump, held by a bayonet or two screws, with a two-pin connector.
4. 4Unplug the connector and test the pump winding with a multimeter on ohms. An open circuit (no reading) means the pump is dead. A reading around 100 to 200 ohms means the pump is probably fine and the fault is upstream, which is pro territory.
5. 5Fit the new pump, reconnect everything, slide the machine back and test with a rinse cycle before you screw it to the cabinet.

6. When to Call a Pro

Stop and book a technician when the fixes above are done and E24 still returns, when the control board shows other codes at the same time, or when you find water under the machine as well. A dishwasher that is also leaking has two problems, and the E15 float switch will be the next thing to trip. If that has already happened, the Bosch E15 guide covers the tilt that clears it.

1. 1Any burning smell from the pump area: switch off at the breaker and do not run it again.
2. 2E24 together with E22 or E25 after a full clean: the sump or pump housing may be cracked.
3. 3A drain pump that reads fine on the meter but never runs: the board or the wiring loom is at fault, which is not a home repair.
4. 4A machine older than 12 years with a failed pump: a $150 repair on a dishwasher that is about to need a heater too is money better put towards a new one.

For the general version of this problem on any brand, see dishwasher not draining.