Baumatic E4 fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
Water leak. Baumatic’s published fix for this code is to check the drain hose — but the instruction they should have given is elsewhere in the same manual.
Stop — this needs an engineer
Get a qualified appliance engineer to look at your Baumatic E4
We do not pass enquiries to a repair firm, so there is no form here. When you book a qualified appliance engineer, tell them the make, the model and the exact code or message on the display, and ask whether they carry parts for this make — that is what turns one visit into a repair rather than a quote.
What E4 means
Baumatic’s Candy-built machines give E4 as a water leak, and then attach to it the identical solution they give for E3, their drain code: check if the drain hose is bent or if the siphon or filters are clogged, and if the problem persists, contact the Customer Care Department. The current manuals keep the same pairing — make sure the drain pipe is not bent, trapped or blocked, the filter is not clogged and the siphon is not clogged. For a code that means water is escaping, that is a weak answer. There is no instruction to close the tap, no instruction to cut the power, and nothing suggesting you should stop using the machine. Here is what makes it worth writing about rather than simply criticising.
The manual already publishes the right instruction — it is just in the safety section rather than next to the code. The wording there is that if the appliance breaks down or stops working properly, switch it off, turn off the water supply and do not tamper with it, and that repair work should only be carried out by an approved service agent. That is exactly what an owner with E4 should do.
The fault table does not point you to it. So the instruction on this page is the manufacturer’s own, taken from the part of the manual that people do not read when they have a fault. Turn the machine off, turn the water off, leave it alone, and call someone. This is also the one code that means the same thing on the pre-2014 Baumatic-built machines. Their manuals word E4 — E-2 on the BDWS60SS, and both wash neons flashing on the BDI632 — as the machine has sensed water in the base, again with only drain-hose checks against it, but they do add that if the fault reappears you should turn the appliance off, disconnect it from the mains and arrange for an engineer.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| Internal hose or joint leaking | Water escaping inside the cabinet and reaching the base where the machine detects it. Common and usually a modest repair. | Common |
| Door seal perished | Water running down the inside of the door and collecting underneath rather than escaping where you would see it. | Common |
| Drain hose or connection leaking | The area Baumatic’s own remedy points at. A hose that has worked loose at the waste connection will show as a leak rather than a drain fault. | Occasional |
| Sump or tub leaking | A split or failed seal in the base. The serious end, and it needs finding before it can be priced. | Occasional |
Can you fix it yourself?
Stop — this needs an engineer
What it costs to fix
Typical repair cost
£80–£260
Around £80 to £170 for a hose, joint or door seal. Sump or tub work runs higher. Ask about the call-out charge policy when you book.
Typical UK prices including parts and labour, updated September 2026. Your quote may differ.
Own this appliance and had this code? . Nothing is published until a person has read it.
Related Baumatic fault codes
- E3Get it checkedCannot drain. Baumatic name the siphon specifically, which points at the plumbing under your sink rather than the machine.Related: same brand
- E2Get it checkedNo water reaching the machine. Baumatic’s Candy-built models word it three ways across editions — kinked hose, closed hose, "does not fill" — and the checks are the same.Related: same brand
- E8Get it checkedHeating fault — or blocked filters. Baumatic give two quite different causes for one code, and one of them is free.Related: same brand
- E5Get it checkedA control electronics fault on the Candy-era machines. On a Baumatic built before 2014 the same E6 and E7 are thermistor faults, which is a far smaller bill.Related: same brand
Own a Baumatic dishwasher? Save it and its codes come first next time.
Related guides
Common questions about Baumatic E4
Baumatic only tell me to check the drain hose. Is that enough?
No, and we would rather say so than repeat it. Their solution for E4 is word for word the same as their solution for E3, the drain code, which reads like an editing oversight rather than considered advice for a leak. Their own safety section says to switch off, turn off the water supply and not tamper with it. Follow that.
What should I actually do?
Close the tap feeding the machine, switch it off at the wall, and book an engineer. Water first, because it keeps arriving whether the machine has power or not.
Can I keep using it if I mop up after each cycle?
No. A dishwasher runs unattended, often overnight, sealed into a run of units where a leak goes unnoticed until it reaches the floor or the ceiling below. Mopping up manages the symptom you can see.
Will I be charged if it turns out to be nothing?
Possibly. The manuals Baumatic wrote for the pre-2014 machines say so in as many words: if an engineer attends while the product is under guarantee and finds the problem is not the result of an appliance fault, you may be liable for the call-out charge. The Candy-era manuals do not repeat it, so ask when you book. A leak code is rarely nothing.
My machine shows E-2, or both wash lights are flashing.
Then you have one of the pre-2014 Baumatic-built machines and this is still your page. The BDWS60SS shows E-2 and the BDI632 flashes the intense and economy neons together for the machine having sensed water in the base — a leak, not a filling fault. Isolate it as above.
Technical review
Not reviewed by an engineer
No engineer has read this page. Severity follows what the manufacturer publishes, and we would rather tell you that than let a byline imply a sign-off.
Sources and how we verified this
We establish the facts from the sources below and then write the explanation ourselves. We do not copy manufacturer wording and we do not host their manuals.
- Manufacturer technical and service documentation
This page has not been reviewed by an engineer, and we would rather tell you that than imply otherwise. The severity rating follows what the manufacturer publishes: where they say isolate the appliance and call someone, so do we.