Bosch E16 fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
Water is running into the machine continuously, whether or not it is switched on. Bosch give the same instruction as for a leak: tap off, call service.
Stop — this needs an engineer
Get a qualified appliance engineer to look at your Bosch E16
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 E16 means
Bosch word E16 as water running continuously into the appliance, and they treat it exactly as seriously as the leak codes — the owner instruction is the same two lines, turn off the water tap and call customer service, with no steps offered in between. It gets far less attention than E15 and it arguably deserves more.
A leak is water escaping from inside the machine, which the base tray is designed to catch and report. E16 is the opposite problem: the valve that lets water in from your mains has stopped closing, so water keeps arriving that nothing asked for. Nothing about that depends on the machine running. An appliance that is switched off, finished, or sitting there overnight can keep taking water indefinitely, and how bad that gets depends entirely on whether it drains away quietly through the waste or fills the tub until it overflows.
The tap is the thing that stops it, which is why Bosch put that first. Siemens describe the same code slightly differently, as a fault detected in the filling system or the water inflow, and give the same instruction to turn off the tap.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| Inlet valve stuck open | Scale or grit holding the solenoid off its seat so it cannot close when it is de-energised. The usual mechanism. | Common |
| Water level sensing failed | The machine cannot tell it has enough water, so it keeps calling for more. Different component, same presentation. | Occasional |
| Control board holding the valve open | The board rather than the valve, keeping the circuit energised when it should have dropped out. | Occasional |
| Siphoning through the drain hose | An installation fault rather than a component failure. A waste hose routed too low can siphon continuously, and it is worth mentioning if the machine was recently fitted or moved. | Occasional |
Can you fix it yourself?
Stop — this needs an engineer
What it costs to fix
Typical repair cost
£80–£220
A replacement inlet valve is typically £90 to £160 fitted. A level sensor is similar. Re-routing a siphoning waste hose is usually a short visit at the low end of that range.
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 Bosch fault codes
- E15Stop — call an engineerThe water protection system has activated — there is water in the base of the machine. Turn the tap off and call service. Do not tilt it, whatever else you read.Related: flood protection
- E24Get it checkedThe machine cannot drain. Bosch publish a full owner procedure for this one, and two warnings about doing it that their UK page leaves out.Related: same brand
- E18Get it checkedWater is not getting in. Bosch publish a full owner procedure including a flow rate you can measure with a jug.Related: same brand
- E22Get it checkedThe filters are soiled or blocked. Bosch give a one-line remedy — clean them — and it is genuinely the whole job.Related: same brand
- E12Get it checkedThe heating element has furred up with limescale. Descaling fixes today; setting the water softener correctly stops it coming back.Related: same brand
- E27Get it checkedThe mains voltage is too low. Bosch state plainly that this is not a fault on the appliance — you want an electrician, not an appliance engineer.Related: same brand
Own a Bosch dishwasher? Save it and its codes come first next time.
Related guides
Common questions about Bosch E16
How is this different from E15?
E15 means water has escaped inside the machine and collected in the base tray. E16 means water is arriving from your mains supply and not stopping. Bosch give both the same instruction because in both cases the tap is what puts you back in control, but they are different faults with different repairs.
Do I need to do anything if the machine is switched off?
Yes, and this is the important part. The inlet valve is on your mains supply and does not care whether the appliance is powered. Turn the tap off rather than assuming that switching the machine off has stopped it.
It was installed recently. Could that be relevant?
Very possibly. A waste hose routed too low can siphon water through continuously, which produces the same symptom without any component having failed. Say when it was fitted when you book — it changes what the engineer looks at first.
My machine shows E:34-00. Same code?
Yes, and E:3400 on a text display. Bosch use different renderings across display generations and they all mean the same thing.
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
- Manufacturer support portal
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.