Bosch E16 fault codewhat it means and how to fix it
The door is not locked properly. Bosch’s US index groups this with E34, F16 and F34 as one fault, and washing caught in the seal is the usual reason.
Take care
What E16 means
Bosch UK’s page for this code is one paragraph and it is all you need: the door is not locked properly, laundry may be caught in it, so open and close the door again and press Start/Reload — the play-pause button — and if necessary open up, take some clothing out and push the door closed again. They add a last resort: switch the machine off and on, set the programme, start it. Their instruction manual says the same under the flashing door symbol, and BSH’s Bosch-branded article puts it as the door having been jammed open by laundry or the appliance not detecting that it is closed.
The useful thing to know beyond that is how Bosch classify it elsewhere. Their US error index does not treat E16, E34, F16 and F34 as four faults — it collapses all four into one entry, the door is not locked properly, and adds that a full load in particular may stop the door closing, so check nothing is jammed between door and housing, close it until it clicks audibly, and restart. Several third-party tables split them into separate diagnoses with different remedies, which manufactures a distinction Bosch do not make and sends people hunting for four problems where there is one.
If you have cross-referenced two guides and got two answers, that is why. One more thing from Bosch’s manual is worth knowing, because it produces false alarms on this code: the door stays locked during a pause to add laundry while the water is too hot or too high, and the door symbol lights steadily rather than flashing to tell you so. That is not a lock fault, and pulling at the door in that window does nothing useful.
What causes it
| Cause | What is actually happening | How likely |
|---|---|---|
| Laundry caught in the door | Named first in Bosch’s own guidance. A sleeve or a corner of fabric between seal and glass, holding the door fractionally open. | Common |
| Drum overloaded | Washing pressed against the glass stops the door pulling square onto the catch, so the latch never fully makes. | Common |
| Door interlock failed | A wear part that heat-cycles thousands of times. The door can look and feel perfect and still not be confirmed. | Occasional |
| Hinge dropped or catch worn | On an older machine the door sits slightly low and the catch no longer aligns. You can often feel it wanting a lift as you close it. | Occasional |
What to try yourself
Open the door fully and run a finger right round the seal, checking between the rubber and the glass for trapped fabric. This is the cause Bosch name first.
If the drum is full, take a third out. An overloaded machine cannot close its door squarely no matter how hard it is pushed.
Close the door firmly until the catch clicks, lifting very slightly as you push if the machine is old enough for the hinge to have dropped.
Press Start/Reload. If it still will not go, do what Bosch UK say next: switch the machine off and on again, set the programme and start it. If the door is genuinely shut and the code stands after that, the interlock has failed.
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 it costs to fix
Typical repair cost
£0–£150
Time on site
15 minutes
Free if it is trapped washing or an overloaded drum. A replacement door interlock on a Bosch is around £90 to £150 fitted.
Typical UK prices including parts and labour, updated September 2026. Your quote may differ.
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Related Bosch fault codes
- E05Get it checkedA problem with the door opening mechanism. BSH give one very specific instruction: close the door until you hear a click, then start the programme.Related: door and interlock
- E18Get it checkedThe machine could not pump out in the time allowed. Bosch point at the filter and the drain hose, and warn that the water you are about to release may be scalding.Related: same brand
- E17Get it checkedProblems with the water connection: tap, kinked hose, blocked inlet filter or low pressure. Bosch’s AquaStop hose has a filter at the tap end most owners do not know about.Related: same brand
- E23Stop — call an engineerWater has been detected in the base of the machine and the AquaStop system has cut in. Bosch say to turn the tap off immediately and stop using it until it is repaired.Related: same brand
- E32Usually simple to fixAn unbalanced load, and Bosch headline it as the machine flashing "end" at the end of the programme. They state outright that this is not a fault.Related: same brand
- E06Get it checkedThe pump is blocked by something that got into it, or the outlet hose was kinked when the machine was last moved. Both are owner jobs.Related: same brand
Own a Bosch washing machine? Save it and its codes come first next time.
Related guides
Common questions about Bosch E16
Is E34 a different fault from E16?
Not according to Bosch’s US error index, which groups E16, E34, F16 and F34 together under one meaning: the door is not locked properly. Bosch UK and BSH’s UK article publish E16 only. Some third-party tables split them, which implies a distinction the manufacturer does not make.
It started right after I paused it to add something. Coincidence?
Possibly not. Bosch’s manual says the door stays locked during a pause while the water is too hot or the level too high, and the door symbol lights steadily to tell you so. Wait, close the door properly once it releases, and press Start/Reload before concluding a part has failed.
Could the child lock be doing this?
No, though it is worth ruling out because from across the kitchen the symptom looks similar. Child lock stops the controls responding rather than producing a door code, so if the display is actually showing E16 you are looking at the latch and not the lock-out.
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 support portal
- 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.