Stop using it for now. Carrying on with this fault risks further damage or a leak. Switch it off at the wall until it has been looked at.

What E03 actually means

Your Bosch hasn't managed to pump the water out in the time it expects, so it has stopped with a drum still full.

E03 is the drain fault on older Bosch machines (the newer equivalents are E18 and E36-10). The machine runs the drain pump, watches the water level, and if the drum hasn't emptied within its allotted time it halts the cycle rather than carry on and try to spin a full drum. You'll usually find standing water in the drum and a door that won't release.

What usually causes it

A blocked pump filter \u2014 coins, buttons, hair grips, bits of underwiring
The drain hose kinked, squashed behind the machine or pushed too far into the standpipe
A blocked sink trap or standpipe where the hose discharges
Debris jamming the drain pump impeller so it can't turn
A failed drain pump motor

What you can safely check yourself

Work through these in order. Anything beyond this — panels off, testing parts, anything to do with the wiring — is an engineer's job, and not one to attempt with the machine plugged in.

Turn the programme dial to off to stop the beeping, then switch off at the wall for a minute.
Clean the pump filter at the bottom front of the machine \u2014 have a tray and towels ready, there will be water behind it. Check what comes out; a coin or clip is often the whole fault.
Pull the machine out and check the drain hose isn't kinked, trapped or crushed.
If the hose empties into a sink trap or standpipe, check that isn't blocked with grease or lint.
Run a rinse and spin to see if it clears the water now.

When to call someone

This sometimes clears with the checks above. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly. We cover Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, and it's £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it — £84 in total if it's repaired on the visit with no parts needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Outside our area? The explanation above still stands — take it to a local engineer and tell them the code. Knowing it saves them time and you money.

Bosch E03 error — washing machine

What E03 actually means

What usually causes it

What you can safely check yourself

When to call someone

Other Bosch washing machine codes

Need it looked at properly?