Bosch E29 washing machine: what it means & what to check

What E29 actually means

The machine hasn't taken in enough water in the time it expects, so it has stopped the cycle before washing.

On older Bosch washers (roughly pre-2010) E29 is the no-fill fault — the control board opens the water inlet valve, watches the water level, and if the drum hasn't reached the required level within the set time it abandons the programme. On later Bosch and Siemens machines the same physical fault appears as E30-10, F17 or similar. You'll usually see it stall right at the start, sometimes with the drum bone dry.

What E29 looks like on a Bosch washing machine

Most people find this page having searched for what the machine is doing rather than the code itself. On a Bosch washing machine, E29 usually shows up as one or more of these:

Not filling with water
No water going in
Takes for ever to fill
Stops right at the start of the cycle
Overfilling, or won't stop filling
Stops with water still inside
Fills and drains over and over
No function at all

Recognise any of those? That is this fault, and the rest of this page explains what causes it and what you can check yourself.

What usually causes it

Water supply turned off or the tap only part open
Kinked or trapped fill hose behind the machine
Blocked filter in the inlet hose where it screws onto the tap
Faulty water inlet valve not opening
Pressure system or control board misreading the water level

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.

Check the cold tap feeding the machine is fully open
Pull the machine forward gently and make sure the fill hose isn't kinked or squashed against the wall
If the mains water has recently been off, run a nearby tap to confirm normal pressure is back
Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then restart a short cycle

Common questions about Bosch E29

What does E29 mean on a Bosch washing machine?

The machine hasn't taken in enough water in the time it expects, so it has stopped the cycle before washing. On older Bosch washers (roughly pre-2010) E29 is the no-fill fault — the control board opens the water inlet valve, watches the water level, and if the drum hasn't reached the required level within the set time it abandons the programme. On later Bosch and Siemens machines the same physical fault appears as E30-10, F17 or similar. You'll usually see it stall right at the start, sometimes with the drum bone dry.

Can I fix Bosch E29 myself?

There are 4 checks you can safely do yourself first.

Check the cold tap feeding the machine is fully open.
Pull the machine forward gently and make sure the fill hose isn't kinked or squashed against the wall.
If the mains water has recently been off, run a nearby tap to confirm normal pressure is back.
Turn the machine off at the wall for a minute, then restart a short cycle.

This sometimes clears with those checks. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly.

How much does it cost to repair Bosch E29?

£66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Tried the checks and it's still showing E29?

This sometimes clears with the checks above. If it comes back, it needs looking at properly. Then it wants someone who can open it up.

What it costs, before you call: the price is the same whatever the fault turns out to be — £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.

Our own engineers, not a call centre. We cover Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire — most washing machine faults are seen same day or next day.

Call 0115 648 0929 Book online — postcode and number is all we need

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.

Other Bosch washing machine codes

All Bosch fault codes and repairs →

What this looks like when it happens

Repairs we cover near you

Written by the engineers at ASAP Repairs, 0115 648 0929. We repair these machines for a living in Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.

Bosch E29 error — washing machine