What is actually happening
A spin needs three things to be true: the water is gone, the door is locked, and the load is balanced. If any one of them fails the machine skips the spin rather than risk it. Where the wash itself is fine and only the spin fails, the two usual culprits are worn motor carbon brushes on older belt-driven machines, or a load that the machine cannot balance.
The Bosch fault codes that point at this
A Bosch washing machine will usually tell you what it thinks is wrong before anyone opens it up. These are the codes we hold for this make that relate to not spinning:
- E03 — Your Bosch hasn't managed to pump the water out in the time it expects, so it has stopped with a drum still full.
- E13 — The machine hasn't managed to pump the water away within the time it expects, so it has stopped and flagged a drainage problem.
- E18 — The machine hasn't managed to pump the water out within the time it allows, so it has stopped with a drum full of water.
- E36 — Your Bosch hasn't managed to pump the water out in the time it allows, so it has stopped the cycle and put the code up.
- E43 — The machine has told the motor to turn the drum and the drum hasn't moved, so it has stopped rather than keep forcing it.
- E57 — The machine has flagged a fault in the motor circuit / its control electronics and has stopped rather than risk driving the drum.
- E60 — The machine has tried to turn the drum, found it won't rotate freely, and shut down to protect the motor.
- E60-21 — The machine has told the motor to turn the drum, the drum hasn't moved, so it has stopped to protect itself.
If yours is showing one of those, that is a much shorter conversation than a general fault — tell us the code when you book and the engineer can often carry the part.
The usual causes on a Bosch washing machine
- Worn carbon brushes on the motor — typical life is seven to ten years, and the machine will often wash but not spin
- Water left in the drum from a drain fault, so the spin is never attempted
- An unbalanced load — one heavy item such as a towel or duvet on its own
- A snapped or slipping drive belt: the motor runs, the drum does not
- A failed door interlock, so the machine will not commit to a high-speed spin
What you can safely check yourself
- Redistribute the load by hand and run a spin-only cycle — a single heavy item is a common and harmless cause
- Check whether water is left in the drum; if it is, this is a drain fault first and a spin fault second
- Listen during the attempted spin: a motor that revs while the drum stays still points at the belt
Still not spinning?
Most of these need an engineer once the checks above are done. £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 engineers work on Bosch machines week in, week out, so they arrive knowing the machine rather than reading the back of it. Local engineers across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.
Call 0115 648 0929 Book online — postcode and number is all we need
Common questions
Why is my Bosch washing machine not spinning?
The machine washes normally but the clothes come out soaked, because the drum never reaches spin speed. A spin needs three things to be true: the water is gone, the door is locked, and the load is balanced. If any one of them fails the machine skips the spin rather than risk it. Where the wash itself is fine and only the spin fails, the two usual culprits are worn motor carbon brushes on older belt-driven machines, or a load that the machine cannot balance.
Can I fix a Bosch washing machine not spinning myself?
Redistribute the load by hand and run a spin-only cycle — a single heavy item is a common and harmless cause. Check whether water is left in the drum; if it is, this is a drain fault first and a spin fault second. Listen during the attempted spin: a motor that revs while the drum stays still points at the belt. Beyond those checks this one normally needs an engineer.
What Bosch error codes mean not spinning?
Bosch washing machines report this through their own fault codes. The ones that point at not spinning are E03, E13, E18, E36, E43, E57. If your machine is showing one of those, that narrows it down considerably — each has its own guide on this site.
How much does a Bosch washing machine repair cost?
£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.
Other Bosch washing machine faults
- washing machine not draining
- washing machine leaking water
- washing machine making a loud noise
- washing machine not heating the water
- washing machine door will not open
- washing machine will not turn on