Bosch Dishwasher E25 — What It Means & How to Fix It
The drain pump itself is blocked or its cover is loose — and Bosch makes the pump cover owner-accessible, so this is one of the most fixable codes the brand throws.
What this code means
E25 narrows the drain problem to the pump: a blocked impeller, or the pump cover loose or missing. Glass shards, fruit pits, and labels that slip past the filter end up wrapped around the impeller — and unlike most brands, Bosch designed the pump cover to open from inside the tub without tools.
E24 is the broader drain-path version of this fault. If you've already cleared the filter and hose on that page's checklist, the pump check below is the remaining step before a service call.
Most likely causes
| Cause | How likely | DIY-fixable? |
|---|---|---|
| Debris blocking the drain pump impeller | Very common | Yes — open cover, clear it |
| Pump cover loose or missing after a filter clean | Common | Yes — reseat until it clicks |
| Object lodged in the pump housing below the impeller | Occasional | Partly — what you can reach |
| Drain pump motor failure | Less common | No — technician job |
What you can try yourself
- Switch the unit off and bail or scoop standing water out of the sump area with a cup and sponge.
- Remove the filter, then unlock the drain pump cover in the sump floor — most models use a clip or quarter-turn; your manual shows the exact motion. Have a towel ready.
- With a flashlight, check the impeller and clear glass, pits, or plastic with care — broken glass hides here, so consider gloves. Turn the impeller gently by hand; it should rotate in small clicks, freely.
- Refit the pump cover until it clicks positively — a loose cover recreates the code — then refit the filter.
- Run a short cycle and cancel it to force a drain; brisk, steady draining means you've cleared it.
When to call a technician
- The impeller is clear and spins freely but water still won't leave — the pump motor has likely failed.
- The pump is silent during the drain phase even with power confirmed.
- E25 keeps returning despite a clean pump, suggesting debris arriving from deeper in the sump.
Typical professional repair cost: If the impeller check doesn't solve it, drain pump replacement runs $150–$300 including labor.
Frequently asked questions
Is it really safe to open the drain pump cover myself?
On Bosch dishwashers, yes — it's an intentionally owner-serviceable point, documented in the user manual, reachable from inside the tub with the power off. The two cautions: broken glass collects exactly there, and the cover must click fully home when you're done.
What kinds of debris kill drain pumps?
Glass fragments are the classic, followed by fruit pits, bones, and the plastic windows from envelope-style packaging. The filter catches most of it when properly seated — many E25s trace back to a filter left slightly unlocked after cleaning.
The impeller turns but feels rough — is that failure?
Small magnetic detents make a healthy impeller turn in little clicks, which surprises people. Rough scraping or a locked impeller is the bad sign. If it spins freely and the cover is seated yet E25 persists, let a technician test the pump electrically.
Related Bosch codes
- Bosch Dishwasher E15 Water reached the base pan under the tub and Bosch's leak protection locked the machine — sometimes a genuine leak, often a one-off spill or condensation that clears once the base dries.
- Bosch Dishwasher E24 The dishwasher can't drain properly — start with the filter, then the drain hose path, and don't skip checking that the drain pump cover is seated.
- Bosch Dishwasher E09 The heating system isn't raising the water temperature — beyond one reset, the flow-through heater is a mains-voltage part that belongs to a technician.
- Bosch Dishwasher E14 The flow meter that counts water into the machine stopped making sense, so filling can't be trusted — a reset and supply check first, then it's a sensor-level repair.
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