Error code guide

Bosch Dishwasher E15 Error: Water in the Base Pan

What the code means, the leaks that cause it (in the order we find them), what you can safely do, and why tilting the machine only clears it for a while.

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By Daniil, owner and lead technician · Updated October 13, 2026 · Rated 4.9 on Google from 107 reviews

Short answer. E15 means water has collected in the base pan under the tub and the leak-protection switch has tripped. Bosch’s instruction is to turn off the water supply to the dishwasher. The machine will usually run its drain pump and refuse to wash until the base is dry. Drying or tilting the base clears the code, but it comes back unless the leak itself is found: most often suds from the wrong detergent, a door seal, a seal at the sump or pump, or a loose hose connection.

What is actually happening

Under the tub of a Bosch dishwasher is a plastic base pan with a float in it. If water escapes from anywhere inside the machine, it runs down into that pan, lifts the float and trips a switch. The control treats that as a leak: it stops filling, pumps out and shows E15. It takes surprisingly little water, a few ounces, which is why the code often appears with no puddle on the floor at all.

The same code means the same thing on Thermador dishwashers, which are made by the same group: Thermador also describes E15 as water detected in the base with the leakage protection activated.

What you can safely do

Turn the water supply off to the dishwasher (usually a valve under the sink), as Bosch instructs, and switch the machine off.
Think about the last few loads. Hand dishwashing liquid in the dispenser, a new detergent, or a rinse-aid spill makes foam that overflows the sump into the base. If that is the cause, the code usually returns once and then stops after the suds are gone.
Look at the door seal and the bottom of the door for tears, food or detergent build-up, or a dish or utensil that kept the door from sealing.
Check under the sink where the inlet and drain hoses connect, with a dry paper towel. A drip there can track back along the hose.
Write down when it happens: at the start of a cycle (fill), mid-wash, or near the end (drain). That timing is the most useful thing you can tell a technician.

Tilting the dishwasher to drain the base pan does clear the code. We don’t recommend it on a panel-ready unit or over finished flooring, and it only helps if you have also found the cause: otherwise the code comes back on the next load.

The usual causes, in the order we find them

Cause	Typical clue
Too much foam	Hand soap or a detergent change; code appears mid-wash and goes away after a rinse cycle
Door gasket or lower door seal	Water marks at the bottom corners of the door; code during wash
Sump, pump or heater seal	Code during wash, no outside drip; residue under the tub around the pump
Spray arm or circulation hose connection	Code during wash only
Inlet valve or inlet hose connection	Code during fill, or between cycles if the valve weeps
Drain hose or drain pump connection	Code near the end of the cycle while draining

Why the leak is hard to find

Water often shows up far from where it escapes. It runs along the underside of the tub and drops into the base pan wherever the frame guides it, so the wet spot in the pan rarely sits under the leak. Finding it means removing the toe kick, sometimes pulling the machine forward, running a cycle with the base exposed and watching. Intermittent leaks are the hardest dishwasher fault to catch; if we can’t find the source on the visit, we say so rather than guess and sell a part.

Bosch dishwasher with the door open showing racks and control panel — Bosch dishwasher on a service call: door, racks and control panel.

Dishwasher tub floor with the lower spray arm and sump area from above — Tub floor, lower spray arm and sump: the area where most wash-phase leaks start.

Dishwasher control board held in hand in front of an open dishwasher door — Control board out of a dishwasher during diagnosis.

What we do on an E15 call

We dry the base, confirm the float and switch move freely, then run the machine with the base visible to see where the water comes from. Each code points to a circuit, not a part, so we confirm the cause before replacing anything. Integrated, panel-ready dishwashers are diagnosed in place as far as possible and pulled out carefully to protect the custom panel and the floor.

Is it worth repairing?

Usually, yes. Door seals, pump and sump seals, hoses and inlet valves are routine repairs. A control board on an older unit is a closer call, and we will give you the price and our opinion before any work. If the machine is under Bosch’s warranty, contact Bosch first so the repair is covered.

Related Bosch codes

E24 and E25: the dishwasher can’t drain (blocked drain filter or hose, or a blocked pump or loose pump cover).
Dishes coming out dirty with no code: often the circulation pump. See our Bosch circulation pump repair in the Marina.

Bosch dishwasher service in Marin County and San Francisco

Most of our Bosch calls are dishwashers, including panel-ready units. We work across Marin County from San Rafael and in San Francisco from our Marina location. Diagnostic visits start at $85; the fee varies by appliance, brand, location and appointment requirements, is confirmed before scheduling, and is applied toward the repair if you go ahead. More on Bosch repair and dishwasher repair.

Call Marin (415) 494-7882 or San Francisco (415) 683-0403. Tell us the code, when in the cycle it appears, and whether the front matches your cabinets.

Common questions

Can I clear an E15 myself?

Only if you dry the base pan and find the cause. Tilting the unit to drain the pan clears the code, but it will return if the leak remains.

Can I keep using the dishwasher with E15?

No. The leak protection stops it filling for a reason. Turn off the water supply as Bosch instructs and leave it off until the leak is found.

There is no water on the floor. Why does it say E15?

Because the base pan catches the water before it reaches the floor. A few ounces in the pan is enough to trip the switch.

Could the wrong detergent cause E15?

Yes. Hand dishwashing liquid or too much detergent makes foam that overflows into the base. If that is the cause, the code usually stops once the suds are rinsed out.

Does Thermador E15 mean the same thing?

Yes. Thermador, made by the same group, also uses E15 for water detected in the base with the leakage protection activated.

Sources

Request a visit

Prefer to talk? Call (415) 494-7882 (San Francisco: (415) 683-0403). UniFix Appliance Repair diagnostic visits start at $85. The diagnostic fee varies by appliance type, brand, location, and appointment requirements. We confirm the fee before scheduling. If you approve the repair, the diagnostic fee is applied toward it.