Bosch washing machine - error F18 - washer.tomathouse.com

Error F18 does not occur in all Bosch washing machines. Sometimes, in similar cases, the machine displays error code E18 or d0, depending on the version of the diagnostic system of a particular model. However, it is not so important which of the above codes was issued by the equipment. It is much more important to decipher the error and eliminate the causes of its occurrence.

Error code

Error F18 in Bosch washing machine means the water is taking too long to drain. The washing program contains the shortest and longest period of time during which dirty water must be removed from the machine. If after the maximum time the water does not drain completely, then the control module stops the washing process. In this case, code F18 appears on the display.

If the washing equipment does not have a display, the owner will learn about error F18 from the indicators. The 600 and 1000 rpm indicators light up on the panel. Why does my Bosch machine drain water too slowly?

This happens for the following reasons:

During the installation of Bosch equipment, the drain hose was connected incorrectly. This reason is the most common.
The pump, hose, drain pipe or garbage filter is clogged.
The pressure switch or pump has failed. If the first one fails, the control module does not receive information about the water level. Therefore it throws error F18. If the pump breaks down, the washing machine cannot pump liquid out of the tank.

Hose installed incorrectly

In progress drain hose connection It is very important to position it correctly to the sewer pipe. If this is done incorrectly, then error F18 may appear on the washing machine screen in the future.

When connecting, it needs to be given a slight bend. Also, it should not be connected to tension.

A hose that is too short can be lengthened or a longer one purchased. It is also important to consider that the load on the pump increases when increasing the length of this element of the drainage system. And, as you know, the higher the load on an element, the shorter its working life.

The hose should be connected at a height of no more than 100 centimeters from the legs of the washing machine. It is best to place the connection point at a height of 40-60 centimeters.

Make sure that the hose is not kinked or pinched by any object. In this case, draining water will be difficult or stop altogether.

Clearing the blockage

Blockages often cause problems for users of Bosch washing machines. When error F18 appears, it is important to consider that it may be there was some kind of blockage.

To find the cause of the blockage, you must perform the following steps:

If a blockage appears, you should not immediately climb into the body of the Bosch machine and disassemble anything. First you need to check the condition of the garbage filter. Perhaps this is the reason.
If the garbage filter is working properly, you need to remove and check the hose.
At the next stage, you must first disconnect the Bosch washing equipment from the network and remove it. Then pull out the powder receptacle and place the washing machine on the left side. Through the bottom of the washer, get to the drain pipe and pump. They can also cause blockages.

If there are no blockages, then check the pressure switch and pump. These parts may be the cause of error F18.It's best to check the drain pump first, as it can be reached through the bottom of your Bosch washer.

Checking the pressure switch and pump

Next, to eliminate code F18, you need to check the drain pump. The pump is checked as follows. First, it is dismantled. To do this, you need to pull off the clamps connecting the pump to the pipes. Then you need to unscrew the outer screws connecting the pump and the garbage filter. At the final stage of dismantling the pump, disconnect the wiring, pull the pump off the pipes, and then pull it out of the body of the Bosch machine.

Water level sensor (pressostat) for Bosch washing machine

Next, you need to unwind the pump and examine its elements.

Particular attention should be paid to the impeller. If there is nothing wound on it and it is in good condition, then next you need to check the pump’s electrics.

You need to ring the contacts of the wires powering the pump using a multimeter. Then you need to test the pump itself.

It is possible that error F18 does not disappear after carrying out all the tests described above. Then you need to check the condition of the water level sensor. It is located under the top roof of the Bosch machine.