What E:13 Means
E:13 records that the water arriving at the machine was hotter than Bosch allows, which the manual puts at above 75 degrees Celsius or 167 degrees Fahrenheit. It is a logged code rather than one that interrupts a wash, so it is normally found by a technician reading the fault memory. The documented action is simply to bring the household water heater setting back down into range.
Common Causes of E:13
- Household water heater set above the dishwasher's inlet limit
- Water heater thermostat failed and overshooting its setting
- Recirculating hot-water loop running the kitchen feed hotter than expected
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
Check the thermostat setting on your water heater. Anything above about 140 degrees Fahrenheit is hotter than a dishwasher needs and is also a scald risk at the kitchen tap, so bringing it down helps on both counts.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- Water at the temperature this code records will scald in well under a second at the tap, which is a household safety matter beyond the dishwasher.
- A heater overshooting its own thermostat is a plumbing fault, and adjusting around it rather than fixing it leaves the overshoot in place.
- Repeated over-temperature fills shorten the life of the door seal and the plastic parts of the wash circuit, so the log is worth acting on even though nothing stopped.
- Because this code never interrupts a cycle, it is easy to keep running the machine for months while the damage accumulates.
Opening a panel to inspect or repair something yourself doesn't automatically cancel your manufacturer's warranty — but it can risk accidental damage, and some manufacturers do have specific service conditions. Check your product's warranty terms, or ask us, before deciding.