What E:16 Means
E:16 means the flow meter is counting water moving into the machine at a moment when the inlet valve is supposed to be shut. In plain terms the valve is passing, and the dishwasher is filling when nothing asked it to. Bosch's documented cause for this row is a faulty water inlet valve, and the action is to replace it.
Common Causes of E:16
- Inlet valve seat held open by grit or scale
- Inlet valve diaphragm perforated or failed
- Valve solenoid stuck energised
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
Close the dishwasher's water shut-off valve, which is usually under the sink, and leave it closed until the inlet valve is replaced. A valve that passes when it should be shut can keep filling an empty machine, and that is the situation worth stopping today.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- Until the supply is shut off, the machine can keep taking water with nobody in the room, which is the exact scenario the leak-protection system is there to catch.
- The inlet valve is on the pressurised side of the shut-off, so removing it without closing that valve sprays mains water straight into the base of the machine.
- The valve body on many models is part of the inlet assembly with the flow meter attached, so ordering the bare valve often brings the wrong part.
- Refitting the assembly with the flow direction reversed produces a different and much more confusing fault on the next visit.
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.