The short answer
E23 is a drain fault: the table records an issue with the drain pump, which happens when it is blocked, clogged or faulty. The machine cannot get rid of its water. Most of the causes are debris you can reach from inside the tub.
Code table
Reference| code | meaning | owner-checkable |
|---|---|---|
| E23 | An E23 error code indicates there is an issue with the drain pump. | yes |
| E2130 | The Zeolite (Crystal Dry) fan motor is defective. | see page |
| E25 | An E25 error code indicates the drain pump is blocked or the drain pump cover is loose or missing. | see page |
What you observe
- Dirty water standing in the bottom of the tub — The defining symptom of any drain fault.
- The pump whines without shifting water — A motor running against a block, or an impeller turning in air.
- The cycle stops at the drain stage every time — A repeatable stopping point at the same stage.
- NEAR MISS — the machine drains but leaves dishes dirty — Draining while washing badly is a spray-arm or filter problem instead.
Likeliest causes first
- Debris blocking the pump or the filter above it — First and most often: bone, glass, labels and fruit stones collect where the water leaves the tub.
- A blocked or kinked drain hose, or a blocked spigot — Second: the obstruction may be outside the machine entirely, especially where the hose joins a waste disposal or a sink trap.
- A failed drain pump — Last: the motor itself, which is what remains once the path is proved clear.
Check in this order
- Bail out the standing water first — Nothing else can be done with a full tub, and the water will otherwise end up on the floor.
- Remove the filter and inspect the pump area — Look for debris at the sump and around the impeller.
- Check the drain hose and the waste connection — A new waste disposal or a sink trap full of fat blocks the machine from outside.
Owner-safe steps
- Bail the tub out with a jug and finish with a sponge — Get it as dry as you can before anything is unscrewed.
Tools: jug, spongeAbout 20 min
- Lift out the filter assembly and wash it thoroughly — Take it apart as the manual shows; the mesh and the coarse trap both need doing.
Tools: brushAbout 20 min
- Check the drain hose for kinks and the waste spigot for a blanking plug — A new disposal unit fitted with its plug still in place stops the machine draining completely.
About 20 min
Safety first
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. A dishwasher sits on a live circuit and a water supply at once: close the supply valve as well as the breaker, and expect standing water in the base of the tub.
When to call
Call when the filter is clean, the impeller turns freely, the hose is clear and water still will not leave the machine. At that point the pump itself is the suspect, and it is reached from underneath. Tell the technician what you cleared and whether the pump made any noise — a silent pump and a straining one point at different repairs.
Neighbouring codes — E2130 and E25 appear beside E23 in the table and are recorded against different hardware — different questions with different answers. A shared prefix on this brand is not a shared fault.
What this page does not cover
Read this as the class-level answer. The meaning of E23 here is the one the shared Bosch dishwasher table publishes, which applies to the model lines that use that table and to no others; a family- or model-specific page, where one exists, is linked below and outranks this one for your unit. Part numbers, wiring detail and torque figures belong on that page, not here.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
