The short answer
E6101 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 |
|---|---|---|
| E6101 | There is an issue with the drain pump. This happens when the drain pump is blocked, clogged, or faulty. | yes |
| E6002 | The heat pump is blocked. | see page |
| E6102 | 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 — E6002 and E6102 sit beside E6101 and name overlapping hardware, so most checks here carry across. Read the two meanings side by side: where they differ in the part named, the order of the checks changes with them.
What this page does not cover
Generalized information: this reads E6101 as the shared Bosch dishwasher table records it, so it covers the model lines using that table and no others. Where a page exists for your family or model line, that one is the more specific answer — start there if your model is named. Not here: wiring colours, connector positions and part numbers, which differ by family.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
