The short answer
E6103 means the dishwasher is not draining properly because the drain filter is blocked, as the table records. This is the most owner-fixable code in the whole table. Bail out the standing water, lift the filter assembly out, wash it thoroughly, lock it back in place, and the machine drains again.
Code table
Reference| code | meaning | owner-checkable |
|---|---|---|
| E6103 | The dishwasher is not draining properly due to the drain filter being blocked. | yes |
| E6102 | The drain pump is blocked or the drain pump cover is loose or missing. | see page |
| E6101 | There is an issue with the drain pump. This happens when the drain pump is blocked, clogged, or faulty. | see page |
What you observe
- Dirty water standing in the tub at the end of the cycle — Water that cannot pass the filter cannot reach the pump.
- Debris visible in the filter well — Usually the whole diagnosis, in plain sight.
- NEAR MISS — no water movement at all and no noise — A silent pump is a pump fault rather than a blocked filter.
Likeliest causes first
- Food debris packed into the filter mesh — First, and exactly what the table names: the filter catches what comes off the plates, and it fills over weeks.
- Fat and starch coating the mesh — Second: a filter that looks clean can still be sealed by a film of fat, which cold rinsing does not remove.
- A filter refitted loose after cleaning — Last: one that is in but not locked lets debris bypass it and reach the pump, which is a worse fault than this one.
Check in this order
- Look into the filter well with a torch — What is in there answers the question before anything is dismantled.
- Take the assembly apart rather than rinsing it whole — The coarse trap and the fine mesh are separate parts and both need doing.
- Check for fat as well as solids — Hot water and detergent shift a film that cold water leaves behind.
Owner-safe steps
- Bail out the standing water — A jug for the bulk and a sponge for the rest, before the filter comes out.
Tools: jug, spongeAbout 15 min
- Remove the filter assembly and separate its parts — The manual shows the twist-and-lift; keep the parts together.
About 10 min
- Refit and lock the filter, then run a hot empty cycle — Locking it matters — a loose filter sends the next lot of debris to the pump.
About 60 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 only if the machine still will not drain with a genuinely clean, correctly locked filter, because then the obstruction is beyond it: the sump, the pump or the waste connection. Check the waste and the hose before you do — a blocked sink trap or a new disposal unit with its blanking plug in place produces exactly the same symptom and needs a plumber rather than an appliance technician.
Neighbouring codes — E6102 and E6101 sit beside E6103 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
Read this as the class-level answer. The meaning of E6103 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.
