The short answer
The short reading of F16 on a Bosch washing machine: the control sees the door as open. The machine will not run a programme it cannot prove the door is shut for, so treat it as out of use. Most of what follows is diagnosis rather than repair, and the repair end of it is a technician job.
Error codes
Reference| Code | Meaning |
|---|---|
| F16 | These error codes indicate that the door is open. |
What the machine does alongside the code
- The programme will not start although the door is shut — The control has no confirmation, which is not the same as the door being open.
- The door feels shut but the latch does not click home — A door that rests against the seal without engaging reads as open to the control.
What triggers F16, most likely first
- Laundry caught in the door line — It goes first because it is the commonest and it costs nothing: a sleeve or a corner of a duvet through the seal holds the door a fraction off its catch, and a fraction is all the switch needs.
- A worn or misaligned latch striker — The catch wears into an oval and the latch no longer sits deep enough to close the switch, so the door is shut mechanically and open electrically.
- A control board that no longer reads the lock circuit — It ranks last because it is the least common of the five and the only one that cannot be confirmed without ruling out the other four first.
Check in this order, and why
- Run a hand round the seal and close the door firmly once — Clear the door line first, then one deliberate push rather than a nudge.
- Have the lock circuit metered at the control connector — This separates a failed switch from a broken harness, and it is the first step that needs a meter.
- Look at the latch tongue and the striker in daylight — Wear, a bent tongue or a cracked catch is visible and explains the code on its own.
The reset, then the owner-safe checks
- Push the load back from the seal, close the door with one firm movement and restart — Feel for the catch engaging rather than trusting the sound of the door.
About 5 min
- Wipe the latch, the striker and the seal face — Detergent film and grease on the catch is enough to stop a latch dropping into it.
Tools: cloth, mild detergentAbout 10 min
- Cut power at the breaker for a minute and restore it — A latched fault that survives a full power cycle is a real fault and not a stored one.
About 5 min
- STOP HERE if the next move is a meter on the lock terminals — That is the line between an owner check and a service call on this fault.
Before anything is opened
Safety
Switch the machine off at its breaker before removing a panel, and close the supply tap before disturbing a hose. Stored charge remains after the power is off, water and live terminals share one cabinet, and the door interlock is never to be bypassed.
When this is a service call rather than a reset
Call once the door closes properly and the code still stands, or the moment the lock is silent when a programme starts.
Neighbouring codes on Bosch washing machines
What this page does not cover
This reading applies to the Bosch washing machine line as a whole, not to one family or model. It does not cover what differs between model lines — wiring colours, connector positions, part numbers and service-mode sequences — which are in your own model manual and which a technician matches to the rating plate rather than to this code. Where a family- or model-specific page for this code exists, it is linked from the code index below and it is the more specific answer.
Links: - [Bosch washing machine error codes](/blog/bosch-washer-error-codes)
Where to go next
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
