Bosch washing machines are attractive and worthy of customers’ respect. Why? Due to their high quality and many innovative technologies introduced. Still, even the high-quality appliances are probable to fail some day.
Typical faults of Bosch Washing Machine
Considering all the possible failures of Bosch washing machines, we can enumerate the most typical ones:
- The washer won’t heat the water during a washing cycle.
- The washer won’t drain.
- The tub won’t spin.
- The drum makes some noise.
- The washer won’t get any water.
- The motor won’t run.
According to the list of malfunctions, we can see that the most vulnerable part of LG machines is their heating element. If the heating element has burnt out, but the controller is all right, the repair of a Bosch washing machine won’t take a lot of effort. Otherwise, you need to replace the controller, and only a specialist can carry out it properly.
The system will show an error code (or make the indicators blink) to inform the user of a malfunction. Bosch washing machine usually display the following errors: F01, F16, F29, F31, F34, F36, F40, F61, F63, E02, E67, and others.
Causes of breakdowns
The design of the Bosch washing machine determines the nature of breakdowns as well as their causes. Let us consider the causes of failures.
If the washer won’t drain the water used for the cycle, the following reasons may be obvious:
- The pump has failed.
- The filter or the pump is clogged.
- The contacts of the pump have burnt out or oxidized.
- The pressure switch is broken.
If the drum isn’t working at all, the reasons for this may be as follows:
- The drive belt is damaged.
- The electronic part is at fault.
- The motor has failed (less common).
The drum rattles, if:
- The bearings are broken (the Bosch washing machine needs a new part to be installed).
- An item is caught in the tub.
- The shock absorbers are floppy or broken.
- The counterweight has gone out.
The water won’t enter the drum because:
- There is no water in the water system, the pressure is low.
- The pump or the system “Aqua-Stop” is clogged.
- The drain hose is bent.
You can indicate the failure of the motor, if:
- The hatch won’t close.
- The controller has failed.
When you have identified the reason for the fault and estimated whether it is too complex or not, you can start the DIY repair of your Bosch Bosch washing machine.
If you have not identified the failure and you do not know how to repair your washing machine, consult a professional.
DIY repair of Bosch Washing Machine
How to repair the drain pump, filter, and pressure switch in Bosch Washing Machine
After detecting the problem with the drain pump (pump), the drain filter or the water level switch (pressure switch), we can carry out the repair. It does not require special knowledge or efforts.
To clean out the filter use the following guide:
- Find the drain filter. It is located at the bottom of the machine under the front panel (put the machine on its side to reach it) or behind the door of the small maintenance hatch.
- Spread some cloth or put a bucket on the floor – the water left in the machine will pour out.
- Turn the filter cover to the left and get it out.
- Clean the filter and wash it under the tap.
- Install it in place. Note you must not run the washer without the filter.
To clean or replace the drain pump (pump), you need to remove the front panel properly; you may need a manual for your Bosch washing machine. In fact, it is not difficult; you still need to make an effort.
- Remove the detergent drawer.
- Unscrew the bolt in the bottom right corner.
- Remove the bottom panel by removing the screw near the filter and the screws at the bottom of the panel.
- Remove the rubber gasket of the hatch (you need to remove the metal clamp by prying a little spring with a screwdriver).
- Remove the panel.
To get closer to the pump remove the wiring of the lock assembly. Remove and disassemble the pump – it can have some objects and debris in it. If the pump is all right, the impeller turns easily in all directions.
Check the resistance of the winding of the pump. 200 Ohms is normal. If the reading is different, the pump has failed and needs replacement.
If no water enters the washer:
- Check whether the water supply is available (if not, open the valve).
- Check the drain hose (it can be bent or creased).
- Check the “AQUA-STOP” filter. If it is at fault, you need to replace it.
In case of the water level switch failure, follow the recommendations to replace it:
- Find the switch by removing the top cover of the machine. You can see it in the right corner when seen from the front. To remove the lid remove 2 bolts.
- Get out the switch by pressing the latch, remove the wiring and disconnect the branch pipe by loosening the clamp.
- Install the new part in place of the old one. Reinstall the elements in the reverse order.
How to replace the heating element
If the heater has fulfilled its service life, has overheated and burned out or the limescale has formed, the element needs replacement. You can do it yourself quite easily. But first, you need to check it.
If you are not sure whether the heater is broken, check it with a tester. Do it as follows:
- Disconnect the wiring without removing the heater.
- Set the mode to measure resistance (in ohms) on the tester.
- Set the controller to “200”.
- Connect the test probes to the terminals of the heater.
- Normal resistance typically ranges from 20 to 40 Ohms.
- If the reading is “1”, the heating element is broken and needs to be replaced.
- If the reading is approximately “0”, the heater should be replaced due to the short circuit
It is easy to find the heater. Remove the back panel of the machine so that you can see the element at the bottom under the drum. Well, actually, you can see its shank with a screw in the center. Let’s replace the heater:
- Unscrew the bolt.
- Remove all the wires carefully.
- Remove the heater by moving it slowly to the right and to the left and pulling out.
- Get a new element and install it.
Replace the bearings yourself
To carry out this difficult task you need to disassemble the washer almost completely. If you venture to do it, do not remove all the wires from the electronic module, because you may not put them all in place eventually. After removing the module, lay it on the frame or hang on a special hook.
To make this hook get a 30-centimeter piece of 3 mm steel wire. Put the shrink (shrinking tube) on the wire. The shrink should be at least 1 cm longer from each side than the wire. Bend the wire stepping back 6-7 sm from each end– you’ll get a kind of hook. Hang the control board on it.
Then:
- Remove the tub with the drum by unscrewing the spring.
- Break the designated clips to separate the 2 parts of the tub.
- Gently beat out the axle half of the bearings using a hammer and a wooden block.
When picking up new bearings, make sure they are suitable for your type of washer.