Bosch Washer E12 (E:12) Error Code: Water Not Coming In (Meaning, Causes, Fixes)

What the code means

In the Bosch Nexxt 500 Plus and Vision 500 (WFVC5400UC) owner's manuals, E:12 appears in the troubleshooting table under "Water does not enter the machine or detergent is not washed away. Indicator light 'spin' is lit and display is flashing 'E:11' or 'E:12'." Both codes point to the water supply: a faucet that isn't on, a kinked or pinched supply hose, clogged strainers in the supply hose, an AquaStop hose that has shut off the water, or water pressure that's too low. The Vision manual asks for 20 to 120 psi at the faucet with at least 2.2 US gallons (8 liters) flowing per minute. Newer Bosch washers report the same kind of fill problem as E17 or F17 (and some show a water-tap symbol), so if your washer is a newer model, check its manual or the E17 page.

Likely causes

• A hot or cold water faucet that's off or only partly open
• A supply hose that's kinked, bent or crushed behind the washer
• Clogged wire-mesh strainers in the supply hose ends
• An AquaStop hose that has detected a leak and blocked the water (its indicator shows red, and it can't be reset)
• Household water pressure that's too low (Bosch asks for 20 to 120 psi and at least 2.2 gallons per minute)
• If the supply side is fine, a fault inside the washer's fill system that needs a technician

Safe DIY checks

1. Turn the program selector to Off. Check that both the hot and cold faucets behind the washer are turned fully on.
2. Pull the washer out carefully and look along both supply hoses for kinks, sharp bends or crushing. Straighten them so water can flow freely.
3. Turn the faucets off, unscrew the hoses from the faucets, and rinse the wire-mesh strainers under running water. Bosch says you don't need to remove the rubber washer to clean the strainer; lightly wipe the mesh if debris is stuck. Don't dunk an AquaStop hose's valve housing in water.
4. Look at the indicator window on the AquaStop hose, if you have one. If it shows red, the hose has shut off the water because it sensed a leak. It can't be reset, so close the faucet, look for the leak, and get a replacement hose from Bosch.
5. Check your water pressure. A quick test is to run the faucet the washer uses into a bucket: Bosch wants at least 2.2 gallons (8 liters) per minute. If the whole house has weak pressure, that's a plumbing issue to fix first.
6. Reconnect the hoses (hand-tight on plastic threads), turn the water fully on, check for leaks, then switch the washer off, wait 5 seconds, switch it back on and restart the cycle.

Parts that commonly fix it

Always match the part number to your exact model.

Related codes

• E13 Bosch Washer E13
• E17 Bosch Washer E17
• E18 Bosch Washer E18
• E29 Bosch Washer E29
• E36 Bosch Washer E36

All Bosch codes →

Sources

1. Bosch Nexxt 500 Plus Series owner's manual, page 22 (water does not enter, Spin light lit, display flashing E:11 or E:12; faucet, AquaStop, kinked hose, strainers, low pressure)
2. Bosch Vision 500 Series WFVC5400UC owner's manual, page 30 (E:11/E:12 troubleshooting; switch off 5 seconds and restart, then call service)
3. Bosch WFVC5400UC owner's manual, page 12 (20 to 120 psi, at least 2.2 gallons per minute, cleaning the strainers)
4. Bosch WFVC5400UC owner's manual, page 13 (AquaStop hose shows a red mark and blocks the water; it can't be reset)
5. Bosch US: Washer error codes (newer models: E17/F17 fill problems, cleaning AquaStop filters)