Decoding Bosch washing machine markings
When shopping for a new Bosch washing machine, customers are often interested in purchasing a model assembled in Germany, or at least in the EU. Why? Because the build quality of "European" models is significantly higher. Salespeople, however, can sell you a machine assembled in China or even Russia, masquerading as a German product. Is it possible to spot the scam right there in the store? Of course, you can. Bosch washing machine labeling can help. If you read it correctly, you can get all the information you need, so let's learn how to read it.
Countries of assembly
First, let's learn how to recognize the parts of the marking that tell us the country of manufacture of a Bosch washing machine. You can determine the origin of a washing machine primarily by the letter index found at the end of the marking for a particular model.
- OE – tells us that the car was manufactured in Russia, Belarus or Ukraine.
- EE – this index indicates that the machine was assembled in Spain.
- BY – tells us that the Bosch washing machine was made in Eastern Europe.
- GB – this index tells us that the Bosch machine was assembled in Great Britain.
- EU – this index indicates that the washing machine was produced in Eastern or Western Europe.
What a particular index-prefix means is very important, but it is important to understand that not all designations have such prefixes. Moreover, it is impossible to accurately determine the country of origin based on the index. The three-digit letter code at the very beginning of the marking will help you do this for your specific Bosch washing machine. Let's look at some specific examples.
- WAS – means that this model is assembled in Germany.
- WLX – these cars are also assembled in Germany.
- WAE – this code designates machines made in Poland or Turkey, with the exception of the model with the marking WAE28441, which is assembled in Germany.
- WLF – in most cases, this code designates equipment assembled in Germany; if the numerical code ends in 4 or 5, it designates equipment assembled in China.
- WAA – this is the designation for models made in Turkey.
- WOT – Bosch cars from France.
- WOR – this equipment is assembled in Poland.
- WFX is an old designation used to identify washing machines assembled in Poland.
- WLM is a code that indicates Chinese equipment.
The above codes designate a wide variety of Bosch washing machines: narrow, full-size, top-loading and front-loading.
General explanation of different models
Decoding the markings can reveal much more than just the country of origin of a Bosch washing machine. If we correctly decipher the markings, we can learn about the key features of a specific model without even consulting its manual. Let's start with the markings that indicate the washing machine's series. Bosch currently produces several lines of washing machines: 2 Classixx, 4 Maxx, 6 Avantixx, 8 Logixx, etc.
There are rulers designated by a group of letter symbols. We decided to focus your attention on these.
- WAE – this code designates the standard Maxx 6 with or without a display.
- WLX – this code is used by the manufacturer to designate the Maxx 5 with a narrow body and display (in some cases the display is missing).
- WFR – this three-digit code indicates a full-size Bosch Maxx Comfort front-loading washing machine with a good display.
- WAA – having seen this code, we should know that we have a Classixx 5 washing machine with a display.
- The WFX is a standard Maxx Advantage with a great display.
- WOT, WOR – and these codes, as you may have guessed, denote Bosch washing machines with top loading.
- WFCX – this rare four-digit code points us to the Maxx Advantage with a non-standard narrow case and screen.
We've given quite a few examples, but we still haven't fully explained any of the markings. It's time to move from isolated examples to practical deciphering. Let's take a closer look at the Bosch WLT20271OE washing machine.
The first letter of the marking is always repeated. No matter what model you choose, it will begin with a W. Why is that? Because W stands for washing machine. The second letter will depend on the type of washing machine we're dealing with. In our case, it's the letter L, but the letters O, A, K, or I could also be used:
- L – a washing machine with a narrow body of 45 cm with horizontal loading;
- I – built-in horizontal loading machine;
- O – a washing machine with vertical loading;
- A – a machine that has a depth of 60 cm and horizontal loading;
- K – this washing machine is capable of drying clothes.
The third letter of the model identification designation indicates the series to which a specific model belongs. To help you understand what this means, let's give some specific examples. In our case, it's the letter T, but it could also be K, G, H, S, W, or Y.
- The letters K or T indicate that the model belongs to the 6 series.
- The letters G or H indicate that the car belongs to the 4th series.
- The letters S or W tell us that the washing machine is from the 8 series.
- The letter Y identifies the machine as a Home Professional product.
Let's continue decoding the markings. After the third letter comes the number 20. This indicates the maximum spin speed. The following options are available: 20 – 1000 rpm, 24 – 1200 rpm, 28 – 1400 rpm, 32 – 1600 rpm, 36 – 1800 rpm, 40 – 2000 rpm.
The next two digits indicate the control type of the Bosch washing machine. In our example, the digits 27 indicate electronic control. There is also mechanical control, but it is almost never seen nowadays. The last digit indicates the machine's design; in our case, 1 stands for the classic design. Most models are produced exclusively in the classic design, so the number 1 is always present in all markings.
The last two characters, as you might have guessed, are the letter index identifying the washing machine's origin. In our example, it's OE, meaning the machine was manufactured in Russia, Belarus, or Ukraine. This is most likely a Russian model.
Customers dislike Russian-made Bosch washing machines. They only come with a one-year warranty, are poorly assembled, and don't last long, despite being cheaper than European models.
WM16S740
To get the hang of it and learn to decipher any markings on any Bosch washing machine, you need to practice as much as possible. We'll do this, providing interesting examples for you, our readers, along the way. Let's take a closer look at the Bosch WM16S740.
The first letter is clear, but we haven't encountered the second letter yet – M. What does it mean in this context? It's very simple: the M indicates that this washing machine is front-loading. The first digit of our marking is 16. This is the drum speed; this model has a spin speed of up to 1600 rpm.
In our example, the number line is broken by the letter S. It denotes the platform type on which a particular model is based. There are several platforms: A, E, S, F, T, and X. S denotes the new F20 platform.
- A is the base platform of the FX 60cm Entry.
- The E is one of the oldest FV 60cm base platforms.
- F – narrow platform SX 44 cm Entry.
- T – vertical platform PV.
- X – narrow advanced platform SV 44 cm.
The last three digits of the WM16S740 model number aren't as interesting. They indicate the washing machine's control type and design.
WLG2416MOE
Another interesting example is the Bosch WLG2416MOE. Let's decipher it. W – everyone knows this is a washing machine. L – a model with a narrow body. G – it belongs to the older line of narrow machines. 24 – as you might have guessed, the drum speed – 1200 rpm. Next comes the number 1, which refers not to the design, but to the generation of the control system. In this case, we are dealing with a younger (rather primitive) generation.
What's next? Next comes the number 6. This number indicates the type of leak protection. Some machines offer full leak protection, designated by the number 4, but in our case, the protection is partial, designated by the number 6.
The numbers are exhausted, leaving us with three letters. Let's start with the letter M. It tells us that the model was modified. The last two letters are the manufacturer's index. OE means the car was made in Russia, Belarus, or Ukraine.
WAS20443OE
The full model name is Bosch Logixx 8 VarioPerfect WAS20443OE, but we're interested in the second alphanumeric part of the model number. A indicates the machine is front-loading. The letter S identifies the machine as a premium model with a load capacity of up to 8 kg. 20 is the drum speed, in this case 1000 rpm. The number 4 then indicates that the machine has a digital display.
Moving on, we have the number 4, which indicates the machine is fully protected against water leaks. The number 3 indicates the case design. The remaining two letters are the OE manufacturer's index, but we already know what they mean.
WAE24460OE
To further solidify our success, let's decipher one more marking: the Bosch WAE24460OE. Now we can do this relatively easily. So, let's get started. The letter A tells us that this washing machine's hatch is not on top, but in the front—it's a front-loading machine. The next letter, E, tells us that this isn't a simple freestanding machine, but a built-in one, and you can even install a door on it, as there are hinge mounts on the front of the machine.
From here, it's simpler. 24 means the machine can spin at up to 1200 rpm. 4 is the most comprehensive protection against water leaks. 6 is a modern digital display. 0 is a standard design. OE means manufactured in Russia, Belarus, or Ukraine.
That's all there is to it. With a good manual, you can quickly figure out what the various symbols on the label of a specific Bosch washing machine mean. All that's left is to go to the store and buy the best "home helper." But keep in mind that buying a good machine is only half the battle; you also need to learn how to use it. use a Bosch washing machine, and this is already a topic for a separate publication.
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WAN280L8SN - decipher.
We've been using the WFCX2460OE for 18 years. So where do you think it's assembled?
WGA242XVOE?
Russia
Country of manufacture Bosch wag28400?
Good afternoon. Could you please tell me if the control module (display) from the Bosch Maxx Comfort 2441 is compatible with the Bosch Maxx Comfort 2830?
wav28m80me - how to decrypt?
Hello.
My washing machine has a non-existent marking: WLL24241OE. I'm not mistaken; it's definitely LL. I've double-checked it. It's a BOSCH Series 6. Judging by the code, it's from 2009. I need to find the right bearing and seal.
Has anyone encountered this or can help with something?