Error E09 on a Bosch dishwasher

Error E09 in Bosch dishwashers If you've encountered the E09 error in your Bosch dishwasher, we'd like to point out that you can't delay repairs; the problem is serious and requires immediate attention. After reading this article, you'll be able to decide for yourself whether you can replace the part yourself. For now, let's take things one step at a time.

What does the code mean?

The E09 error in dishwashers from a well-known German brand indicates a faulty heating element. It's simply burned out. The heating element in dishwashers is slightly different from the heating element in washing machines, as it's built into the circulation pump and cannot be replaced separately. Most often, it must be replaced along with the pump; some technicians refer to this component of the dishwasher as the "warm motor."

Please note! Error code E09 is only present in third-generation dishwashers. It's important to know the exact model of your dishwasher to ensure you purchase the correct replacement part.

In rare cases, this error may appear due to a failure of the temperature sensor or control board, or due to damage to the wiring running from the heating element to the module.

Reasons for occurrence

Why did my heater burn out? This question is asked by many users who find themselves in this situation, and rightly so. It's important to know the causes of this malfunction to reduce the risk of it happening again. While every part has a lifespan, and they wear out, no matter what, we'll list all the possible causes:

Water getting on the heating element. Water can get onto the heater through leaks that appear. Most often, this place is the sealing rubber that lies between the machine body and the filter glass.
Clogged drain filters. Clogged drain filters slow down water flow into the tank, causing the heater to overheat. Overheating leads to rapid wear.
Hard water and scale. If there's not enough salt in the ion exchanger, the water remains hard. When heated, scale forms on the heating element. Over time, this buildup leads to prolonged heating of the water and eventually, the heater fails.

Replacing the heater

Checking and replacing the heating element in a Bosch dishwasher isn't too difficult. If you approach the repair carefully, you can do it yourself. You'll need a Phillips-head screwdriver, a multimeter, and a new heating element. The main difficulty is that the heating element is connected to the circulation unit, so removing the heating element requires removing the circulation unit, which means disassembling almost the entire dishwasher. If that doesn't stop you, let's get to work.

At this stage of the work, the Bosch dishwasher is connected to the sewer, water supply, and electricity, so first of all, we disconnect the machine from these communications.
Next, unscrew the front part of the machine, first removing the plastic clips located along the edges of the housing. If you're interested in information about fastening the front to the dishwasher, read the publication of the same name.
After this, we unscrew the thin, narrow metal panel, which is located immediately under the dishwasher door.
We remove the thermal insulation material and put it aside.
We unscrew the screws holding the tray.
We open the dishwasher door and take out the dish baskets.
We remove the lower spray arm and unscrew the glass of the debris filter, in addition, we remove the metal mesh, which is located at the bottom of the washing bin.
We unscrew the 4 screws that hold the circulation unit on the bunker side.
Place a highly absorbent cloth on the floor behind the dishwasher body and place the “household helper” on the back wall.
We disconnect the filling pipe from the circulation unit and remove the tray.

There is no need to pull the tray too hard; it is enough to pull it out slightly to provide better access to the parts attached to it.

After turning the drain pump clockwise, we disconnect it and put it down.
We remove the circulation unit from the fasteners, which are hooked, so be careful.
We disconnect the drain hose from the unit and pull the unit out, unhooking the connectors with wires.
We remove the clamp that secures the heating element to the circulation unit and disconnect it, removing the connectors with wires. Before removing the chips, take a photo of their location so that you don’t get confused later.
We unpack the new heating element and put it in place of the old one, attaching all the connectors to the contacts.

The problem may not be caused by the heating element, so to clear your conscience, measure the resistance of the old part before installing the new one. Fortunately, we've already prepared the multimeter for this task. The final step is to reassemble the dishwasher in reverse order and test it. Repair complete!

So, we've figured out how to fix the E09 error on a Bosch dishwasher. We hope this article is helpful. Good luck!