An E23 or F23 display on a Bosch washer calls for a leak-safety response. Bosch’s washer-specific guidance says AquaStop has activated and advises turning off the water supply and leaving the appliance unused until the cause is addressed.
Bosch washer E23 F23 code: Bosch identifies E23 or F23 as an AquaStop activation. The protection system has reacted to a possible water leak, so this is a stop-and-protect warning rather than a routine drain message.
What this display is telling you
Understand the AquaStop warning and take the correct leak-safety response.
A safe response, in order
- Stop the program if the controls respond, then switch the washer off.
- Close both laundry supply valves. If water is spreading, protect the surrounding floor without moving or tilting the appliance.
- Disconnect power only if the plug or breaker can be reached without stepping in water or touching a wet surface.
- Inspect the visible supply-hose connections, drain hose, standpipe area, and the floor around the washer. Do not remove panels.
- Arrange Bosch support or qualified appliance service if E23/F23 remains, if water is under the cabinet, or if no safe external cause is visible.
What can sit behind the code
- Water may have reached the washer’s base or leak-protection area.
- A supply-hose connection, drain connection, dispenser path, seal, or internal water component may be leaking.
- The protection circuit or its sensing parts may require diagnosis even when the floor appears dry.
Important distinctions
E23/F23 is not the Bosch E18/F18 slow-drain code. Treating it as a clogged-filter message can delay the leak response Bosch specifies.
Do not tilt the washer to try to empty the base. Tilting can spread water onto electrical parts and can hide evidence a technician needs.
A power cycle can clear a temporary control state, but it cannot repair a leak. Do not repeatedly restart a washer that has activated AquaStop.
If the display clears after the external condition is corrected and does not return, monitor the next full cycle. A code that comes back at the same stage is stronger evidence of a recurring fault than a single interrupted cycle. Stop immediately when the observation includes uncontrolled water, abnormal heat, an electrical smell, a breaker trip, or violent movement.
Check the exact model before going further
Bosch code displays and service procedures vary by model. Confirm E23/F23 in the owner’s manual for the exact E-Nr before authorizing any internal work.
The point to stop troubleshooting
Professional service is appropriate when water is visible beneath the cabinet, the warning returns, a hose or connection is damaged, or the appliance cannot be safely isolated. Keep the water valves closed while waiting.
Have the appliance model information ready. A short note describing what entered, moved, drained, heated, or locked immediately before the code is more useful than a guessed component name.
Related Washer Code Guide pages
Use the Bosch Washer Error Codes page when the display on your model does not match this code or when you need the broader brand index.
For the next relevant check, see washer leaking water. Helps the reader inspect common external leak locations without treating the code as a drain fault.
Frequently asked questions
Can I keep using the washer if no water is visible?
No. Bosch advises not using the appliance after E23/F23 until the possible leakage condition has been addressed.
Is E23/F23 a drain-pump code on a Bosch washer?
Bosch’s washer guidance identifies it as AquaStop activation. Dishwasher code lists should not be applied to a washer.
Official source
Bosch owner support: E23/F23 AquaStop activation. Use the exact model manual when it provides a narrower instruction.