FIXED Bosch Leaking Dishwasher

[mpadberg]

Hi all.

Bosch Dishwasher Parts

I've recently had some trials and tribulations with my Bosch dishwasher, and in a round-about way, found the fix. My bosch dishwasher would intermittently leak (maybe every 5 or 8 loads). I contacted the company that we bought it from, they recommended dispatching a Bosch authorized service shop, which we did. They had a look, said everything looks good, and billed us. Miffed, I called back (after it leaked again). They agreed to take the dishwasher to their shop and thoroughly test it. After a week straight of it running (20 cycles, no leaks), everyone was stumped. I contacted the place we purchased it from again, fully explained my situation, and inquired what else Bosch could do for us. The lady explained she would get back to me after consulting with her manager. A few days later, I was back in touch with her. To my surprise, she requested I contact Bosch support line somewhere in central/eastern Canada and provide my last name. I did so, and the lady on the phone explained there is a very specific circumstance that you must avoid - its a loading issue. Read on:

Inside your dishwasher, there is a round hole with a grate on it - mid-way up the right-hand side inside the dishwasher. It is very important not to put anything tall that blocks or impedes this hole. I still don't have the full explanation what that hole does, just that it can't be blocked. What we were doing is putting a cutting board (relatively large floppy plastic one from IKEA) on the right-hand side of the lower dish rack, and it impeded this hole. Now it sounds strange, and I wouldn't have believed this if it had not come from Bosch directly, but putting tall items (cookie sheet, cutting board, etc) on the LEFT side where it doesn't impede that hole has resulted in no more leaks. The leaks were coming from the front of the door.

My trials and tribulations are longer than what I've covered here (for brevity), but the moral of the story is - don't block the outlet on the right-hand side of your dishwasher with anything. Strange as it is, but thats how it is. Problem solved!

 

[laodonnell]

Bosch Leaking Dishwasher Problem Confirmed!!!

YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The same ****** thing was happening with my Bosch dishwasher. Of course my husband blamed it on me, "you don't close the door right." How many ways can you close a dishwasher door??!! I saw your posting today after calling the repair place who was clueless as to what could possibly cause it although they would send out a repair person to see if the magical, infrequent, yet irritating nonetheless leaking would occur again while he was here (as if).

After reading your posting I ran to my dishwasher that had just leaked all over the floor, soaking my cabinet baseboards yet again (the paint on them is now cracking because it's been soaked so many times. I also leave a very attractive and quite aesthetically pleasing towel on the floor in front of the dishwasher ALL the time just in case it leaks during that once every so many loads) and opened the door to see my big red plastic cutting board (don't know if it's IKEA ) on the RIGHT SIDE OF THE DISHWASHER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The reason it's always MY fault is because my husband puts these cutting boards and such on the left hand side of the dishwasher and I always put them on the right hand side -- hence, MY fault!!

YEAH, I'm so happy. Oh yeah, I'm definitely calling Bosch and reading them the riot act. Any direct numbers to any influential people there would be appreciated. That is, I'm sorry, bull****, that there is such a clearly well known problem with these machines. We're talking mucho agua here, not 1/2 cup!!

Thanks again for the awesome detective work!!!!!!!!!

 

[nordhavn]

Bosch dishwsher intermittent leak~ THANK YOU!!!!

Our Bosch dishwasher has been leaking intermittently, too. It seemed like it had to be a loading problem since it was intermittent, but I could not figure out what the sin was. Thank you so much for posting this. Bosh really should make that information available to everyone who sells, repairs, or owns one. You have no idea how grateful I am for your post.

 

[beermonger]

I had to register just to say thank you. We have had a bosch dishwasher for about 3 years. It also intermittently leaks. As water was pouring out 5 mins ago I finally decided to google it. After I opened the door, you can guess what I found. An ikea flexible cutting board on the right hand side completely covering the hole. My wife and I can't wait to run the next load to see if our recurring leak has left us for good. Thanks again.

 

[Nikareno]

OMG...seems you have helped many of us with this same problem. Me too...flexible cutting board (Dollar Store) on the right side covering that circle/hole that serves some mysterious purpose. You literally saved me thousands as I am inpatient and want to run right out and buy a new replacement rather than do lots of research and hire repairmen/women. This forum was the first search item I clicked on and BAM... theres the answer!!!!Thank you bunches!

 

[rwt2777]

I too registered JUST to say thank you. Our cutting board blocking it was indeed an IKEA brand floppy/flexible cutting board - just high enough to cover that hole.

I found several other posts that said Bosch recommends checking all hoses and such for the dishwasher for kinds as blow back pressure presents itself with an ugly leak from under your door. I'm guessing that valve/hole on the right side is an air pressure relief valve. When you seal up a compartment and add heat you're going to get pressure. The pressure has to be relieved somewhere. If that hole is covered up, I'm guessing the ONLY place left it can go is the seal on the underside of your door. I know this because before finding this blog I tore my entire dishwasher door apart - and the hinges were a bi+ch to get back on, as they're pressure/spring loaded and short. While taking it apart I ran it a cycle while observing the exposed gasket for the door and could clearly see water pushing up at the corners, yet nothing anywhere near the amount that would explain the massive leaking I'd have every so many intermittent cycles. This makes sense now because when I ran it for observation, I ran it completely empty.

Thank you so much for posting and passing on your tips & conversation with the BOSCH reps. I will donate to this blog just as soon as I come across a few extra dollars (time to check the couch cushions).

 

[Supergreatful]

HA!!! Me too!!! It is CLEARLY Ikea's fault (hahaha). It only happened to me one time in 4 years of owning this machine and it was indeed an Ikea cutting board. Love internet for troubleshooting, so efficient!

THANK YOU!!!!!!

 

[aduncan22310]

I, too, registered to say thank you for posting! My story sounds the same as everyone else's - the dishwasher was leaking intermittently and we couldn't figure out why. Sometimes it was a lot (like the entire cycle), sometimes it was a little (like this morning). I Googled 'bosch dishwasher leak' and found this. Guess what?! We, too, had a floppy cutting board on the right side. Thanks as well to rwt2777 for the opining on it being pressure value. That makes a lot of sense and I'm impressed with how you dismantled it AND watched it washing. Thanks!

 

[mistreatedpuller]

Thank you mpadberg for posting your findings. You saved me from ripping my dish washer apart. i am also here to say that a cutting board from "IKEA" placed in front of the right hand side mystery hole is to be blamed. Maybe not to blame IKEA but maybe my wife's left handedness. She loads cutting boards to right and i right handed put them on the left, not to point any fingers. But hmmm?

 

[woolytwister]

Holy cats - you found it! I've been having issues with my Bosch dishwasher door leaking all over the floor, and have kept a colorful towel rolled up against the bottom of the door - catchy new kitchen accessory. I thought it was my dogs dishes - large dog, large dishes - that were causing the problem because the first time it happened they were in the dishwasher. My son poo-pooed the idea - nah, that couldn't be it, but I was on the right track thinking something was in the way of something. This morning I googled the problem and there was the answer! I'm ecstatic - I'm preparing to sell my house and figured I'd need to buy a new dishwasher. Now I don't have to, and I can loose the colorful towel decorating my floor. My cutting board also is from Ikea - turquoise in color. I can't thank you enough for posting your solution - isn't the internet a wonderful thing?! Sure saved me some bucks! Thanks again.

Note: Why wasn't this very important bit of information in the Bosch manual that came with the dishwasher...hmmm?

 

[Bmarc]

Bosch dishwasher leak question?????

Thank you so much for the info on the leaking problem. I had this exact prob last night, checked the filter and numerous other prossible problems. In any case, that opening on the right side that you mentioned is blocked by none other than a cutting board! So, I will have to see if unblocking this area resolves the problem.

What I have noticed however, is the if you reach under the door, when closed, and feel inside the door, there appears to be some sort of insulation in there. This insulation, if that what it actually is, is soaking wet! I'd imagine that this is where the water was leaking from. Can anyone confirm this that has had a similar problem with this leak?

In any case, I will try running the machine without the cutting board the and let you know of my results!

Thank you!

 

[woolytwister]

In answer to your wet insulation question, I believe it is due to the mysterious hole (probably a pressure release as someone else stated) on the right side. One of the symptoms I noticed when the hole was blocked was, at a certain point during the cycle, water pouring out of the door bottom onto the floor. Thus resulting in wet insulation. I had a birthday party this week with multiple loads of dishes being washed and NO wet floor! Yee haw and thanks to all the bloggers here! What a relief!

 

[myusernamehasgone]

As a lot of other I registered to say thank you. After 2 years of now and again leaks, a new kitchen floor and endless trouble my red ikea flex chopping board now sits on the left...

 

[angelouise]

What a relief it was to find this answer - I just found a big puddle of water on the floor and panicked as we are just about to settle on our house sale. I opened up the dishwasher to find my red flexi chopping board on the right hand side blocking that hole. Just hoping that is definitely the problem - Thank you.

 

[quokka]

This is spooky. I also have a Bosch dishwasher in the home my wife and I just moved into. It has also been leaking intermittently and I also have a big, red, flexible Ikea chopping board that I've been putting on the right side of the machine. I will stop putting the board on the right side and see if that helps. Thanks!

 

[AvlStu]

Yet another mystified and grateful Bosch owner

Add me to the list of homeowners grateful for this post. Thank goodness I was in the kitchen when the water started coming out on the floor. After some basic troubleshooting myself, I jumped on the internet, found this information... and couldn't believe my good luck. Yes, we had a floppy cutting board on the right side of the dishwasher, and yes, removing it caused the dishwasher to run without leaking.

Were it not for this post, I'm sure we would have had the dreaded intermittent problem situation - calling in repairmen, only to be unable to replicate the problem in their presence (in this case, because we had removed and hand washed the dishwasher's contents - including the cutting board).

Thanks again for sharing this valuable information.

 

[andy K]

I could never figure out the leak. I opened the dishwasher and my daughter pulled out her cutting board - on the RH side - a thin flimsy one. Finished the cycle and no leaks.

 

[Samir]

I looked for the hole and I couldn't find one.

I've got a SHI6805UC/06 that never leaked before and has left a good-sized puddle the last two times it's been run. It seems like it may be too much detergent since there were suds present when I pulled off the front panel. But what's causing the suds? The only thing I can think of is that the detergent door doesn't shut and a chunk of Cascade fell into the water at the bottom. Any assistance appreciated.

 

[scott0828]

You have saved countless people countless $$$ with this post, Thank You!!! I was one of the lucky ones. My Bosch only leaked once and, just before calling a repair-person, I searched on-line and this forum came up. BTW, I could find no mention of the "hole" or it's purpose in any of the info that came with the dishwasher, and I saved every scrap of paper.

Thanks Again!! You've earned some serious good karma!!

 

[Tom in midland]

Thank you very very very very very very very very very much. After a house fire the restoration company pulled our dishwasher out for test even tho it was fine. We never had a leak before but it has happened three times sense we moved back in. Service came out and found nothing wrong. Ten minutes ago it leaked again. After reading your post I opened the door and found a flimsy cutting board on the right bottom side. Long live the information highway!