Bosch Dishwasher E22 Error Code: Causes and Fixes

The E22 error on your Bosch dishwasher means the filter is blocked and water can’t drain. A five-minute clean fixes most cases. If E22 returns straight after, the blockage is further down — drain hose or pump.

What the E22 error means

At the bottom of the tub, water passes through a circular fine mesh filter on its way to the drain pump. Food particles, grease, and detergent residue collect there over time, and once flow is restricted enough that water can’t drain in the expected window, the dishwasher aborts and shows E22. In hard-water areas, calcium scale around the filter can trigger the same code. E22 is usually fixed at the filter — but if cleaning doesn’t help, the blockage is downstream.

Common causes

• Food and grease build-up in the drain filter (most common)
• Calcium / limescale around the filter in hard-water areas
• Drain hose kinked or partly blocked
• Drain pump impeller jammed by debris
• Detergent residue building up in the filter chamber

How to fix the E22 error

1. Disconnect power and open the door. Take out the bottom rack to expose the floor of the tub.
2. Remove the filter. The circular filter sits in the center of the metal mesh panel at the bottom. Twist it counterclockwise and lift out the assembly.
3. Clean it thoroughly. Rinse under warm water using a soft brush to remove food debris, grease, and any limescale. Don’t use harsh chemicals — they damage the mesh.
4. Refit and test. Drop the filter back in, twist clockwise to lock, replace the rack, and run a short cycle to confirm E22 is cleared.
5. If E22 returns, the blockage is in the drain hose or pump. Pull the dishwasher out, disconnect the hose, run warm water through it, and check the pump impeller spins freely. Replace any cracked hoses.

FAQ

How often should I clean the filter?
Every three to six months for normal use. If anyone in the household doesn’t scrape plates before loading, do it monthly. Regular cleaning is the single best way to prevent E22 returning.

Why does my filter get clogged so quickly?
Mostly food debris from unscraped plates, but grease from oily cookware also coats the mesh. Scrape plates first and avoid putting heavily greasy items through the dishwasher without rinsing.

Will descaler clear E22?
If you live in a hard-water area and the filter has visible white scale, running a dishwasher cleaning cycle with citric acid or a proprietary descaler clears the build-up and is a useful follow-up after manual cleaning.