A Bosch manual will explain the meaning of the flashing lights. But if you don’t have the manual, consider the following factors:
1). The Lid Is Open
The washing machine cannot operate with an open lid. The lid prevents the device from making a mess when a cycle starts. The lights may flash because you forgot to close the door. Or you pushed the door shut but did not lock it firmly.
What if you checked the door, and it’s firm, but the light has persisted? Check the door assembly. The door forms a secure seal around the opening. Is the seal damaged? Or maybe the door is misaligned.
It isn’t enough to visually inspect the door. The flashing lights may compel you to disassemble the door. If the door assembly is faulty, don’t be surprised if the technician tells you to replace the whole door. They will reach a proper conclusion after carefully assessing the situation.
2). The Water Is Not Enough
The washing machine needs water to do its work. What happens when the water stops flowing? The appliance will use flashing LEDs to warn you. Like the door, water-related errors are more complicated than they seem.
You will quickly blame this issue on a closed faucet. But what if the faucet is open, but the water line is kinked? What if you have a blockage somewhere, or the inlet valve is damaged? The machine can’t tell you why the water has stopped flowing.
But according to this Bosch washing machine instruction manual, the machine will flash a message to let you know that something is wrong.
3). The Washing Machine Is Overloaded
Some overloaded washing machines won’t work. Others will run, but the drum will generate a grinding noise because of the strain. Expect similar problems when the load is not balanced. Rearrange the load and see what happens.
Remove the heavier items. Redistribute what remains evenly. Does the flashing disappear? This will tell you whether you’ve identified the culprit or if the problem lies elsewhere.
4). The Bosch Washer Is Blocked
Clogging is problematic because it can cause a variety of problems. For instance, the washer may fail to run. It can refuse to start a new cycle or stop midway through a wash cycle before shutting down prematurely.
The appliance may vibrate uncharacteristically or generate strange noises. Even though the washing machine cannot identify the blockage, it knows something has gone wrong, which is why the lights flash.
5). The Panel Has a Glitch
Don’t assume every flashing light on the display panel has a rational explanation. Sometimes, the panel flashes because of an electronic glitch. Although, a reset can banish a glitch.
If your glitches have persisted despite multiple resets, you can’t rule out a defective circuit board as a potential culprit.
6). The Child Safety Lock Is Active
Many washers have a mechanism that locks the appliance to prevent children from tampering with the controls. Your model may display a flashing LED when you activate this mechanism. The flashing light will persist until you turn the child safety lock off.
The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission recorded 19,109 washing machine-related injuries between 1993 and 2003. These are accidents that specifically involved children younger than 15.
Therefore, even though child lock functions and their flashing lights are inconvenient, don’t expect Bosch to remove them anytime soon.
7). The Bosch Washing Machine Has A Heating Problem
You have two problems here. Either the appliance is overheating, or it won’t heat. Washers can fail to generate sufficient heat because of low voltage, a faulty heater, and a defective or scaled heating element.
You can also expect the appliance to protest when the heating time is exceeded. This points to scaling, a resistance problem, or a general defect.
Different Bosch Washing Machine Lights And Troubleshooting Tips
Bosch Washing Machine Flashing Red Light
- The door is open or not secure.
- The door latch is defective. You can test this theory by applying pressure to the door. If the red light disappears and the new cycle starts while you’re pressing on the door, something has gone wrong with the door latch and assembly.
- Debris has prevented the latch from locking.
- The door is misaligned.
- The machine has a glitch.
- You have a defective control board.
How To Fix It?
- Close the door firmly.
- Inspect the door seal and remove any debris you encounter. Clean the gasket.
- Replace a defective door latch. A technician may encourage you to replace the door depending on the symptoms they’ve observed.
- Realign a misaligned door.
- Perform a reset.
- Inspect the control board. If it has loose connections, tighten them. Otherwise, you should replace the board.
Bosch Washing Machine Wash And Rinse Lights Flashing
- The drain pump has a blockage.
- The hose is blocked.
- The hot water inlet valve is blocked by conventional debris or limescale.
- Either the machine has failed to drain, or the water level sensor is faulty.
- The machine has a glitch.
- The main board is defective.
How To Fix It?
- Check the drain pump. The manual will show you where to find it. Remove any blockages you can see. You should also check the hose for obstructions. If the hose is kinked, straighten it. If it looks like the kink may reappear, replace the hose.
- Unclog the inlet valve.
- Repair or replace a defective water level sensor.
- Reset the machine by unplugging it, waiting a few minutes, and plugging it back in. Check the manual to determine whether it has more specific reset instructions.
- Replace a defective board.
Bosch Washing Machine Spin And Rinse Lights Flashing
- The Bosch washer won’t drain. Or, at the very least, it has failed to drain within a specific duration. Check the drain pump for damage or obstructions. This means finding the manual and determining the pump’s location. Inspect the filter. Even if the filter is clean and free of obstructions, an inspection can tell you whether or not you need to replace it.
- The water has already drained, but the machine can’t tell because the water level sensor has gone bad.
- The machine has a clogged water valve.
- The drain hose is blocked. You should check the space between the drum and pump to confirm that water can exit the machine freely and easily. If you can’t find obstructions, look for kinks. Besides obstructing the water flow, kinks can morph into permanent damage if you leave them alone. A hose can break in the areas where kinks form.
- If the washer is still running as expected despite the flashing lights, you probably have a glitchy main board.
How To Fix it?
- Just Answer suggests using ‘Spin Only.’ If you’re lucky, a Bosch washer that had refused to drain will empty.
- Test the water level sensor and replace it if the component fails. Technicians check the water level sensor when they fail to identify blockages in the drainage.
- Check the drain pump for blockages and remove whatever you find. If the flashing persists, ask a technician to test the pump. They will determine whether or not you need a new pump.
- Remove blockages from the hose. Straighten any kinks you find. But you should proceed carefully. Many consumers damage the hose while removing the kinks. Once again, you should consult a technician. The cheapest option is to straighten the hose. But a professional can tell you whether a hose with a kink requires replacement. Any repairs you do won’t last. The kink will inevitably reform, creating more blockages down the line.
- Unclog a blocked or scaled water valve.
- Perform a reset to fix a glitchy control board. You can also search this component for loose connections. Replace it if necessary.
Bosch Washing Machine Spin And End Lights Flashing
- You have a leak. The flood switch is active.
- The drain pump or filter is clogged.
- The flood switch is defective.
- The door latch is broken.
How To Fix It?
- If water is leaking into the base, pull the washer away from the wall and tilt it to drain the base. If the flashing persists, perform a reset. If the flooding occurs again, find the source of the leak.
- Replace a defective flood switch.
- Replace a faulty door latch.
- Check the filter and drain pump for blockages. Place some towels on the floor to contain the mess before accessing the pump. Remove the obstructions. But don’t re-install the filter without checking it for damage. Some filters require replacement. You can prevent clogging in the future by cleaning the filter once a month. Fixya has pictures showing you how to access the filter.
- Check the drain hose for obstructions. Remove them carefully without causing further harm. If you puncture the hose while cleaning it, get a replacement. Don’t forget to inspect the vent that takes the dirty water out of the washing machine.
- Perform a reset. A reset can remove nuisance flashing originating from glitches.
