Bosch Dishwasher error code E02
Main control board relay fault
Quick answer
On Bosch Dishwasher (2000s onward), E02 is a fault. It means main control board relay fault. A first thing to check: Main control board component failure, common in older cabinets.
- Applies to
- Bosch Dishwasher
- Bosch dishwasher codes · Dishwasher · 2000s onward
- Type of code
- Fault
- Urgency: Needs attention soon
- First safe check
- Pull the cabinet forward and look for burn marks or discoloration on the boards behind the rear cover.
What E02 means on this model
A relay on the main board has failed or is being commanded in a way the board does not recognise. Board level faults are not owner-repairable, and the breaker reset clears the state without correcting the underlying relay.
Symptoms you will notice
- Code appears with a part that is clearly working when checked by hand
- Settings do not hold through a power cycle
- A fan or compressor runs when the control says it should not
- No response from the display or the panel at all
Common causes
The code tells you what the control detected, not which part failed. These are the causes we see most often, roughly in order of likelihood:
- Main control board component failure, common in older cabinets
- Solder joint or capacitor failure after years of heat
- Board damaged by a power surge through the supply
- Loose board-to-board ribbon connector
- A short elsewhere in the cabinet pulling the board down
What you can safely check
These are homeowner-level checks. None of them need you to open a live electrical compartment or work on gas.
- Pull the cabinet forward and look for burn marks or discoloration on the boards behind the rear cover.
- Reseat the board connectors with the power disconnected.
- Check the power cord, plug, and receptacle for heat damage or a loose fit.
Do not do these
- ×Do not replace the board until the wiring harness and the parts it drives have been checked, because a shorted harness will destroy a new board.
- ×Do not work on the board itself. It holds a charge after unplugging.
When to call a technician
Book a technician, do not keep resetting it
This fault will not clear on its own. Every power cycle gives the control one more failed attempt, and repeated attempts are what turn a cheap part replacement into a seized or contaminated system.
- If the appliance has stopped mid-cycle, is making a noise you have not heard before, or smells burnt, stop reading here and call. Those are symptoms of something the fault code does not describe well enough.
Technician work. Connector reseating and a visual check are reasonable owner tasks with the power off.
What it costs to fix
Parts
Main board $150 to $450 depending on model. Door harness $60 to $180.
Labor
One to two hours for a board, longer on integrated panel boards.
DIY or technician
Technician work. Connector reseating and a visual check are reasonable owner tasks with the power off.
Typical US part and labor ranges, 2026. They vary by region, model and contractor, so treat them as a planning figure, not a quote.
Scope of this code
- Code table
- Bosch dishwasher codes
- Models in scope
- Bosch Dishwasher, 2005 onward
- Checked
- Confirm on your own unit
- Find the model number on the data plate, then check this code in the service manual for that model. Manufacturers revise code tables between model years, and a revised board can renumber a fault.