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Your Bosch washing machine turning off mid-cycle is the last thing you want when you have at least a week’s worth of laundry to take care of. Not only do you have to deal with not having clean clothes, but you also have potentially high repair costs to worry about. So what’s causing the problem?
Your Bosch washing machine can keep turning off due to a power surge, blocked filter, faulty lid switch, faulty water level pressure switch, or a faulty control board. Possible solutions include checking the circuit breaker, cleaning the filter, doing a master reset, and changing faulty switches.
In this article, I’ll take a closer look at all of the issues causing your Bosch washing machine to turn off mid-cycle and how to solve them accordingly. I should also note that, before you attempt any of the fixes below, you should unplug your washer from its main power supply first for safety’s sake.
1. Power Surge
Your Bosch washing machine is controlled by delicate electronics, which require the right amount of electrical current to function optimally. A sudden power surge can affect this balance, damaging the panel completely or causing it to malfunction. One of the ways this malfunction manifests is your washing machine suddenly beginning to turn off during a cycle.
Whenever you’re faced with a system malfunction error (which may show up as a code depending on the model you’re using), the first thing you should do is perform a system reset. A reset essentially attempts to bring the system back to its default operational setting, which may fix the issue you’re experiencing if the cause is a power surge.
How To Fix?
The specific steps for resetting a Bosch washing machine will differ slightly depending on its model. Therefore, for brevity’s sake, I will focus on how to reset the Series 4, Maxx 6, and Maxx 8 models of Bosch washing machines.
Read: Bosch Washing Machine Beeping And Not Spinning – How To Troubleshoot?
Resetting Series 4 Models
- Turn the dial to the “Off” position.
- Confirm that the door is firmly shut.
- Turn the dial all the way down to the 6 o’clock position.
- When the lights flash, press and hold down on the RPM button.
- Turn the dial a step forward (clockwise) from the 6 o’clock position.
- Keep pressing down the “RPM” button for 5 more seconds.
- Turn the dial forward to the off position.
After the above steps, your washing machine should be reset.
You can also watch this YouTube video to see how it’s done:
Resetting Maxx 6 Models
- Turn the dial to the “Off” position.
- Ensure that the door of the washing machine is closed shut.
- Press down on the start button and do not let go.
- While still pressing the start button, turn the dial one click to the left (anti-clockwise). You should see the lights come on that indicate your washing machine has been fully reset.
Note that the reset should ideally happen on your first try. However, you may need to repeat this process several times until the lights come on.
For a visual demonstration of the steps above, check out this YouTube video:
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Resetting Maxx 8 Models
- Turn the dial to the “Off” position.
- Make sure the door is closed securely.
- Press the “Start Reload” button.
- While pressing on “Start Reload,” turn the dial anti-clockwise (to your left) with one click.
- Keep pressing until the light on the display comes on.
- Lift your finger off the “Start Reload” button.
- Turn the dial the long way round (anti-clockwise) until it comes back to the “Off” position.
These steps should reset your Maxx 8 Bosch washing machine.
You can also watch this process in action via this YouTube video:
If your Bosch model isn’t listed above, you can do the steps that seem like they’d make the most sense for your washer and see which one works.
Read: Bosch Washer Not Draining -Troubleshooting Guide
2. Blocked Discharge Filter
Your washing machine can stop mid-cycle when it’s unable to discharge the water inside. If your washing machine’s discharge filter is blocked, it interferes with the operation of the pump, meaning the collected water cannot drain properly.
How To Fix?
First, look into the washing machine to check if there’s still water inside.
If you can see water inside the washing machine, take the following steps:
- Manually drain the water in the washing machine. Use the emergency drain hose (if your model has one) or lower the outlet hose so water can flow out.
- After manually draining the water, remove the filter and clean it thoroughly.
This should take care of the filter blockage issue.
If you’re not sure how to fix a blocked discharge filter, here’s a YouTube video to help you out:
3. Faulty Lid/Lock Switch
A faulty lid or lock switch can cause your washing machine to either not start at all or stop mid-cycle. If the door lock sends a message to the control panel that the door has suddenly come unlocked during a cycle, the washing machine will stop to prevent any accidents. This is an especially common issue in front-loading washing machines since the door is more likely to suffer from clothes getting spun at high speeds.
Therefore, the steps I’ll outline below work best if you’re using a front loader.
Read: Bosch Washer Code E04 – Troubleshooting Guide
How To Fix?
The first thing you should do is determine if the lock is faulty. To do this, you need a multimeter. You’ll also need to remove the lid or lock switch to confirm if it’s defective. If it is, you need to replace it.
You can learn how to check your washer’s lid or lock switch in this YouTube video:
To check (and possibly) replace your lid or lock switch, you’ll need a hook pick and a set of long nose pliers. After getting these tools, follow these steps:
- Locate the spring on the spring clamp.
- Using the hook pick, hook the clamp and detach it from the lid edge.
- With the pick still hooked to the spring clamp, remove the rest of the clamp from around the door seal.
- Pull back the seal from the side where the door lock is located.
- Stick the two pointed ends of your long nose pliers into the two points above and below the lock hole and gently push.
- With the plier tips still pushing, reach into the lock panel from where you pulled back the door seal and gently pull the lock panel to your left to release it from the door frame.
- Gently pull out the door lock and look for the release tab for the connecting cables.
- Push the release tab and pull out the connecting socket.
- Confirm whether or not the lock switch is faulty per the YouTube video above. If it’s defective, you should get a new one to replace it. If it’s not, you can skip the steps below.
- Connect the new lock by pushing in the connecting socket.
- Install the new lock, putting the part that fits into the lock opening first.
- To reinstall the seal, locate the groove around it and fit it over the lip of the door frame. Ensure that it’s tightly fitted.
- Hook your hook pick into the hook of the spring and put it on the groove of the seal from the position you removed it from earlier.
- With the hook pick still in place, put the rest of the spring back in until it becomes a bit difficult to continue to put it in.
- Using the hook pick and your free hand, stretch the spring until you can put it all back in place.
- Use the hook pick to ensure that the spring clamp has been fitted nicely around the seal groove.
The above steps can seem intimidating, so I’ll give you this YouTube video for a better idea of how to replace a faulty lid or lock switch:
4. Faulty Water Level Pressure Switch
This problem isn’t as common as some of the ones I’ve discussed above. That said, it’s worth considering if everything else seems to check out so far. Also, the problem may lie not with the pressure switch itself but with the hose leading to it.
If the hose is blocked or leaking, the operation of the switch will be disrupted. In other words, the PCB (your washing machine’s control board) will be unable to properly control the cycles, causing the machine to overfill or not drain properly. This, in turn, can lead to the machine stopping mid-cycle.
How To Fix?
If you suspect the problem lies with a faulty water level pressure switch, the first thing you should do is to check the hose for any blockage or leak. Since the location of the switch and the hose differs between models, it may be best to let a professional handle this for you.
Read: Bosch Washer Code E13 – Troubleshooting Guide
5. Faulty Control Board (PCB)
If you’ve tried all the solutions above and your washing machine is still turning off mid-cycle, you may be dealing with a faulty control board.
How To Fix
If your Bosch washing machine’s PCB is defective, you may be better off allowing a professional to fix it for you. You can also check your machine’s error codes (if applicable), and visit the Bosch website for more information about the error code and how to fix it (if it’s possible to do so on your own).
Read: Bosch Washer Code E12 – Troubleshooting Guide
Conclusion
There are several possible reasons your Bosch washing machine may turn off mid-cycle. You can DIY some of these issues on your own. But if you want to be on the safe side, you may want to call in a professional to help you out instead.
