Bosch E02 indicates an electrical short in the motor circuit. To fix it, use a multimeter to check for continuity between the motor terminals and the motor housing. If you find a reading other than OL, the motor insulation has failed and the motor must be replaced.
E02 is one of those codes you can't mess around with. It's an actual short circuit, meaning current is finding a path it's not supposed to find. I've seen people reset it and keep running the machine, then end up with a fried control board on top of a bad motor. Ignore this one and you're looking at a much bigger repair bill. Get the breaker off and keep it off until you've found the short.
Here's the thing about E02 versus E01: they sound similar but they're totally different problems. E01 is usually an open circuit or weird current draw, sometimes clears with a reset. E02 is an actual short, meaning electricity is jumping somewhere it shouldn't. Could be the motor windings, could be two wires that got pinched over years of vibration, could even be the control board's output side. I fixed four of these last month alone, two were water-related, one was a chafed harness, one needed a board. The fix depends completely on where the short actually lives.
Most Likely Causes
Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:
Motor winding insulation breakdown causing winding-to-ground short40%
Water intrusion from E15 event causing short in motor connector area24%
Control board output circuit internal short22%
Damaged wiring harness with two conductors bridged14%
Symptoms You May Notice
Dishwasher starts a cycle and immediately cuts out with E02 on the display. No pump noise, no spray arm movement. Just dead.
Your circuit breaker trips every time you try to run a load, usually 20 to 30 seconds in once the motor tries to spin up under load.
E02 showing up a day or two after you had an E15 leak event, even though you thought you cleaned everything up and dried it out.
Machine worked fine for years then stopped mid-cycle with E02. That's usually thermal failure inside the motor windings, insulation that finally gave out after one too many heat cycles.
Faint smell of burning plastic or hot wiring during or just before the error shows up.
Can you reset a Bosch dishwasher to clear the E02 code?
E02 won't clear on its own while the short still exists, so don't bother hitting reset before the repair is done. After you've fixed the actual problem, flip the circuit breaker back on, then hold Start/Reset for 5 seconds until the display goes dark. The machine will run a short drain cycle for about 90 seconds. If E02 comes right back, the short isn't fully resolved yet.
Tools Required for Diagnosis
Phillips #2 screwdriverTorx T20 screwdriverDigital multimeterNon-contact voltage testerFlashlight or headlampElectrical contact cleaner sprayHeat-shrink tubing assortmentSelf-fusing silicone tapeTurkey baster or wet/dry shop vac (for water cleanup after E15)
Diagnostic Checklist
Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.
ComponentComponent Under Test
Expected Range3–8 ohms
ConditionIf Open (OL) or infinite, replace component.
Replacement Parts
If your diagnostic testing proves the component has failed, you will need a replacement. We recommend OEM parts over aftermarket for water-handling components.
Part Name
OEM Number
Estimated Price
Wash Motor / Circulation Pump Assembly00654575 · $120–$280
00654575
$120 – $280
Frequently Asked Questions
Is E02 dangerous to ignore?
Yeah, pretty dangerous. A short circuit means current is running through a path it's not designed for, and that generates heat in places that can't handle it. Best case your breaker keeps tripping and the machine just won't run. Worst case you get sustained heat in the harness that nobody notices for a while. I've personally seen control boards completely cooked because someone kept resetting E02 and running loads anyway. The breaker tripping isn't an annoyance, it's the machine trying to protect itself and your house. Listen to it.
Can water cause E02 on a Bosch?
All the time. Honestly it's the most common E02 trigger I see on these machines. Bosch dishwashers have flood protection built in (that's the E15 code), and when water accumulates in the base tray it can wick right into the motor connector area. Once water bridges two pins in that connector you've got a short. The tricky part is people clean up the water, clear E15, think they're done, and then E02 shows up three days later when the leftover moisture finally creates a conductive path. Always dry that base tray completely and run a fan on it before you run the machine again after any E15 event.
How do I do the motor insulation test correctly?
Disconnect the motor connector, breaker off and confirmed off. Set your multimeter to resistance mode. One probe on a motor terminal pin, other probe touching the bare metal housing of the motor. You want to see OL on every single terminal, which means no electrical path between the winding and the case. Any actual resistance reading, even a high one like 100k ohms, means that insulation has failed. It's not going to get better. Test every terminal too, not just one, because sometimes only one winding is shorted and the others look fine.
E02 right after an E15 event. What's my repair sequence?
First, get every drop of water out of the base tray. Turkey baster, shop vac, towels, whatever you've got. Then point a fan at the base for at least 24 hours, seriously don't skip this step. After that, disconnect the motor connector and inspect it for moisture and corrosion. Spray it with electrical contact cleaner and let it dry completely. Then run the insulation test. If the motor passes, the wet connector was probably the whole issue. If the motor fails, it needs replacement. Part number 12019637 covers most 500 and 800 series Bosch wash motors.
Can I repair the wiring instead of buying a new motor?
Absolutely, if the short is in the harness and not inside the motor itself. Find the damaged spot, use self-fusing silicone tape or heat-shrink tubing over a layer of electrical tape for a solid repair. Then confirm with your multimeter that the short is gone before you reconnect anything. Should read OL between that wire and the frame now. But if the motor itself fails the insulation test, there's no fixing that. The winding insulation is inside a sealed motor. You're replacing the whole unit, no way around it.
How much does a Bosch wash motor replacement cost?
Figure $150 to $220 for the motor part depending on your model and where you source it. Go OEM or a reputable parts supplier here, this isn't the place to gamble on a cheap knockoff. Labor runs about an hour to an hour and a half, so a full repair with a tech is typically $300 to $450. Not cheap, but Bosch dishwashers are built to run 15+ years. A motor swap at year 8 or 9 is almost always worth it compared to $900 or more for a new 500 series.