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Bosch F16 on a washer dryer

The door is not closed, or the machine cannot confirm that it is.

The same code appears on Neff and Siemens machines — they share the same control platform.

Verdict

You can fix this yourself

No special tools or qualifications needed

Urgency
Not urgent

About 55 min to work through

Typical cost

Free to £130

DIY: Up to £40 in parts

What F16 actually means

The machine will not start a cycle until the door interlock reports back that the door is properly latched. F16 means that confirmation never arrived. Start with the obvious — laundry caught in the seal is the usual answer — before assuming the lock has failed.

What causes it, most likely first

  1. Laundry trapped between the door and the seal

    Most likely

    A sock or a shirt corner pinched in the seal holds the door a millimetre proud, which is enough for the latch to miss its catch.

    How to check: Open the door and run a hand right round the seal before closing it firmly.

  2. Door not pushed firmly enough

    Common

    Bosch doors need a positive push until they click. Easing them shut gently often leaves the latch un-engaged.

  3. Worn or misaligned door catch

    Common

    The plastic hook on the door wears, or the hinge sags on an older machine, so the hook no longer enters the lock squarely.

    How to check: Look at the hook on the door edge for rounding or cracks, and watch whether it meets the hole centrally as you close it.

  4. Failed door interlock

    Occasional

    The interlock is a wearing part — it heats and cools every cycle. When the internal contacts fail, the door latches mechanically but the machine never sees it.

    Door interlock£15–£40 for the partDIY with care

  5. Broken wire to the interlock

    Rare

    The loom to the door lock flexes with vibration and can fracture inside its insulation, which mimics a dead lock exactly.

    Wiring loom / connector£10–£45 for the partEngineer

How to fix it, step by step

  1. Clear the seal and close the door firmly

    Open the door fully, run your hand all the way round the inside of the rubber seal, and pull out anything caught. Close the door with a deliberate push until you hear it click.

    2 min

  2. Power-cycle the machine

    Turn the machine off at the wall, wait a full minute, and switch it back on. This clears a latched fault that has stuck after the door was fixed.

    3 min

  3. Inspect the catch and the lock

    Look at the plastic hook on the door edge for wear or cracks, and check the door does not drop as it swings — a sagging hinge stops the hook meeting the lock squarely. Both are visible without tools.

    5 minTorch

  4. If it still will not start, replace the interlock

    Interlocks are an inexpensive part but reaching them means peeling back the door seal retaining band and working inside the front panel with the machine isolated. If you are not confident doing that, this is a short, cheap engineer visit.

    45 min

Need an engineer for this F16?

We list 4 washer dryer repair businesses across the UK, 3 of which are Bosch-authorised. Diagnostic callouts typically start around £55, and many will put that towards the repair if you go ahead.

Find washer dryer engineers near you

Parts you might need

Typical UK prices for the part alone, before fitting. Worth knowing before you accept a quote — the part is often a small share of what a repair is priced at.

  • Wiring loom / connector

    Chafed wires and corroded connectors mimic dead components. An engineer will always check continuity before condemning a part.

    £10–£45

  • Door interlock

    The electrically operated latch that proves the door is shut before the machine will fill, and holds it shut until the drum stops.

    £15–£40

Related problems

Other Bosch washer dryers codes

All Bosch washer dryers fault codes