When your Bosch oven flashes F32, it’s basically saying, “I can’t trust my temperature reading.” The part in question is the temperature sensor—the small probe that tells the control board how hot the cavity actually is. If that reading is missing or way off, the oven can’t manage preheat or hold a steady temperature, so it throws F32 to protect itself (and your dinner).

Why it happens:

Most of the time, F32 traces back to a weak link between the sensor and the control board. That could be a tired sensor that’s drifted out of spec over years of heating and cooling, a loose connector after a hard door slam or a move, or wiring that’s been pinched, oxidized, or singed. Occasionally, a spill or steam burst finds its way into the wrong spot and the signal gets flaky. Less commonly, the control board misreads a good sensor—but the sensor circuit is the first place to look.

How it shows up in real life:

You’ll see F32 on the display and notice the oven refusing to start, canceling preheat, or taking forever to reach setpoint. Some owners also report uneven bakes right before the error appears—cookies pale on one tray,too-dark on another—because the control is seeing nonsense temperature data and hunting around.

What you can try at home (safe, simple steps):

Start with a full power reset: turn the oven off at the breaker or unplug it for 3–5 minutes, then restore power. If F32 was triggered by a brief glitch, it may clear and stay gone. Next, with power off, open the oven door and locate the slim metal probe on the back wall—it’s the temperature sensor. Make sure it’s not bent, covered in baked-on spills, or dangling loose. A gentle clean around it and a visual check that it’s firmly mounted can help. If your model lets you remove the back panel easily, you can also look (again, with power disconnected) for an obvious loose plug on the sensor harness. Reseat any simple push connectors you can reach without forcing anything.

When to call a pro:

If F32 returns right away after a reset, or after you’ve checked for the obvious, it’s time for diagnostics with a meter. A technician will test the sensor’s resistance at room temperature and through a warm-up, inspect the harness for damage, and verify the control board is reading correctly. If the sensor has drifted or opened, it’s a straightforward replacement; if the wiring checks out but the error persists, the control may need service. Either way, this is quick, targeted work when you’ve got the right tools.

Good to know:

Keep using the oven with an active F32 is a recipe for undercooked or overcooked food, so it’s better to pause and fix the root cause. If your oven is under warranty, contact support before attempting any part replacements yourself. And if you’ve recently done a deep clean or had a boil-over, letting the cavity fully cool and dry before retesting sometimes makes the fault disappear.

F32 = the oven doesn’t trust its temperature sensor. Try a power reset and a quick visual check. If it sticks, a sensor/harness check and likely sensor replacement will put your Bosch back to accurate, even heat.