Bosch SPE53U55UC 300 Series 18" Special Application Recessed Handle Dishwasher

Owners' Guide Dishwashers

Dishwasher Components

Dishwasher Setup

Water Softening System

Your dishwasher requires soft water to ensure proper washing results and is equipped with an internal water softening system. However, if you have a household water softening system, the internal system provided is not needed.

For the water softening system to function properly, it will need to use dishwasher water softening salt. The amount of salt dispensed can be set from “H:00” to “H:07”. Salt is not used at H:00 (default factory setting). The amount of salt required depends on the degree of hardness of your tap water. See Table 1.

1. Turn the unit on using the [ON/OFF] button.
2. Hold down the “A” button (see Figure 1) and press [START] until the display indicates “H:00”.
   
3. Release both buttons and press the “C” button to select the desired setting.
4. Save the selected setting by pressing [START] .

Salt

Only refill the salt container, using a funnel to pour, right before turning on the unit to ensure that salt overflow is immediately washed away. This prevents corrosion. See Figure 2.

1. Open the screw cap of the salt container.
2. Fill the container with water (only required when turning on the unit for the first time).
3. Add dishwasher salt until the water is displaced and runs out.
4. Refill with salt as soon as the “Refill Salt” LED is lit.

Notice: Never fill the salt dispenser with detergent. It will destroy the water softening system. To prevent corrosion, refill with salt and immediately begin any cycle.

Note: Do not use salt tablets or any salt other than dishwasher water softening salt. For more information about ordering salt please contact Customer Service (1-800-944-2904).

Detergent

Use only detergent specifically designed for dishwashers. For best results, use fresh powdered dishwashing detergent or detergent tabs.

NOTICE

To avoid dishwasher damage, do not use hand dishwashing products in your dishwasher.

To avoid dishwasher damage, do not use too much detergent if your water is soft. Using too much detergent with soft water may cause etching in glassware.

The dishwasher uses less water than most, therefore, less detergent is required. With soft water, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of detergent will clean most loads. The detergent dispenser cup has lines that measure detergent (Figure 3) to 1 tablespoon (15 ml) and 2 tablespoons (25 ml). 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of detergent will completely fill the detergent dispenser.

Note: If you do not know the hardness of your water supply, use 15 ml (1 tbsp) of detergent. Increase the amount if necessary to the least amount required to get your kitchenware clean. Use the measuring lines in the detergent dispenser cup as a guide to measure the amount of detergent recommended in Table 2.

To Close:

• Place finger as shown in Figure 4.
  
• Slide door closed and press down firmly until it clicks.

To Open:

• To open the cover, push the button as shown in Figure 5.
  
• Cover will slide open.

Rinse Aid

To achieve proper drying, always use a liquid rinse aid, even if your detergent contains a rinse aid or drying additive.

Note: The dishwasher indicates low rinse aid by turning on the “Refill Rinse Aid” LED in the display. If this light is on, you need to refill the rinse aid dispenser by following the directions below.

Adding Rinse Aid

NOTICE

To avoid oversudsing or clogging, do not overfill the rinse aid dispenser. Wipe up any spills with a damp cloth.

1. Add liquid rinse aid to the dispenser until it is full (see Figure 6). Do not overfill.
   
2. Close the lid. Lid must be fully closed until it clicks in order to seal.
3. Wipe up any excess rinse aid that may have puddled when the dispenser reservoir is full.

The indicator light will go out a few moments after the dishwasher door is shut. See page 15 for instructions on how to adjust the amount of rinse aid dispensed.

Dishware Materials

Note: Before using your dishwasher for the first time, check the information in this section. Some items are not dishwasher safe and should be hand washed; others require special loading.

Recommended

Aluminum: Colored anodized aluminum may fade over time. Minerals in your water may cause the aluminum to darken or spot. This can usually be removed with a soap-filled steel wool pad.

China, Crystal, Stoneware: Some hand-painted utensils may discolor, fade or spot. Hand wash these utensils. Position fragile glassware so that it will not fall over or come in contact with other utensils during the wash cycle.

Glass: Milk glasses may discolor or become yellow.

Non-stick Coatings: Apply a light coating of vegetable oil to non-stick surfaces after drying.

Plastics: Make sure the plasticware is dishwasher safe.

Stainless Steel, Sterling Silver and Silver Plates: Load these so they do not come in contact with other metals.

Not Recommended

Acrylic: Crazing, small cracks throughout the acrylic, may occur.

Adhesive-Joined Pieces: Adhesives that join materials such as plastic, wood, bone, steel, copper, tin, etc. may loosen.

Bone-Handled Utensils: Handles may separate.

Iron: Iron will rust. Hand wash and dry immediately.

Non-Dishware Items: Your dishwasher is intended for use in cleaning ONLY standard household dishware and kitchenware.

Pewter, Brass, Bronze: These items will tarnish. Hand wash and dry immediately.

Tin: Tin will stain. Hand wash and dry immediately.

Wood: Wooden bowls, wooden utensils and utensils with wooden handles can crack, warp and lose their finish.

Loading the Dishwasher

Do not pre-wash items with loosely attached soiling. Remove all food particles, bones, toothpicks and excessive grease. Items having burned-on, baked-on or starchy soils may require some pretreatment. Refer to the Dishware Materials section for more information about dishware suitability.

Load only dishwasher safe items into the dishwasher. Load dishes in the dishwasher racks so the insides of bowls, pots and pans are facing the spray arms as shown. Avoid nesting and contact points between dishes. Separate items of dissimilar metals. Use care to not block movement of the spray arms.

WARNING The sharp points and edges of knives and other sharp utensils can cause serious injuries. Load knives and other sharp utensils with edges down. Do not allow children to handle or play near knives and sharp utensils.

NOTICE To avoid dishwasher damage, do not load the dishwasher with paper products, plastic bags, packing materials or anything other than normal, dishwasher safe dishware and kitchenware.

Loading the Upper Rack

Ensure items do not protrude through the bottom of the racks and block the spray arms.

Note: When pushing the upper rack into the dishwasher, push it until it stops against the back of the tub so the upper rack spray arm connects to the water supply at the back of the tub. Do not push racks in using the door.

Loading the Lower Rack

Place large items in the lower rack. Load pots, pans and bowls upside down. Do not block vent with tall baking sheets. Load these items on the right side of the dishwasher.

Unloading the Dishwasher

When unloading the dishwasher, it is recommended to unload the lower rack first. Next, unload the silverware basket followed by the upper rack. This prevents water from dripping down onto dishware. Note: Dishes are more likely to chip when unloading before cooling.

Rack Features

Flip Tines

The upper and lower racks consist of tines that can be folded down depending on what you may need to load in the rack. To fold down, grasp the folding tine and release from notch. Push folding tine downward to desired position as shown in Figure 7.

RackMatic®

The height of the upper rack can be adjusted in 3 positions to create more space (see Figure 8).

1. Pull the empty upper rack out of the dishwasher until it stops.
2. To lower the rack, push the lever inward then upward.
3. To raise, hold the empty rack by the sides and lift up.

Cup Shelves

The shelf and the space underneath can be used for cups or for larger serving utensils (see Figure 9).

Dishwasher Cycles and Options

Wash Cycles

Note: In order to save energy, it is recommended to set the “Auto Power Off” feature to “P:01” (see the “Auto Power Off” section of this manual).

Heavy: Best for cleaning items with baked-on food or grease. These dishes would normally require soaking.

Auto: This is the most flexible cycle. With our most complex soil sensing capability, this cycle is perfect for use with mixed loads of dishware with varying amounts of food soil.

Normal: The Normal cycle is recommended for daily, regular, or typical use to completely wash a full load of normally soiled dishes.

In order to obtain optimal performance with minimum energy consumption, it is recommended to disable all available features except Auto Power Off as noted at the start of this section.

Note 1: See footnote for additional energy test setup instructions.

Rinse: Allows you to rinse food soil off of a partial load and hold them in the dishwasher until you are ready to run a full load.

Wash Cycle Options

Delay Start: Allows you to delay the start time of your dishwasher in one hour increments up to 24 hours.

Delicate: Available only in the Heavy, Auto and Normal cycles. This option’s lower temperature will reduce the risk of cloudy glasses.

Sanitize: The Sanitize feature is available only in the Heavy, Auto and Normal cycles. Select one of these cycles, press the “Sanitize Option” button and then press Start to activate the Sanitation features. The sanitize LED will light when sanitation requirements are met. The technical sanitation measures may also improve the drying results.

Note: The dishwasher automatically defaults to Auto when turned off and back on. If you used the sanitize option in your last cycle, the dishwasher will default to Auto with the Sanitize option selected when you turn it on.

Extra Shine®: Used in combination with a wash cycle (except Rinse), the Extra Shine® option raises the temperature and extends the drying time to further enhance drying results and provides a brilliant shine.

Note 1: The Energy Guide label was based on the Normal or Regular soil sensing cycle as follows: The unit was tested without any Rinse Aid (liquid) in the Rinse Aid chamber. A single dose of detergent was inserted into the Detergent Dispenser, with no detergent being used in the prewash. The unit was not subjected to truncated testing per the definitions in the test procedure. We recommend that dish loads such as the one in the energy certification test have the rack position set in the highest position.

Wash Cycle Information

The cycle times in this Use and Care Manual are based on normal soil loads and 120°F incoming water and will vary based on your actual conditions.

Note: Only sanitizing cycles have been designed to meet the requirements of Section 6 of the NSF/ANSI Standard for Residential Equipment for soil removal and sanitization efficacy. There is no intention, either directly or indirectly, to imply that all cycles have passed sanitization performance tests

Operating the Dishwasher

SPE53U5xUC*

* x can be any number

Buttons are sensitive and should be touched gently. Avoid any grease or food particles resting on the buttons as they could activate the dishwasher. Wiping and cleaning can also activate the dishwasher. For best results, use bare, clean hands when touching the buttons.

WARNING

To avoid risk of injury, always use caution when opening the door during or following a wash cycle as hot water or steam may escape. Do not fully open the door until water noises have stopped and steam has subsided.

Start the dishwasher

1. Press the [On/Off] button.
2. Select a cycle and desired options and press [Start/Resume].

NOTE: Your dishwasher is protected against unintentional operation. If the dishwasher door remains open for more than 4 seconds after pressing the [Start/Resume] button, the operation will be paused. Press the [Start/Resume] button again and close the dishwasher door.

Cancel a Cycle

1. Press and hold the [Start/Resume] button for approximately 3 seconds until the display reads “0:01”.
2. Wait about 1 minute while the dishwasher drains.
3. Press the [On/Off] button.

NOTE: Your dishwasher is protected against unintentional operation. If the dishwasher door remains open for more than 4 seconds after pressing the [Start/Resume] button, the operation will be paused. Press the [Start/Resume] button again and close the dishwasher door.

Interrupt a Cycle

1. Press the [On/Off] button to turn the unit off.
2. To resume the cycle, press the [On/Off] button.

NOTE: Your dishwasher is protected against unintentional operation. If the dishwasher door remains open for more than 4 seconds after pressing the [Start/Resume] button, the operation will be paused. Press the [Start/Resume] button again and close the dishwasher door.

Setting the Amount of Rinse Aid

The amount of rinse aid dispensed can be set from “r:00” to “r:06”.

To change the setting:

1. Press the [On/Off] button.
2. Hold down the “A” button (see page 14) and press [Start/Resume] until the display indicates “H:00”.
3. Release both buttons.
4. Press the “A” button until the display shows “r:04”.
5. Press the “C” button to select the desired setting.
   “r:00” = dispenser is OFF
   “r:01” = lowest setting
   “r:02” = low setting
   “r:03” = medium setting
   “r:04” = medium/high setting
   “r:05” = high setting
   “r:06” = highest setting
6. Press [Start/Resume] to save the setting.

Delay Start

You can delay the start of the cycle in one hour increments up to 24 hours.

To set delay start:

1. Press the [On/Off] button.
2. Press the [+] button until the display jumps to “h:01”.
3. Press the [+] or [-] button until the displayed time corresponds with your requirements. h:01 = 1 hour delay
   h:24 = 24 hour delay
4. Press [Start/Resume] to activate delay start.

To cancel delay start:

1. Press the [+] or [-] button until “h:00” is indicated on the digital display.
2. Press and hold [Start/Resume] for 3 seconds to cancel the cycle. You may now start a new cycle.

NOTE: Your dishwasher is protected against unintentional operation. If the dishwasher door remains open for more than 4 seconds after pressing the [Start/Resume] button, the operation will be paused. Press the [Start/Resume] button again and close the dishwasher door.

Auto Power Off

To save energy, the dishwasher is turned off 1 minute after the wash cycle ends. Auto Power Off can be adjusted from P:00 to P:02.

To change the setting:

1. Press the [On/Off] button.
2. Hold down the “A” button (see page 14) and press [Start/Resume] until the display indicates “H:0x” (x can be any number).
3. Release both buttons.
4. Press the “A” button until the display indicates “P:0x”.
5. Press the “C” button until the display corresponds with your requirements.
   P:00 = dishwasher does not turn off automatically
   P:01 = dishwasher turns off automatically after 1 minute
   P:02 = dishwasher turns off automatically after 120 minutes (2 hours)
6. Press [Start/Resume] to save the setting.

Aquastop® Leak Protection

Our AquaStop® system contains leaks through a precisely engineered tub and sensor system that works with our solid molded base. If a leak has occurred, it shuts down operation and automatically pumps out water to avoid contact with the floor. It works 24/7 and can turn itself on.

Care and Maintenance

A regular inspection and maintenance of your machine will help to prevent faults. This saves time and prevents future problems.

Overall condition of the machine

Never use a steam cleaner to clean your dishwasher. The manufacturer is not responsible for any consequential damage.

Regularly wipe the front of the appliance with a damp cloth - water and a small amount of liquid soap is adequate. Do not use sponges with a rough surface or abrasive detergents, as these could scratch the surfaces.

Stainless steel appliances: To prevent corrosion, avoid using sponge cloths or chlorine based cleaners. Use a stainless steel polish to seal and protect the surface.

Clean the outer edges of the inside door panel regularly to remove debris that may collect from normal loading. If spots begin to appear on the stainless steel, make sure the rinse agent is full and functioning properly.

WARNING

Use caution when removing parts for cleaning as some debris may be sharp.

Filters

The filter system consists of a coarse filter, a flat fine filter and a micro filter. The filters keep large foreign objects in the rinsing water away from the pump. Foreign objects may occasionally block the filters. Check the filters for residue by:

• Unscrew the filter cylinder as illustrated in Figures 10-11 and take out the filter system.
  
  
• Remove any residue and clean filters under running water.
• Reinstall filter system in reverse sequence and ensure that the arrow marks are facing each other after locking it into place.

Spray Arms

Check spray arms for grease and limescale deposits.

If you find such deposits:

• Fill detergent dispenser with detergent and start the appliance without utensils in the cycle with the highest rinsing temperature (see wash cycle information table).
• Clean the appliance with detergents/ appliance cleaners which are particularly suitable for use with dishwashers.
• Unscrew the spray arms and inspect as shown in Figure 12.
  

Drain Pump

Large food remnants in the rinsing water not retained by the filters may block the drain pump. The rinsing water does not get pumped out and covers the filters.

In this case:

• Disconnect the appliance from the power supply.
• Remove the filters.
• Scoop out standing water - use a sponge if necessary.
• Using a spoon, pry off the pump cover (see Figures 13-14) until it clicks, then grip the cover and pull upward until it resists and then pull forward.
  
  
• Check inner compartment and remove any foreign objects.
• Place cover in the original position, press down and engage.
• Reinstall filters.

NOTICE Preparing your Dishwasher for Vacation Before leaving for vacation during warmer weather, besides turning off the main valve, also turn off water supply at the nearest point to the dishwasher. During colder weather, please follow the instructions for winterizing your unit below.

NOTICE Winterizing your Dishwasher If your dishwasher will be unused for an extended period of time in a location that experiences freezing temperatures (holiday home or through a vacation period), have your dishwasher winterized by a professional servicer.

Troubleshooting Guide

Dishwashers may occasionally exhibit problems that are unrelated to a malfunction of the dishwasher itself. The following information may help you with a dishwasher problem without involving a repair professional.

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