Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer™ Dishwasher Care and Maintenance
This guide provides essential information for the care and maintenance of your Fisher & Paykel DishDrawer™ Dishwasher.
Get to Know Your Appliance
This section introduces the various indicators and controls on your dishwasher.
Control/Indicator | Description |
---|---|
Spray arm indicator | Indicates when the spray arm is blocked or needs cleaning. |
Wash program selector | Press to cycle through and select a wash program. |
Wash program indicators | Indicate which program is selected. |
Wash modifier selector | Press to select a wash modifier. |
Wash modifier indicators | Indicate which modifier is selected. |
START button | Press to start or cancel a wash cycle. |
DELAY START indicator | Indicates when DELAY START is set. |
LOCK indicator | Indicates when the drawer is locked. |
Wi-Fi indicator | Indicates when the product is connected to Wi-Fi. |
Filter indicator | Indicates when the filter needs to be checked. |
Care and Cleaning
Regular maintenance ensures optimal performance and longevity of your dishwasher.
Key steps to maintain your dishwasher:
- Run regular deep clean cycles every few months.
- Descale to remove mineral buildup.
- Clean the filter regularly.
- Clean the spray arm regularly.
To clean surfaces, wipe with a damp cloth and dry with a lint-free cloth.
We do not recommend:
- Scouring pads
- Stainless steel cleaners or polishes
- Abrasive, acidic, alkaline, or solvent cleaning products
- Handwashing dish detergents, laundry or other detergents or disinfectants.
Running a deep clean cycle:
Unload the dishwasher. Use a premium dishwashing cleaner, follow the label instructions, and run the HEAVY or HEAVY SANITIZE cycle.
Removing mineral buildup:
Fill the detergent dispenser and secondary compartment with citric acid crystals or descaler, and close the cover. Run the dishwasher on the HEAVY cycle.
Cleaning the Filters
Blocked filters reduce water pressure. Remove and clean filters regularly, or when the filter indicator starts to flash.
- Lift up the trap to access the filter.
- Turn the filter so the arrow points to the UNLOCK icon. Lift filter to remove.
- Press the button on the filter cap to separate the parts. Clean them with hot soapy water, then rinse thoroughly.
- Refit the cap to the filter base so it clips into place.
- Place the filter back into the tub, and turn it so the arrow points to the LOCK icon.
- Lower the trap over the filter.
- Press and hold START ► to clear the filter indicator ⚙️.
Unblocking the Spray Arm
The spray arm rotates and sprays water to clean dishes. Wash performance may be reduced if the arm is obstructed or becomes blocked with food residue. Check the spray arm if the spray arm indicator ? flashes or you notice a reduction in wash performance.
- If the spray arm is obstructed, the spray arm indicator will flash and the current cycle will be paused.
- Remove any dishes or utensils obstructing the spray arm, and check it can fully rotate.
- Press and hold START ► to clear the spray arm indicator ? and resume the program. If the alert is not cleared within 1 hour, the cycle will resume, but wash performance will be reduced and the spray arm indicator will continue to flash.
Cleaning the spray arm:
- Remove the racking, then hold the spray arm in the centre and lift off the base. See 'Racking Features' for how to remove the base rack.
- Wash the spray arm with hot water and a cloth until water flows through all the spray holes.
- Refit the arm, and ensure it rotates freely.
Cleaning the Filter Plate
- Remove the racking, filter and spray arm to access the filter plate. See 'Racking Features' for how to remove the racking.
- Turn the locking nut anti-clockwise and lift it out, then carefully lift out the filter plate. Clean the plate with hot soapy water and rinse thoroughly, then wipe the recess where the plate sits.
- Ensure the O-ring is correctly in place, then push the filter plate back into the tub. Refit the locking nut, then push it down and turn it clockwise until the arrows line up.
Detergent Recommendations
The quantity of detergent you should use depends on how dirty the dishes are and how hard the water is at your property. We recommend using premium powdered dishwasher detergents and tablets to effectively clean dishes, utensils and filters in your dishwasher.
Water hardness level | Soil level | If using powder (place in dispenser) | If using tablets (place in cutlery basket) |
---|---|---|---|
Soft water (such as tank water) | Light | 1/3 full | Not recommended |
Medium | 2/3 full | 1 | |
Heavy | Full | 1 | |
Moderate | Light | 2/3 full | Not recommended |
Medium | 2/3 full | 1 | |
Heavy | Full | 1 | |
Hard water (with a high mineral content) | All soil levels | Full* | 1 |
*If required, additional powder can be added directly into base of drawer, below the dispenser.
Racking Features
Folding cup racks
Fold up or down, and adjust height as required. Wine grippers on the left racks provide extra support for wine glasses.
Folding tine rack
Fold up to fit plates or down to create space. Fold down and pull firmly towards you to unclip the ends. To refit, line up the clips with the base rack, and push firmly to click into place.
Sliding tine rack
Adjust the spacing of the tines to fit deep bowls or small plates. Grip the handles and pull up to unclip. To refit, align front and rear clips with the base rack and clip into place.
Glass supports
Provide extra stability for glasses. To remove, unclip from cup rack supports. Clip back into place to refit.
Trap door
Lift up to access the filter for cleaning.
Base rack
Remove to access filter plate. Fold front cup racks up and lift to highest position. Hold wire supports inward and lift and tilt rack towards you. To refit, hold the cup rack supports and lower the front of the base rack around the dispenser.
Water Softener Settings (Some Models Only)
Hard water can cause mineral scale build-up in your DishDrawer™ Dishwasher and a decline in performance over time. If you live in a hard water area and your DishDrawer™ Dishwasher does not have a built-in water softener, we recommend fitting a softener to the household water supply.
Confirm local water hardness
Check with your council or water supplier to confirm water hardness in your area, and use the table to determine the appropriate softener setting.
Level | Setting | Water hardness scales | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ppm* | gpg** | °dh | °fh | °e/°clark | mmol/l | ||
Soft | 0 | 0-100 | 0-6 | 0-5.6 | 0-10 | 0-7 | 0-0.1 |
1 | 100-250 | 6-14 | 5.6-14 | 10-25 | 7-17.5 | 0.1-2.5 | |
2 | 250-350 | 14-20 | 14-19.6 | 25-35 | 17.5-24.5 | 2.5-3.5 | |
Moderate | 3 | 350-450 | 20-26 | 19.6-25.2 | 35-45 | 24.5-31.5 | 3.5-4.5 |
4 | 450-550 | 26-32 | 25.2-30.8 | 45-55 | 31.5-38.5 | 4.5-5.5 | |
5 | 550-625 | 32-36 | 30.8-35 | 55-62 | 38.5-43.8 | 5.5-6.2 |
*ppm = parts per million | **gpg = grains per gallon.
Setting the water softener:
- Press and hold the program selector >>> and modifier selector * together, then press the modifier selector * to select Quiet.
- Press program selector >> to adjust the softener setting. Setting corresponds to the number of wash program indicator lights.
Using the Water Softener (Some Models Only)
The water softener uses dishwasher salt to soften hard water and reduce scale build-up. Only use granular dishwasher salt. Do not add detergent or rinse aid to the salt reservoir. Fill the salt reservoir completely the first time. After that, add 250g of salt each time the salt indicator on the reservoir cap turns red.
- Turn the cap anticlockwise to remove.
- Attach the salt funnel to the dishwasher and carefully pour salt granules into the reservoir. Some water may be displaced.
- Remove the funnel and refit the cap, turning clockwise until secure. Run a RINSE cycle to remove any displaced water or spilt salt granules.
Winterizing
You should winterize your DishDrawer™ Dishwasher if it is installed in a cold climate where temperatures fall below 0°C. This prevents damage from water freezing in the dishwasher, hoses and pipes.
- Turn off the water supply. Disconnect the drain hoses from the sink drain pipe, and disconnect the water inlet pipe from the water valve.
- Drain the water from the hoses, inlet pipe and water valve into a bucket. Reconnect the water inlet pipe to the water valve and the hoses to the sink drain pipe.
- Remove the filter, spray arm, locking nut and filter plate from the bottom of the drawer. Use a sponge to remove any remaining water before refitting the parts.
Troubleshooting
General use
Why are the dishes still dirty after a wash cycle?
- Drawer not loaded correctly. See First use guide.
- Spray arm rotation blocked. See 'Unblocking the spray arm'.
- Unsuitable wash program selected for load and soil level. See First use guide.
- Excess food on dishware. Remove food scraps prior to loading.
- Filter needs to be cleaned. See 'Cleaning the filters'.
- Spray arm holes blocked. See 'Unblocking the spray arm'.
- Incorrect detergent use. See 'Detergent recommendations'.
- DishDrawer™ Dishwasher needs a deep clean with a clean cycle. See 'Care and cleaning'.
- Hard water. Increase the rinse aid setting and the amount of detergent. See 'Detergent recommendations' and 'Water softener settings (some models only)'.
Why is the detergent dispenser still full after a wash cycle?
Detergent dispenser was wet when loaded so detergent wasn't dispensed. Clean the dispenser and ensure it is dry before adding detergent. Avoid detergent coming into contact with skin and eyes.
Why are there white marks on the dishes after a wash cycle?
- Rinse aid may need to be refilled. See First use guide.
- Dishwasher is overloaded or incorrectly loaded. See First use guide.
- Rinse aid setting too low. See 'Water softener settings (some models only)' and 'Setting the water softener'.
- Detergent may not be suitable. See 'Detergent recommendations'.
- Hard water. Increase the rinse aid setting and the amount of detergent. Refer to 'Detergent recommendations' and 'Water softener settings (some models only)'. If your dishwasher does not have a built-in water softener and you live in a hard water area, consult a plumber about installing a household water softener.
Why doesn't the wash cycle pause when I knock on the drawer?
Knock to Pause sensor is incorrectly installed or calibrated. Call Customer Care or your Authorised Service Centre.
Why does the dishwasher keep pausing during the wash cycle?
Knock to Pause sensor is recognising taps and bumps as knocks and needs to be recalibrated. Call Customer Care or your Authorised Service Centre.
Why won't the drawer open?
- The wash is still in progress, but it is in a quiet phase. No action required.
- AUTO LOCK is on. Knock once on the drawer and open it within 30 seconds.
Why has the dishwasher turned off?
No power. Check the power supply or for an outage in your home or area. The wash program will resume when the power is back on.
Why won't the dishwasher start?
- The drawer is not closed correctly. Ensure the drawer is firmly closed.
- Cycle has not started. Check the wash program. See First use guide.
- Too much time passed between pressing START ► and closing the drawer. Open the drawer and press START ►, then close the drawer while indicator is still flashing.
- The control panel is locked. Press and hold the modifier selector * until the LOCK indicator turns off.
- Power supply is not connected. Connect the power supply.
- DishDrawer™ Dishwasher is in Demo mode. Call Customer Care or your Authorised Service Centre.
Why is the interior of the drawer stained?
- Some foods may stain the inside of the drawer. Rinse dishes before loading the dishwasher, or use RINSE after adding the dishes as this may minimise staining.
- Run a deep clean cycle. See 'Care and cleaning'.
Noises, foam and excess water
Why is there water leaking?
- Drain hose disconnected from waste pipe. Reconnect the drain hose.
- Water inlet hose not connected correctly. Ensure the inlet hose is connected securely.
- Other leaks. Turn off water and power supplies to the DishDrawer™ Dishwasher. Call Customer Care or your Authorised Service Centre.
Why is there so much foam?
- Incorrect detergent use. See 'Detergent recommendations'.
- Large amount of egg left on plates. Rinse excess egg prior to loading.
- Rinse aid setting too high. Decrease the rinse aid setting.
- Rinse aid spilt in tub or detergent bucket. Spilt rinse aid should be cleaned immediately.
Why is there fan noise after the wash cycle has finished?
This is normal. The fan will continue to run to assist with drying and will stop after a set time or when the drawer is opened.
Why does the fan start when I close the drawer, even though I didn't start a new wash?
This is normal. In some cases, the fan will run when the drawer is closed for a set time after a program has finished.
Why is the dishwasher making pulsing sounds?
If rinse aid is dispensing, it makes pulsing sounds. This is normal.
Why is water pooling on the inner rim of drawer after a wash?
This is normal condensation. Wipe it dry.
Why is there water under the filter?
This is normal. You do not need to do anything.
Why is there excess water in the drawer?
- Drain hose is bent. Straighten it.
- Filter is blocked. See 'Cleaning the filters'.
Alerts and faults
Why is the spray arm indicator flashing on the display?
Something is preventing the spray arm from rotating. See 'Unblocking the spray arm'.
Why is the filter indicator flashing on the display?
The filter needs to be checked. See 'Cleaning the filters'.
Why are the wash modifier indicators flashing?
A fault has occurred. See 'Fault codes'.
Why is the dishwasher beeping?
DishDrawer™ Dishwasher is paused. Open the drawer and press START ►.
Fault Codes
Follow these steps to identify and correct faults:
- Identify the fault by the active indicators.
- Correct the issue.
- Press START ► three times. This stops the beeping, clears the fault and resumes the cycle.
Double models
Faults can occur in one or both drawers and may be different in each. If only one drawer has a fault, you can continue to use the other drawer.
Water supply fault (A1)
Indicators: Rinse, Sanitize, Quiet, Dry+. Ensure water supply is on.
Drawer cannot drain (A3)
Indicators: Eco, Rinse, Sanitize, Quiet, Dry+. Check the drainage hose and pipe connections are not blocked.
Spray arm loose (A6)
Indicators: Glassware, Eco, Sanitize, Quiet, Dry+. Check the spray arm is secured to the rotor.
Excess foam in drawer (A7)
Indicators: Glassware, Eco, Rinse, Sanitize, Quiet, Dry+. Let the program finish. Before running another cycle, ensure you are using the correct detergent.
Sanitize unsuccessful (A09)
Indicators: Rinse, Sanitize. Check the water supply is on.
Fault on drawer (F)
The lock indicator, wash program and one or more modifiers may be flashing. Press START ► three times to attempt reset. Contact Customer Care if the fault remains.