Whirlpool WDF518SAHM Use & Care

User Guide

Dishwasher

LEARN MORE

In an effort to conserve natural resources, this dishwasher includes a condensed User Guide. A complete User Instructions can be downloaded at www.whirlpool.com/manuals.

For future reference, please make a note of your product model and serial numbers. You can nd them on the label located near the door on the right-hand or left-hand side of the dishwasher interior.

Model Number________________________________ Serial Number______________________________________ Register your dishwasher at www.whirlpool.com. In Canada, register your dishwasher at www.whirlpool.ca. Para una version de estas instrucciones en español, visite www.whirlpool.com.

Your safety and the safety of others are very important.

We have provided many important safety messages in this manual and on your appliance. Always read and obey all safety messages.

This is the safety alert symbol.

This symbol alerts you to potential hazards that can kill or hurt you and others.

All safety messages will follow the safety alert symbol and either the word “DANGER” or “WARNING.”

These words mean:

You can be killed or seriously injured if you don’t immediately follow instructions.

DANGER

You can be killed or seriously injured if you don’t follow instructions.

WARNING

All safety messages will tell you what the potential hazard is, tell you how to reduce the chance of injury, and tell you what can happen if the instructions are not followed.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS

WARNING: When using the dishwasher, follow basic precautions, including the following:

■ Read all instructions before using the dishwasher.

■ Use the dishwasher only for its intended function.

■ Use only detergents or rinse agents recommended for use in a

dishwasher, and keep them out of the reach of children.

■ When loading items to be washed:

1) Locate sharp items so that they are not likely to damage the door seal; and

2) Load sharp knives with the handles up to reduce the risk of cut-type injuries.

■ Do not wash plastic items unless they are marked “dishwasher

safe” or the equivalent. For plastic items not so marked, check the manufacturer's recommendations.

■ Do not touch the heating element during or immediately after use.

■ Do not operate the dishwasher unless all enclosure panels are

properly in place.

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

■ Do not tamper with controls.

■ Do not abuse, sit on, or stand on the door, lid, or dish racks of

the dishwasher.

■ To reduce the risk of injury, do not allow children to play in or

on the dishwasher.

■ Under certain conditions, hydrogen gas may be produced in a

hot water system that has not been used for two weeks or more. HYDROGEN GAS IS EXPLOSIVE. If the hot water system has not been used for such a period, before using the dishwasher turn on all hot water faucets and let the water flow from each for several minutes. This will release any accumulated hydrogen gas. As the gas is flammable, do not smoke or use an open flame during this time.

■ Remove the door or lid to the washing compartment

when removing an old dishwasher from service or discarding it.

State of California Proposition 65 Warnings: WARNING: This product contains one or more chemicals known to the State of California to cause cancer. WARNING: This product contains one or more chemicals known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm.

W11172759A

Do not use dishwasher until completely installed.

Do not push down on open door.

Doing so can result in serious injury or cuts.

GROUNDING INSTRUCTIONS

■

For a grounded, cord-connected dishwasher:

The dishwasher must be grounded. In the event of a malfunction or breakdown, grounding will reduce the risk of electric shock by providing a path of least resistance for electric current. The dishwasher is equipped with a cord having an equipment-grounding conductor and a grounding plug. The plug must be plugged into an appropriate outlet that is installed and grounded in accordance with all local codes and ordinances.

WARNING:

grounding conductor can result in a risk of electric shock.

Improper connection of the equipment-

SAVE THESE INSTRUCTIONS

KEY USAGE TIPS

WARNING

Tip Over Hazard

Check with a qualified electrician or service representative if you are in doubt whether the dishwasher is properly grounded. Do not modify the plug provided with the dishwasher; if it will not fit the outlet, have a proper outlet installed by a qualified electrician.

■

For a permanently connected dishwasher:

The dishwasher must be connected to a grounded metal, permanent wiring system, or an equipment-grounding conductor must be run with the circuit conductors and connected to the equipment-grounding terminal or lead on the dishwasher.

Filtration System and Maintenance

Your dishwasher has a ltration system that efciently removes food particles from the wash water.

The lter system consists of three parts, a ne lter plate, coarse lter, and a lower lter.

IMPORTANT: To avoid damage to dishwasher, do not operate your dishwasher without lters properly installed. Be sure lower lter is securely in place and upper lter assembly is locked into place. If the coarse lter turns freely, it is not locked into place.

The lters may need to be cleaned when:

■ Visible objects or soils are on ne lter plate.

■ Dishes feel gritty to the touch.

See “Filtration System” section in the full User Instructions for complete removal and maintenance schedule.

IMPORTANT: Do not use a wire brush or a scouring pad, etc., as they may damage the lters.

Rinse lter under running water until soils are removed. If you have hard-to-remove soils or calcium deposits because of hard water, a soft brush may be required.

Coarse lter

Fine lter

Lower lter

Drying – Rinse aid is essential

You must use a drying agent such as a rinse aid for good drying performance. Rinse aid along with the Heated Dry option will provide improved drying and avoid excessive moisture on the dishwasher interior.

Press START/Cancel every time you add a dish

If anyone opens the door after the dishwaser has started (such as for adding a dish, even during the delay time), the START/Cancel button must be pressed again to resume the cycle.

Push door rmly closed and press START/ Cancel.

Adjust Upper Rack

You can raise or lower the upper rack to t all items in either the upper or lower rack.

To raise or lower the rack:

Empty the rack. Pull the rack out halfway and take notice of the position of the carriage wheel assembly and side rail on each side of the rack. Lift up on the front of the rack while pulling the rack out all the way. The rack will then be completely free of the side rails. Reverse this action to re-engage the rack's carriage wheels onto the rails in the higher or lower position desired.

NOTE: The upper rack must be level.

OPERATING YOUR DISHWASHER

1. Prepare and load the dishwasher

8-place load – upper rack 8-place load – lower rack

IMPORTANT:

hard items from dishes. Remove labels from containers before washing.

■ Make sure when dishwasher door is closed, no items are blocking

detergent dispenser.

■ Items should be loaded with soiled surfaces facing down and

inward to the spray as shown in the graphics above. This will improve cleaning and drying results. Angle dirtiest dish surface downward, allowing space for water to ow up through rack and between dishes.

■ Avoid overlapping items, like bowls or plates, that may trap food.

■ Place plastics, small plates, and glasses in upper rack.

■ Wash only items marked “dishwasher safe.”

■ To avoid thumping/clattering noises during operation, load dishes

so they do not touch one another. Make sure lightweight load items are secured in racks.

■ Use slots in the covers and suggested loading patterns to keep

your silverware separated for optimum wash.

1. Spoons

2. Knives

3. Salad forks

4. Forks

5. Large spoons

6. Large forks

Remove leftover food, bones, toothpicks, and other

1 32 6444 5

446

2 2 2 2

1 1 1 1 1 1

2 2 2 2

2. Check that all arms spin freely

Items in the rack can block the spray arms.

3. Add detergent

Premeasured Detergents

High-quality premeasured tablets and packs are recommended for improved performance.

Quality tablets and packs have been proven better than powder, liquid, or gel detergents at reducing lming on dishes. Using tablets and packs over time will start to reduce or eliminate white lm. They are suitable for all water hardness and soil levels. Also, by using a rinse aid, you can minimize repeat buildup of white lm (not all packs and tablets contain rinse aid). Always place premeasured detergents in main compartment and close lid.

NOTE: Follow instructions on the package when using other dishwasher detergent types. See the complete User Instructions for more details about powders, liquids, and gels.

■ Use automatic dishwasher detergent only. Add detergent just

before starting a cycle.

■ Fresh automatic dishwasher detergent results in better cleaning.

Store tightly closed detergent container in a cool, dry place.

A. Release

B. Cover

C. Detergent

compartment

Close the detergent dispenser by sliding cover (B) over detergent compartment (C).

Open the detergent dispenser by sliding release (A) to the left and the cover (B) will automatically slide open.

4. Add rinse aid

■ If your silverware does not t

into the designated slots, lift and slide covers off to remove them and mix silverware types to keep them separated.

■ When loading silverware,

always place sharp items pointing down and avoid "nesting" as shown.

Silverware basket styles vary by models

■ Your dishwasher is designed to use rinse aid for good drying

performance. Without rinse aid, your dishes and dishwasher interior will have excessive moisture. The heating and drying options will not perform as well without rinse aid.

■ Rinse aid keeps water from forming droplets that can dry as

spots or streaks. It also improves drying by allowing water to drain off of dishes after nal rinse. Rinse aid does not adhere to dishware, and when used, it is dispensed during each cycle.

■ To add rinse aid, open the dispenser

lid by gently pushing in the center of the lid with your thumb while lifting up on the edge.

■ Pour rinse aid into the opening until

the indicator level shows that it is full. Do not ll the reservoir above the full level indicator. Excess rinse aid can cause suds and water to overow during the wash cycle.

6. Select options

You can customize your cycles by selecting options. Press the Options button to add Hi Temp wash or Heated Dry to the cycle. The indicator light next to the option name will illuminate when that option is selected. Continue to press the button until each option is selected or deselected as desired. Not all options are available for every cycle. If an invalid option is selected for a given cycle, the lights will ash. Adding options may increase the cycle time.

■ Close dispenser by pushing down

gently on the lid until it clicks into place.

5. Select a cycle

Press the Cycles button to scroll through the available cycles. The indicator light next to the cycle name will illuminate when that cycle is selected.

NOTE: Heavier cycles and options lengthen cycle times. Choose a cycle appropriate for the food soils and dishes that you load. See the cycle descriptions in the Cycle Guide.

7. Start or resume a cycle

NOTE: If needed, run hot water at the sink nearest your

dishwasher until the water is hot. Turn off water. With door rmly closed press the START/Cancel button.

IMPORTANT: If the door is opened for any reason after the cycle is started (even during the delay time), the Start/Cancel button must be pressed again after the door is closed. If Start/Cancel button is not pressed, the cycle will not resume.

8. Follow the progress of your

dishwasher

The display will indicate the time remaining to complete the cycle. When the cycle is complete, the Complete light will remain on until the door is opened and closed or the Start/Cancel button is pressed.

CYCLE GUIDE

IMPORTANT: The sensor in your dishwasher monitors the soil level. Cycle time and/or water usage can vary as the sensor adjusts the cycle for

the best wash performance. If the incoming water is less than the recommended temperature or food soils are heavy, the cycle will automatically compensate by adding time, heat, and water as needed.

The dishwasher remembers the cycle and options selections from the most recently completed cycle. To run the same cycle and options as the last time, press the START/Cancel button twice—once to wake up the controls, and again to start the dishwasher.

CYCLES ESTIMATED

Use for hard-to-clean, heavily soiled pots, pans, casseroles, and regular tableware. Includes Heated Dry option.

This cycle is recommended for daily, regular, or typical use to completely wash and dry a full load of normally soiled dishes. This dishwasher’s government energy certications were based on the Normal cycle with only the Heated Dry option selected.*

For lightly soiled loads such as glasses, crystal, and ne china. Includes Heated Dry option.

For fast results, the Quick cycle will clean lightly soiled loads that do not need drying. Includes Heated Dry option.

NOTE: Some detergents are not recommended for short wash cycles, please refer to your detergent packaging for more information.

Use for rinsing dishes, glasses, and silverware that will not be washed right away. Do not use detergent.

*No other washing and drying temperature options were selected, and the diswasher was not subjected to truncated testing. Rinse aid was not used, and there

was no detergent used in the prewash.

WASH TIME

W/O OPTIONS

HH:MM

2:35 5.1 G

1:35 - 2:10 2.5 - 4.8 G

1:45 4.0 G

1:00 3.2 G

0:20 1.7 G

WATER USAGE

GALLONS

(LITERS)

(19.2 L)

(9.3 - 18.0 L)

(15.0 L)

(12.3 L)

(6.5 L)

OPTIONS CAN BE

Raises the main wash temperature to improve cleaning for loads containing tough, baked-on food.

SELECTED

WITH

Heavy

Normal

Light

WHAT IT DOES ADDED TIME

Raises the main wash temperature to140°F (60°C).

TO CYCLE

0:05 - 1:00 0 - 2.0 G

ADDED WATER

GALLONS

(LITERS)

(0 - 8.0 L)

Dries dishes with heat. This option, with the use of rinse aid, will provide the best drying results. Plastic items are less likely to deform when loaded in the top rack. Use Heated Dry for optimum drying performance. For air dry, turn off Heated Dry

Delay displays how many hours before the cycle will begin.

To delay the start:

1. Select a wash cycle and options.

2. Press DELAY for each hour of delay time.

3. Press START/Cancel to begin the delay countdown.

NOTE: If the door is opened, such as to add a dish, the Start/Cancel button must be pressed to resume the delay countdown.

Control Purpose Comments

Press to start or resume a wash cycle.

Press and hold to cancel wash cycle.

Press and release once to temporarily interrupt the cycle without canceling.

Use to avoid unintended use of dishwasher between cycles, or cycle and option changes during a cycle.

If the door is opened during a cycle or the power is interrupted, the cycle will not resume until the Start/Cancel button is pressed again.

With the door closed and the cycle or delay running, press and hold the START/Cancel button for 3 seconds. The dishwasher will start a 60-second drain. Let dishwasher drain completely.

With a cycle running, press and release the START/Cancel button once. This will interrupt the cycle without canceling. Opening the door will also interrupt the cycle in the same way. Close the door and press START/Cancel again to resume the cycle.

Use the Control Lock option to avoid unintended use of dishwasher between cycles or cycle and option changes during a cycle.

To turn on Control Lock, press and hold both OPTIONS and DELAY for 3 seconds. The Control Lock indicator light next to the time display will turn red indicating that it is activated. When the lock indicator is lit, all buttons are disabled. If you press any button while your dishwasher is locked, the light ashes once. The dishwasher door can still be opened and closed while the controls are locked.

To turn off Control Lock, p indicator light will turn off.

ress and hold both OPTIONS and DELAY for 3 seconds

Heavy

Normal

Light

Quick

Available

with any

cycle

Uses a heating element to speed drying times. Heated Dry option defaults to On when any cycle is selected, except for Rinse.

Delays start of a cycle up to 24 hours.

0:05 NA

1:00 - 24:00 NA

. Control Lock

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