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Bosch, Neff and Siemens dishwasher symbols

15 lights, programmes and buttons that Bosch shows in its own manual or support pages, each in our own drawing, with the maker’s own name for it next to ours. Tap a symbol for what it does, what to do, where makes differ and every source.

Check your manual — models differ. Two Bosch, Neff and Siemens dishwashers can carry different programmes, options and lights, and the same drawing can mean different things on different brands; only your model’s manual says exactly what a light or button does on your machine.

Read this first

Bosch, Neff and Siemens are all BSH brands. Everything below comes from two Bosch manuals: the current SMV4HVX32E, which draws the salt, rinse-aid, water-supply and Machine Care indicators on the panel, and an older booklet (9000 255 656) for the Half load and auto 3in1 functions that newer Bosch panels no longer have. Two Bosch habits to know: the Machine Care light asks for the empty-machine cleaning programme, and the salt light can be switched off when you use combined tablets, but only up to a water hardness of 26 °E. No Neff- or Siemens-branded dishwasher manual has been checked yet, so on those machines confirm the names in your manual.

The 15 symbols

Salt refill light (two arrows in an S)

Maker’s name: Special salt refill indicator

Shown in:

  • Bosch — User manual, dishwasher SMV4HVX32E (PDF), checked 2026-09-26: Control panel item 3 “Special salt refill indicator”; “If the special salt refill indicator lights up, add special salt to the dispenser for special salt just before the programme starts.” The indicator can be switched off with combined detergents up to 26 °E.

Rinse aid refill light (starburst)

Maker’s name: Rinse aid refill indicator

Shown in:

Water supply light (tap)

Maker’s name: Water supply display

Shown in:

  • Bosch — User manual, dishwasher SMV4HVX32E (PDF), checked 2026-09-26: Control panel item 6 “Water supply display”; fault table: “E:32-00 will light up alternately or indicator for water supply lights up … Water tap is turned off. ▶ Turn on the water tap. The flow rate must be at least 10 l/min.”

Eco programme (Eco 50°)

Maker’s name: Eco 50°

Shown in:

  • Bosch — User manual, dishwasher SMV4HVX32E (PDF), checked 2026-09-26: Programme table: Eco 50° “Most economical programme: Pre-Rinse, Cleaning 50 °C, Intermediate rinse, Final rinse 61 °C, Drying”; “The relatively long running time in the Eco 50° programme is due to longer soaking and drying times. This results in optimal consumption values.”

Auto programme (sensor, 45–65°)

Maker’s name: Auto 45-65°

Shown in:

  • Bosch — User manual, dishwasher SMV4HVX32E (PDF), checked 2026-09-26: Programme table: Auto 45-65° “Sensor-controlled: Optimised by sensors depending on the soiling of the rinsing water”, for mixed tableware with lightly dried-on household food remnants.

Intensive programme (pot or pan)

Maker’s name: Intensive 70°

Shown in:

  • Bosch — User manual, dishwasher SMV4HVX32E (PDF), checked 2026-09-26: Programme table: Intensive 70° for “Washing pots and pans, non-fragile tableware and cutlery … Removing stubborn burned or dried-on food remnants containing starch and protein”; Cleaning 70 °C, final rinse 69 °C.

Glass or delicate programme (wine glass)

Maker’s name: Glass 40°

Shown in:

  • Bosch — User manual, dishwasher SMV4HVX32E (PDF), checked 2026-09-26: Glass 40°: “Cleaning delicate tableware, cutlery, temperature-sensitive plastics, glasses and stemware in the stemware basket … Removing lightly adhering fresh food remnants”; Cleaning 40 °C.

Half load (½ or half a rack)

Maker’s name: Half load (older models)

Shown in:

Extra dry option (heat waves)

Maker’s name: ExtraDry

Shown in:

  • Bosch — User manual, dishwasher SMV4HVX32E (PDF), checked 2026-09-26: Additional function ExtraDry: “For a better drying result the final rinse temperature is increased and the drying phase extended. Especially suitable for drying plastic parts. There is a slight increase in energy consumption and the run time is extended.”

Hygiene or sanitise option (plus or shield)

Maker’s name: Hygiene+

Shown in:

  • Bosch — User manual, dishwasher SMV4HVX32E (PDF), checked 2026-09-26: Additional function Hygiene+: “To ensure a higher hygiene status for the appliance and tableware, the temperature is raised and maintained for an extra-long period. Especially suitable for cleaning chopping boards or baby bottles … This will increase the run time and energy consumption.”

Machine care light (the dishwasher itself)

Maker’s name: Machine Care

Shown in:

  • Bosch — User manual, dishwasher SMV4HVX32E (PDF), checked 2026-09-26: “Run the Machine Care programme if the indicator for Machine Care lights up on the control panel”; Machine Care 70 °C, “Only when using unloaded appliance”; the indicator goes out automatically after Machine Care is run.

Quick or rapid programme (stopwatch)

Maker’s name: Express 65° – 1h

Shown in:

Pre-rinse or soak programme (drops over a plate)

Maker’s name: Pre-rinse

Shown in:

  • Bosch — User manual, dishwasher SMV4HVX32E (PDF), checked 2026-09-26: Favourite button: “The pre-rinse program is saved to this button at the factory. Pre-rinse is suitable for all types of tableware. The tableware undergoes intermediate cleaning via cold rinsing.”

Speed option (double arrow)

Maker’s name: SpeedPerfect+

Shown in:

Tablet or all-in-one option (tablet)

Maker’s name: auto 3in1 (older models, automatic)

Shown in:

Not listed for Bosch, Neff and Siemens

The Bosch, Neff and Siemens documents checked here do not show these dishwasher symbols from this site, so they are left off this page: Automatic door opening, Light on the floor. That does not mean no Bosch, Neff and Siemens dishwasher has them — only that no Bosch, Neff and Siemens manual or support page cited here shows the symbol. If your machine shows one, see all dishwasher symbols by shape.

Other brands

Sources

A symbol is listed here only when one of these Bosch, Neff and Siemens documents shows it. Each was fetched and read on the date shown; the maker’s names and quotations are the maker’s wording, everything else is ours.