GE GFW550 (01) PDF Document

Step 1: Load clothes into your GE GFW550 washer and close the door.

Step 2: If the screen is dark, press the Power pad or turn the knob to “wake up” the display.

Step 3: Turn the knob to select the desired cycle.

Step 4: Open the dispenser and add detergent, bleach and fabric softener, as desired. Models with SmartDispense™ only require that you select the SmartDispense pad once the tank has been filled.

Step 5: Press Start to begin the wash cycle. The machine will weigh your clothes and add the proper amount of water. When the wash cycle is finished, the door will unlock.

Step 6 (on some models): After the wash cycle is completed and the clothes unloaded, select ULTRAFRESH VENT™ to help eliminate the excess moisture in your GE GFW550 washer so you can close the door.

If an out-of-balance condition is detected by the GE GFW550 washer, the Spin light will blink during the remaining portion of the cycle and will stay illuminated for a short time after cycle completion. The washer is taking actions to correct the out-of-balance condition and complete the cycle normally. In some cases, the washer may not be able to balance the load and spin up to full speed. If you notice the load is more wet than usual at the end of the cycle, redistribute the load evenly in the wash tub and run a Rinse & Spin cycle.

The “H2O SUPPLY” message indicates that water is not entering the GE GFW550 washer. You should check your house water supply, specifically if you forgot to turn on one or both supply valves after installation or coming back from vacation. As soon as the message starts to scroll, the washer will initiate a 4 minute lock-out period. The washer controls won’t respond/change during this time. After the 4 minutes, you can begin your cycle again. If you try to bypass the lock-out period by unplugging the washer, the 4 minute timer will start over again.

The “CAnCELEd” message may scroll on the display of the GE GFW550 washer if the machine was paused for longer than 24 hours or if the machine has stopped itself before the cycle completed due to certain errors. As soon as the message starts to scroll, the washer will initiate a 4 minute lock-out period. The washer controls won’t respond/change during this time. After the 4 minute period, you can begin your cycle again. If you try to bypass the lock-out period by unplugging the washer, the 4 minute timer will start over again.

The “door” will be shown on the display of the GE GFW550 washer if you try to start a cycle when the door is not fully closed. “door” will also be shown on display if 3 cycles have been started without opening the door. The washer will not start another cycle until the door is opened. In either circumstance, try opening and closing the door, and then starting a new cycle.

When selected, the SmartDispense™ feature on the GE GFW550 washer will automatically add detergent to the wash, eliminating the need to add detergent for each load.

The detergent amount selection on the control panel will default to AUTO when first powering up the washing machine. When AUTO is selected, the amount of detergent needed for each laundry load will automatically be determined based on the size of the load the machine senses.

For AUTO, the GE GFW550 washer will dispense approximately 1.5 oz. of detergent for an 8 lb normal load. For other loads, it will adjust proportionally based on the size of load and garment type.

If you select LESS, the amount of detergent will be reduced by 40%. This may be desired for higher concentrate detergents or if you have very soft water.

For heavily soiled loads, you may want to select MORE to add 40% more detergent than the AUTO level.

You can set the brand/type of detergent in the SmartHQ App so that the GE GFW550 washer can make adjustments based on detergent manufacturers recommendations.

If it is desired to manually add detergent for a particular load:

1. Press the SMART DISPENSE pad on the control panel until its light turns off which indicates the SmartDispense feature has been turned off.

2. Set the flap in the detergent compartment to the type of detergent to be used – Powder or Liquid. See the Detergent Compartment section.

3. Add the desired amount of detergent into the detergent compartment.

If the display indicates that the SmartDispense tank is estimating there is insufficient detergent to wash a load, the SmartDispense light will flash. The GE GFW550 washer can still run a cycle, but it suggested that you add detergent in the manual detergent compartment or refill the SmartDispense tank.

To save your favorite settings for a given cycle on the GE GFW550 washer, set the desired options for Soil, Spin and Temp levels, extra rinse and other settings.

Hold down the My Settings pad for 3 seconds. A beep will sound to indicate the selections for this cycle have been saved.

You can choose to create My Settings for other cycles.

The steam feature on the GE GFW550 washer adds steam into the washer before the wash cycle begins to assist with loosening stains on the NORMAL, WHITES, TOWELS, BULKY Bedding, SANITIZE+Allergen and POWER CLEAN cycles.

To use:

1. Press the Power pad to “wake up” the washer and select a wash cycle.

2. Use the SmartHQ App or press the POWER STEAM pad (on some models) to activate steam.

3. Press the Start/Pause pad.

The Tumble Care option on the GE GFW550 washer tumbles your garments periodically for up to 8 hours after the wash cycle is complete to lessen the setting of wrinkles and creases when you are not able to move clothing to the dryer right away.

At the end of the cycle, the display will scroll “END” and after ten minutes the Tumble Care will begin. It can be stopped at any time by pressing the Power pad.

Select the Soak Rinse for Sanitizer feature on the GE GFW550 washer when laundry sanitizer is used. This feature is recommended for special case loads only, not for typical use.

Press the Soak Rinse for Sanitizer button to enable. An additional chime will occur and the cycle time will increase due to additional soaking time to activate the laundry sanitizer.

To cancel the option, press the Soak Rinse for Sanitizer button again.

NOTE: Fill the fabric softener compartment in the dispenser drawer with the recommended amount of laundry sanitizer.

The Extra Rinse option on the GE GFW550 washer allows for an extra rinse during a cycle to remove excess dirt and detergent from soiled loads.

Press the Extra Rinse pad to select.

NOTE: On RINSE & SPIN cycle, a drain and spin cycle can be achieved by pressing the Extra Rinse pad until the LED is no longer illuminated.

The basket light on the GE GFW550 washer will turn on and remain on for 5 minutes when the door opens, Start/Pause pad is pressed, or by pressing the Light pad.

The basket light can be turned off by pressing the Light pad.

To change the loudness of the end of cycle signal and the press pad volume on the GE GFW550 washer, press the Sound pad as many times as needed to reach the desired volume.

On some models there are four sound levels including off, other models have Off/On with press and hold function.

You can lock the controls on the GE GFW550 washer to prevent any selections from being made, or you can lock or unlock the controls after you have started a cycle.

To lock/unlock the washer, press and hold the Control Lock pad for 3 seconds. A sound is made to indicate the lock/unlock status. The control lock icon on the display will light up when it is on.

NOTE: The Power pad can still be used when the machine is locked.

The cycles on the GE GFW550 washer are optimized for specific types of loads. Select the cycle that most closely matches the items in your load. Delay Start/Remote Start is available on all cycles.

The following table summarizes the Wash Cycles and Recommended Items:

*Some cycles and options may not be available on some models.

The wash drum of the GE GFW550 washer may be fully loaded with loosely added items.

To add items after the washer has started, press Start/Pause and wait until the door is unlatched. The washer may take up to 30 seconds to unlock the door after pressing Start/Pause, depending on the machine conditions. Do not try to force open the door when it is locked. After the door unlocks, open gently. Add items, close the door and press Start/Pause to restart.

WARNING – Fire Hazard:

DO NOT wash fabrics soiled with flammable liquids or cleaning solvents.

No washer can completely remove oil.

DO NOT dry anything that has been soaked in or spotted with any type of oil.

DO NOT reach into the washer until all moving parts have stopped. Doing so can result in death, explosion, fire or amputation.

To clean the interior of the GE GFW550 washer, select the SELF CLEAN feature on the control panel. This Self Clean cycle should be performed, at a minimum, once per month or about every 40 wash cycles. This cycle will use more water, in addition to bleach, to control the rate at which soils and detergents may accumulate in your washer.

NOTE: Read the instructions below completely before starting Self Clean cycle.

1. Remove any garments or objects from the washer and ensure the washer basket is empty.

2. Open the washer door and pour one cup or 250 ml of liquid bleach or other washing machine cleaner into the basket.

3. Close the door and select the SELF CLEAN cycle. Push the Start pad.

4. When the Self Clean cycle is working, the display will show the estimated cycle time remaining. The cycle will complete in about 90 minutes. Do not interrupt the cycle.

5. After the cycle is complete (on some models), the washer will automatically start an ULTRAFRESH VENT operation so that the door can remain closed until the next time you use the washer.

If for any reason the cycle needs to be interrupted, the door will not open immediately. Forcing open the door at this stage may cause water to flood. The door will open after the water is drained to a level where it would not flood the floor.

Self Clean may be interrupted by pressing the Start pad in between cycles. A power outage in the house might also interrupt the cycle. When the power supply is back, the Self Clean cycle resumes where it had stopped. When interrupted, be sure to run a complete Self Clean cycle before using the washer. If the Power pad is pressed during Self Clean, the cycle will be lost.

IMPORTANT:

Run Self Clean with one Cup (250 ml) of bleach once a month.

After the completion of a Self Clean cycle, the interior of your washer may have a bleach smell.

It is recommended to run a RINSE & SPIN or a light color load after the Self Clean cycle.

Detergent and fabric softener may build up in the dispenser drawer of the GE GFW550 washer. Residue should be removed once or twice a month.

Remove the drawer by first pulling it out until it stops. Then reach back into the rear of the drawer cavity and press down firmly on the lock tab, pulling out the drawer.

Rinse the drawer with hot water to remove traces of accumulated laundry products.

To clean the drawer opening, use a small brush to clean the recess. Remove all residue from the upper and lower parts of the recess.

Replace the dispenser drawer.

To reduce buildup in the Dispenser Drawer area: Use only HE High-Efficiency detergent.

The GE GFW550 washer has a filter to capture lost items so they are not dumped to the drain. To retrieve lost items, clean out the pump filter.

1. Using a small flathead screwdriver or coin, open the access door.

2. Place a shallow pan or dish under the pump access door and towels on the floor in front of the washer to protect the floor. It is normal to catch about a cup of water when the filter is removed.

3. Pull down the pour spout.

4. Turn the pump filter counterclockwise and remove the filter slowly, controlling the flow of the draining water.

5. Remove the filter and clean the debris from the filter.

6. Replace the filter and turn clockwise. Tighten securely.

7. Flip up the pour spout.

8. Close the access door by hooking the bottom tabs first, then rotating the access door shut.

1. Power on the GE GFW550 washer.

2. Press and hold the Dryer Control button on the washer for 3 seconds to power on the dryer.

3. The dryer’s cycle selection will flash to display the recommended sensor cycle that pairs to the last completed washer cycle as the washer display reads “drY”.

4. To use this cycle, press the Dryer Control button to start the dryer. The dryer can be paused by opening its door or pressing the Dryer Control button. To restart the dryer with its door closed, press the Dryer Control button again.

5. To select Timed Dry instead of the sensor dry cycle, press the Timed Dry button on the washer while the display says “drY”. Repeated presses of this button will step through preset Timed Dry times (default is 10 minutes).

6. Once you’ve selected the Timed Dry cycle’s duration, press the Dryer Control button within 10 seconds to start the dryer.

NOTE: Your dryer’s control panel is fully functional even when you are using Dryer Control through the washer.

Powering off the washer will not power off the dryer when a dry cycle is in progress.

1. Power on both the GE GFW550 washer and the dryer but do not start any cycles.

2. Press and hold the Tumble Care button on the washer for 5 seconds until the Bluetooth® LED starts to flash and you hear an audible tone.

3. Open and close the dryer door 3 times within 10 seconds to make it discoverable to the washer.

4. The washer will attempt to discover the dryer, the Bluetooth® icon will flash and both displays will blink “ – – – ”.

5. The Bluetooth® icon on the washer should illuminate solid signifying that the machines are now paired. The display on the washer will display “bt” once pairing is complete.

6. If the Bluetooth® units fail to pair, repeat above steps 1-5.

7. To unpair the machines, press and hold the Tumble Care button for 10 seconds or open and close the dryer door 3 times within 10 seconds.

Individual settings for soil level (Level), water temperature (Temp) and spin speed (Spin) on the GE GFW550 washer can be set from the minimum to maximum. In general, the higher up the column, the more energy will be used.

Soil:

Changing the Soil level increases or decreases the wash time to remove different amounts of soil.

To change the Soil level, press the Soil level pad until you have reached the desired setting. You can choose between Extra Light, Light, Normal, Heavy or Extra Heavy soil levels on most cycles.

Temp:

Adjust to select the proper water temperature for the wash cycle. The AutoSoak and PreWash rinse water is always cold to help reduce energy usage and reduce setting of stains and wrinkles.

Follow the fabric manufacturer’s care label when selecting the wash temperature.

To change the wash temperature, press the Temp pad until you have reached the desired setting. You can choose between Tap Cold, Cold, Warm, Hot or Extra Hot on most cycles. By design, to protect fabrics, not all wash temperatures are available for certain wash cycles. Extra Hot temperatures are enabled by the internal heater on models equipped with Steam capabilities.

NOTE: The first 10 seconds of the wash fill is always cold. This feature assists in conditioning the fabric and preventing stains from setting on garments.

Spin:

Adjusting the Spin speed changes the final spin speed of the cycles. Always follow the garment manufacturer’s care label when changing the Spin speed.

To change the Spin speed, press the Spin speed pad until you have reached the desired setting. You can choose between No Spin, Low, Medium, High or Max. Higher spin speeds are not available on certain cycles, such as DELICATES and ACTIVE WEAR.

Higher spin speeds remove more water from the clothes and will help reduce dry time, but may also increase the possibility of setting wrinkles on some fabrics.

NOTE: This washer features a dBT™ (Dynamic Balancing Technology) system. This patented onboard sensing technology enables real-time balancing of the spin cycle for each load, saving time and providing a quiet wash. This should lead to more consistent wash times and an overall reduction in noise and vibration. If the washer should experience any excessive noise, vibration or shaking, simply Pause the washer, open the door, and manually redistribute the load before restarting the cycle.

PreWash on the GE GFW550 washer is an extra wash before the main wash. Use it for heavily soiled clothes or for clothes with a care label that recommends prewashing before washing.

Be sure to add liquid or powder high-efficiency detergent, or the proper wash additive to the prewash dispenser.

Washers equipped with SmartDispense will automatically add the proper amount of detergent for prewash based on the load size.

PreWash must be selected prior to pressing Start.

The PreWash feature will fill the washer (adding the prewash detergent), tumble the clothes, drain and spin. Then the washer will run the selected wash cycle.

NOTE: In some special cycles, the prewash is selected automatically as the default. You can turn off this selection at any time. The main wash will use new detergent from the manual detergent compartment and from the SmartDispense tank (on some models).

AutoSoak on the GE GFW550 washer is for soaking your garments prior to the wash cycle. This option begins with a brief tumble and then proceeds to soak the clothes with water and detergent for a specified period of time.

Once complete, the cycle will continue automatically. AutoSoak must be selected prior to pressing the start pad.

The AutoSoak time will add an additional 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour or 2 hours to the overall wash time.

High-efficiency detergent from the main wash compartment in the dispenser is used for the AutoSoak period and main wash cycle.

The Time Saver option on the GE GFW550 washer reduces the overall washer cycle time by optimizing the wash, rinse and spin actions and/or gently raising the wash temperature to get clothes cleaned faster.

The option is available on NORMAL, WHITES, TOWELS, DELICATES, BULKY Bedding and ACTIVE WEAR cycles. Total wash time will vary based on cycle chosen and options selected.

To use:

1. Turn power on and select a wash cycle which has Time Saver as an option.

2. Press the Time Saver pad to reduce the overall wash time.

3. Press the Start/Pause pad.

The More Water option on the GE GFW550 washer adds approximately 3 gallons to the wash and rinse portions of the cycle.

If the option is selected before the cycle starts, the water will be added from the beginning of the wash cycle and later to the rinse.

If the option is selected during the wash portion, more water will be added at this point and later to the rinse.

Likewise, if the More Water option is selected after the wash portion has completed, the washer will add more water to the rinse only.

If wash and rinse have completed, the More Water pad will no longer be active.

The ULTRAFRESH VENT System with OdorBlock on the GE GFW550 washer was designed to eliminate excess moisture in the washer following a wash cycle to help prevent odors from developing.

The washer was designed to drain water at the end of the cycle more effectively. Following the wash cycle, the user can then choose to leave the door open or select the ULTRAFRESH VENT feature to assist with drying out the gasket and other areas of the washer.

The OdorBlock system features multiple components which are manufactured with Microban® antimicrobial technology.* Microban is a safe and effective antimicrobial technology that will last the life of your washer.

ULTRAFRESH VENT is available after the wash cycle is complete and you have removed your cleaned laundry. Once the door is closed, a notification tune will play and the ULTRAFRESH VENT pad LED will blink. Upon pressing the pad, ULTRAFRESH VENT will begin.

To select ULTRAFRESH VENT at any other point, power on the washer, ensure a cycle is not actively running, and remove any garments from the basket, then press and release the ULTRAFRESH VENT pad so that the notification tune plays and the ULTRAFRESH VENT pad LED begins to blink. Then press the ULTRAFRESH VENT pad again to start the feature.

During the operation of ULTRAFRESH VENT the door will remain locked and the washer will intermittently spin at low speeds for up to 8 hours.

If garments are detected in the basket during ULTRAFRESH VENT, the washer will instead run TUMBLE CARE or 1 STEP WASH + DRY, based on option availability for your model.

The ULTRAFRESH VENT feature may be cancelled at any time by pressing the POWER pad, turning the cycle knob, or pressing the ULTRAFRESH VENT pad.

Only use high-efficiency detergent in the GE GFW550 washer. Do NOT fill high-efficiency detergent over the MAX line. Use detergent manufacturer’s recommended amount.

Powder Detergent – Lift the flap up for powder detergent. This must be done to dissolve and flush detergent properly. Follow the detergent manufacturer’s instructions when measuring the amount of powder detergent to use.

Liquid Detergent – Keep the flap down for liquid detergent. This retains the liquid detergent until it automatically flushes at the start of the wash cycle. Follow the detergent manufacturer’s instructions when measuring the amount of liquid detergent to use.

Detergent usage may need to be adjusted for water temperature, water hardness, size and soil level of the load. Avoid using too much detergent in your washer as it can lead to oversudsing, detergent residue being left on the clothes, and could extend wash times.

Do not put clumped detergent in the dispenser. Clumped detergent can cause a leak.

Do NOT put detergent packets in the dispenser drawer.

If desired, measure out the recommended amount of liquid bleach, not to exceed 1/3 cup (80 ml) and pour into the compartment labeled “LIQUID BLEACH” marked with the symbol .

It is recommended to use High-Efficiency (HE) bleach in this front-load washer.

Do not exceed the maximum fill line. Overfilling can cause early dispensing of the bleach which could result in damaged clothes.

NOTE: Do not use powdered bleach or laundry detergent/additive packets in the dispenser.

If desired, pour the recommended amount of liquid fabric softener into the compartment labeled “FABRIC SOFTENER”.

Use only liquid fabric softener in the dispenser.

Do not exceed the maximum fill line. Overfilling can cause early dispensing of the fabric softener, which could stain clothes.

NOTE: Do not pour fabric softener directly on the wash load.

NOTE: The fabric softener compartment will be siphoned in the final rinse of the wash cycle. This compartment can also be used to accommodate other liquid rinse aids such as sanitizers and fabric enhancing liquids. The use of these other products must be certified by the liquid manufacturer for safety in the use of a residential washing machine and combination washer/dryer. Please check carefully, as certain liquids may invalidate the warranty on your Washer.

Problem: Not draining, Not spinning, Not tumbling on the GE GFW550 washer.

Possible Causes and What To Do:

Problem: Leaking water on the GE GFW550 washer.

Possible Causes and What To Do:

Problem: Clothes too wet on the GE GFW550 washer.

Possible Causes and What To Do:

Problem: Control time wrong or changes on the GE GFW550 washer.

Possible Cause and What To Do:

Problem: Loud or unusual noise; vibration or shaking on the GE GFW550 washer.

Possible Causes and What To Do:

Problem: No power/washer not working or dead on the GE GFW550 washer.

Possible Causes and What To Do:

Problem: Incomplete cycle or timer not advancing on the GE GFW550 washer.

Possible Causes and What To Do:

Problem: Snags, holes, tears, rips or excessive wear on the GE GFW550 washer.

Possible Causes and What To Do:

If the dispenser box is cracked on the GE GFW550 washer, check for a crack on the inside of the dispenser box if it’s a new installation.

It is normal operation to see detergent leak on the door gasket about 20 seconds after filling the dispenser on the GE GFW550 washer.

Improper dispensing of softener or bleach on the GE GFW550 washer can be due to a clogged dispenser or the softener/bleach being filled above the max line.

For a clogged dispenser: Monthly clean the dispenser drawer to remove buildup of chemicals.

For softener or bleach filled above the max line: Make sure to have the correct amount of softener.

If the dispenser drawer on the GE GFW550 washer is not dispensing properly, it might be because a laundry detergent packet was placed in the dispenser drawer. Laundry detergent packets should not be used in the dispenser. They should only be added directly to the wash basket following the manufacturer’s directions.

If the pump on the GE GFW550 washer is running while the washer is not in use, it might be due to a clog in the sump drain. This is normal. The sump drain is detecting an undesired water fill level from a potential open faucet. Shut off the water valve and inspect the water valve for blockage. Ensure you have the latest updates for your washer available through the SmartHQ App.