If the salt indicator on your Bosch dishwasher stays illuminated after you’ve added dishwasher salt, the machine may simply need to detect the new salt or the salt reservoir may not be filled correctly.
Quick fix
- Switch the dishwasher off.
- Open the salt reservoir, usually located on the bottom of the dishwasher.
- Check that it contains dishwasher-specific water-softening salt—not table salt.
- If the reservoir is empty, fill it completely. On a first fill, the reservoir normally needs water before the salt is added.
- Clean and firmly tighten the salt-container cap. Make sure no salt granules are preventing the cap from sealing.
- Run a normal wash cycle. On many Bosch models, the salt light does not turn off immediately and may remain on until the machine has circulated enough water.
- If the light remains on after one or more cycles, check the dishwasher’s water-hardness setting and make sure it is configured appropriately for your water supply.
If the salt light is still on
Common causes include:
- The reservoir isn’t actually full. Salt can form a cavity/bridge, making it look full when it isn’t.
- Incorrect salt was used. Use coarse dishwasher water-softener salt.
- The salt cap isn’t sealing properly.
- The water-softener setting is incorrect.
- The salt sensor/float is stuck or faulty. This is more likely if the reservoir is definitely full and the light stays on through several completed cycles.
Important: Don’t keep adding salt simply because the indicator remains lit. Check the reservoir first—overfilling can cause salt/brine to spill into the dishwasher.
If you give me your Bosch dishwasher model number (E-Nr.), I can tell you exactly how to reset/check the salt indicator and the correct water-hardness setting for that model.
