A 400 X
Italian machine with a selector of 16 numbered programs and a separate thermostat knob. The program number does not tell you the fabric: the laundry type and temperature can only be read from the table, and the three panel variants have different sets of buttons.
1. What do you need?
2. Machine panel
Tap the marks around the knobs and the buttons — or choose below.
3. What happens
Programme knob path: from the selected position to the stop
- 5Wash … Spin
- •stop
No conflicts: safe to run like this.
5 — Cotton, mixed delicate fabrics, lightly soiled items, up to 5 kg
Stops by itself and drains
How to start
- Knob °C to 40.
- Knob P to 5 (clockwise only).
- Buttons stop with water, spin off, economy, extra rinse, 550/MAX released.
- Drawer: Main wash (2) — Powder; Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach (flower) — Fabric softener (optional).
- Close the door until it clicks.
- Press on/off — the machine starts at once.
Program 5: main wash, rinse, softener, spin.
4. Detergent drawer
Front view, left to right. Highlighted compartments are the ones the machine takes detergent from on this programme.
Drawer with three compartments: 1 prewash, 2 main wash, flower for fabric softener, fragrances, additives and bleaches. The left-to-right order is taken from the pictograms in the program table. For hard water use an anti-scale agent together with the powder in compartment 2. Use low-foaming powder for automatic machines. Take the drawer out completely from time to time and wash it under running water.
Tap a row to set that programme on the panel.
| No. | Programme | Temp. | Spin | Drawer | Time | End |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cotton, linen, hemp, heavily soiled, with prewash Prewash at about 40 °C, main wash, rinse, softener, drain and final spin. |
up to 90 °C | — | Prewash and soaking, Main wash, Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 2 h 3 min estimate | by itself |
| 2 | Coloured laundry, shirts, dressing gowns, underwear, heavily soiled, with prewash Cotton, linen, mixed durable fabrics. Prewash, main wash, rinse, softener, drain and final spin. |
up to 90 °C | — | Prewash and soaking, Main wash, Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 2 h 3 min estimate | by itself |
| 3 | Sheets, white and colourfast items, heavily soiled, without prewash Main wash, rinse, softener, drain and final spin. |
up to 90 °C | — | Main wash, Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 1 h 40 min estimate | by itself |
| 4 | Coloured laundry, shirts, dressing gowns, normally soiled Cotton, linen, mixed durable fabrics. |
up to 60 °C | — | Main wash, Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 1 h 28 min estimate | by itself |
| 5 | Cotton, mixed delicate fabrics, lightly soiled items Sheets, white and colourfast items, lightly soiled. |
up to 40 °C | — | Main wash, Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 1 h 19 min estimate | by itself |
| 6 | Intensive rinse Rinse, softener, drain and final spin only. Any thermostat position. |
no heating | — | Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 29 min estimate | by itself |
| 7 | Starching, fragrance, softener Rinse, softener, drain and final spin. Any thermostat position. |
no heating | — | Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 22 min estimate | by itself |
| 8 | Intensive spin Drain and final spin. Any thermostat position. |
no heating | — | — | ≈ 10 min estimate | by itself |
| 9 | Mixed durable fabrics, heavily soiled, with prewash Prewash at about 40 °C, wash, rinse, softener, drain and low-speed spin. |
up to 60 °C | up to 550 | Prewash and soaking, Main wash, Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 1 h 34 min estimate | by itself |
| 10 | Mixed durable fabrics, normally soiled Wash, rinse, softener, drain and low-speed spin. |
up to 60 °C | up to 550 | Main wash, Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 1 h 14 min estimate | by itself |
| 11 | Mixed durable fabrics, lightly soiled Wash, rinse, softener, drain and low-speed spin. |
up to 50 °C | up to 550 | Main wash, Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 1 h 10 min estimate | by itself |
| 12 | Synthetics (nylon, perlon), mixed cotton fabrics, lightly soiled Wash, rinse, softener, drain and low-speed spin. |
up to 40 °C | up to 550 | Main wash, Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 1 h 5 min estimate | by itself |
| 13 | Woollen laundry that can be machine washed Wool symbol on the label, temperature 35 °C. Wash, rinse, softener, drain and low-speed spin. |
up to 35 °C | up to 550 | Main wash, Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 1 h 3 min estimate | by itself |
| 14 | Delicate rinse Rinse, softener, drain and final spin. Any thermostat position. |
no heating | up to 550 | Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 22 min estimate | by itself |
| 15 | Starching, fragrance, softener, delicate spin Rinse, softener, drain and final spin. Any thermostat position. |
no heating | up to 550 | Fabric softener, fragrance, additives, bleach | ≈ 18 min estimate | by itself |
| 16 | Delicate spin Drain and spin. Any thermostat position. |
no heating | up to 550 | — | ≈ 6 min estimate | by itself |
- Button stop with water — Switch-off with water in the tub: the machine stops after the last rinse and does not drain. Only for synthetics and wool. To finish, choose the drain program (8 or 16) or a spin program.
- Button spin off — Spin cancel button: the wash cycle runs without spinning.
- Button economy — Economy wash: reduces water and electricity use. Use it when the load is under 3 kg.
- Button extra rinse — Extra rinse: adds one more rinse cycle. Needed with very soft water and for washing the clothes of people with allergies.
- Button 550/MAX — Switches the spin speed between the minimum (550 rpm) and the maximum. The maximum depends on the model; if the panel has a spin control, set it to the value you need. Works only in programs for durable fabrics: in delicate programs the spin is always 550 rpm.
- Power button on/off — Switches the machine on (on some versions, pull the selector knob towards you instead). The off position is needed to change the program, temperature and buttons.
- Lamp — On/off pilot lamp: lit while the machine is on.
- Temperature knob °C — The thermostat knob turns both ways. The positions are taken from the program table: 35, 40, 50, 60, 90 °C; the manual shows no intermediate marks.
- Programme knob P — Selector: 16 numbered programs and a STOP/0 position. Turn clockwise only. The mark angles are nominal: the manual has no diagram of the knob.
The washing machine does not work (the pilot lamp does not light)
- No mains voltage.
- The plug is not inserted properly.
- The selector knob is not in the on position, or the on/off button is not pressed.
Manual, p. 13
The washing machine does not work (the pilot lamp is lit)
- The programming knob is not set to the chosen program.
- The instructions in the section "The washing machine does not fill with water" have not been followed.
Manual, p. 13
The washing machine does not fill with water
- There is no water in the supply or the tap is closed.
- The fill hose is kinked.
- The fill hose filter is clogged (disconnect the appliance from the mains before cleaning).
- Hardened detergent residue is left in the drawer.
Manual, p. 13
The washing machine keeps filling and draining continuously
- The drain hose is not at a height of 60-90 cm.
- The end of the drain pipe is submerged in water.
Manual, p. 13
The washing machine does not drain and the spin does not work
- The drain pipe is connected wrongly or bent.
- The drain filter is blocked.
- The spin is switched off or the "switch-off with water in the tub" function is on.
Manual, p. 13
The washing machine vibrates and is noisy
- Not all the transport protections have been removed.
- The machine is not levelled.
- Large items (sheets, tablecloths) have gathered in one part of the drum.
Manual, p. 13
The door will not open
- Wait about one minute after the wash has finished.
Manual, p. 13
The laundry is not spun dry enough
- The items are unevenly distributed in the drum.
- The appropriate spin speed has not been set.
Manual, p. 13
Items have shrunk or the colours have run
- The wrong program or wash temperature was chosen.
Manual, p. 13
The laundry stays dirty after washing
- The tub was overfilled.
- Too little detergent, or it is unsuitable.
- An unsuitable wash program was chosen.
Manual, p. 13
Marks are stored in this browser only.
Take the drawer out completely and wash it under running water, then put it back.
The machine must be empty of water before cleaning. Do not remove the filter while the machine is running or when there is water in the tub. Put a cloth or a flat tray under the filter, open the cover, unscrew the filter anticlockwise and take it out. Clean it under running water, screw it back in clockwise and make sure it is tightly closed.
Wipe with a soft damp cloth, without abrasives, petrol or solvents. After washing leave the door slightly open, and wash the drawer compartments from time to time.
Before the first wash run a short cycle without laundry to check that the machine works and to clean the drum.
Where the data comes from
- Ardo A 400 X operating manual (RU, copy from a service site, code SM505), p. 1-14 (manual archive)
Assumptions
- The manual covers several versions (it has three different panel drawings); the data was compiled for the A 400 X variant, but the text does not tie the tables to a specific model.
- The angles of the selector and thermostat knob marks are nominal (evenly around the circle): the manual has no diagram of the knobs, anglesEstimate=true. The order of positions 1-16 is taken from the numbers and from the table groups.
- The cycle.steps chains are built from the description in the program table (prewash, main wash, rinse, softener, drain, spin) and tied to the program number; the internal order of the timer marks is not shown in the manual. The step durations are estimates, the manual gives no times.
- The table column with the crossed-out symbol was matched to the spin cancel button and the 550/MAX switch: the meaning of the column is not explained, so both buttons are listed in options.
- The panel colours (face, ink) are approximate, the photo of the machine was not viewed.
- The page numbers match the PDF and the printed numbers: for this file they are the same.
- The 550 rpm spin speed for delicate programs is taken from the description of the 550/MAX button ("when running delicate fabric and wool programs the spin speed is 550 rpm").
Not in the manual
- No program durations, water or energy consumption.
- The maximum spin speed is not given (depends on the model); maxSpinRpm is not set.
- No knob diagram: the number of thermostat marks, the exact angles and the STOP position on the knob are unknown.
- The labels in the panel legend (p. 7) contradict the tables: "P" there is a button, "T" is the program knob, while in the tables P is the selector knob and T is the thermostat knob. The button layout by version is ambiguous.
- The heater power is not given (it says "see the rating plate").
- There is no separate "drain only" program: 8 and 16 always include a spin.
Time is an estimate from the timer steps and heater power: heating 12 l of water from 15 °C to the selected temperature with a 2000 W (not stated in the manual, typical value used) heater. Real time depends on tap water temperature, load and mains voltage.
For AI agents
Machine page for the Ardo A 400 X. Machine-readable data: /m/ardo-a-400-x.json (format in /llms.txt). Russian: /m/ardo-a-400-x/.
Link to a setting: ?p=<programme knob position>&t=<temperature knob value>&s=<spin knob value>&o=<comma-separated button ids>, or ?preset=<id>. Presets: everyday-40 (Everyday cotton clothes, 40 °C), everyday-60 (Shirts and normally soiled laundry, 60 °C), bedding-60 (Sheets and bedding, 60 °C), heavy-90-prewash (Heavily soiled whites, 90 °C, with prewash), synthetic-40 (Synthetics, 40 °C), wool-35 (Wool, 35 °C), rinse-only (Rinse only with softener), spin-only (Spin only).
Programme knob positions: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16. Times are estimates unless marked "manual".