Cuisinart Coffee Maker Complete Troubleshooting Guide (DCC-3200, DCC-3400, SS-15, DGB-900BC)

What Cuisinart's Booklets Actually Cover

Cuisinart's drip coffeemaker booklets are short on troubleshooting. The DCC-3200, the DCC-3400 and the SS-15 Coffee Center have no troubleshooting section at all. Only the Grind & Brew DGB-900 has a fault table. What they do contain is precise: what the CLEAN light means and how to clear it, which filters cause overflows, how much coffee the basket takes, and why nothing has a reset button. This page puts those answers in one place, by problem, with a link to the full guide for each.

Start by identifying your machine. The fixes split along these lines:

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Quick Answers by Symptom

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Is There a Reset Button?

No. None of the Cuisinart booklets read for this page describes a reset button or a reset sequence. The "60-Second Reset" listed among the DCC-3200 and DCC-3400 features is a memory feature, not a procedure. It keeps the time of day, Auto On time and Auto Off time for one minute if a breaker trips, the plug is pulled or the power fails.

After more than a minute, the clock comes back flashing 12:00 and needs setting again. On the DCC-3200 and DCC-3400, the Brew/Off button is the on/off switch, and there's no other.

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Won't Turn On

The DCC-3200 and DCC-3400 have no power switch, so the Brew/Off button turns them on and off. Check the outlet and the plug, which is polarized and fits only one way. Cuisinart also warns against running the machine in an appliance garage or under a wall cabinet, or with a cloth beneath it restricting airflow.

The SS-15 is the exception, with a separate power switch. A Grind & Brew that beeps continuously instead of starting is a safety interlock, not a power fault (see below). Full steps: Cuisinart won't turn on.

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Won't Brew, or the Basket Backs Up

The DCC-3200 booklet's Operating Notice names five things that make water and coffee back up in the filter basket. They are too fine a grind, two or more paper filters, the gold-tone filter used together with a paper one, a gold-tone filter not cleaned of old grounds, and grounds spilled over the filter. If the basket isn't draining mid-brew, don't open it: unplug the machine and wait 10 minutes first. Make sure the carafe is in place and the lid is closed before you press Brew. Full steps: Cuisinart won't brew.

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Brewing Slowly

Cuisinart publishes no normal brew time, so there's no official number to measure against. What the booklets say is that calcium buildup "can affect the functioning of your coffeemaker", at a rate that depends on your water and how often you brew, and that you should clean whenever the CLEAN light comes on. The 1-4 Cup button adjusts the brew for small pots, and the booklet doesn't say it makes them slower. Full steps: Cuisinart slow brewing.

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Coffee Not Hot Enough

On the DCC-3200, the warming plate has a Carafe Temperature setting of Low, Medium or High, so check it isn't on Low. The DCC-3400 has no warming plate at all. Its insulated carafe sits on a resting plate, and the booklet's tip is to preheat the carafe by rinsing it with hot water before brewing, because a cold carafe affects coffee temperature. On either, an overdue clean is the next check. Full steps: Cuisinart coffee not hot enough.

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Leaking or Overflowing

Most Cuisinart "leaks" start in the filter basket:

• Filters: use only the Cuisinart Gold-Tone Commercial Style filter or a standard #4 paper filter (basket-style per the DCC-3200C booklet, cone-shaped per the DCC-3400's). In capitals, the booklet warns that "OTHER GOLD-TONE PERMANENT FILTERS MAY CAUSE THE COFFEEMAKER TO OVERFLOW".
• Coffee: the maximum is 15 tablespoons. More, with a fine grind, may overflow.
• Brew Pause: lifting the carafe mid-brew stops the flow for 20 seconds at most. Leave it out longer and the basket can overflow.

The booklets have no entry at all for water leaking from the base, and they say not to remove the base panel because there are no user-serviceable parts inside. A base leak is a warranty call. Full steps: Cuisinart leaking.

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CLEAN Light Stays On

On the DCC-3200 and DCC-3400 the procedure is the same:

1. Remove the charcoal water filter.
2. Fill the reservoir to capacity with 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water.
3. Press and hold CLEAN until its light flashes, then release.
4. When it's done, the machine beeps 5 times and shuts off.
5. If the CLEAN light comes on again, run the cycle once more with fresh solution.
6. When it stays off, run one full cycle of fresh cold water.

The Grind & Brew does it differently: press Grind Off, then On, and the five beeps mark the end. Full steps: Cuisinart clean light won't turn off.

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Grind & Brew Beeping or Not Grinding

The DGB-900's only fault table starts with continuous beeping. Its causes are the hopper not locked, the filter door not closed, the filter basket or its cover not in place, used grounds left in the basket, or a clogged coffee chute. Fix the cause and press On/Off or Program to resume.

For the chute, remove the hopper, lift the channel cover and clean the chute. Keep the hopper at least half full but never over-packed (½ lb maximum), and clean the hopper and chute every 1-2 weeks. Full steps: Cuisinart Grind & Brew not grinding.

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Auto On Didn't Brew

Setting an Auto On time isn't the same as arming it. On the DCC-3200 and DCC-3400 the Auto On button lights up when armed, and pressing it again cancels. After a power cut of more than a minute the clock resets, so set it again. The DCC-1200 re-arms with a lift of its Flip Switch, and the DGB-900 with a press of Program. Full steps: Cuisinart timer not working.

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When to Call Cuisinart

Stop using the machine and call if:

• Water appears under the base
• The cord or plug is damaged, or the machine has been dropped. The booklets say to return it to a Cuisinart Repair Center.
• It won't power on from a working outlet

Support: 1-800-726-0190 in the U.S. In Canada, 1-800-472-7606 (the number in the DCC-3200C Canadian booklet). Don't return the machine to the store.

Warranty: a limited three-year warranty on the DCC-3200, DCC-3400 and DCC-1200, for defects in materials and workmanship (the DCC-3200C booklet adds "including mechanical and electrical defects"). Keep your proof of purchase, since registration doesn't replace it. Unauthorized repairs aren't covered.

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Cuisinart Care Schedule

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FAQ

How do I reset my Cuisinart coffee maker?

There's no reset button or reset sequence in Cuisinart's booklets. If the clock is flashing 12:00 after an outage, set it with the Hour and Minute buttons. If the CLEAN light is on, run the clean cycle. If a Grind & Brew is beeping, fix the part the interlock is complaining about and press On/Off.

What does the CLEAN light mean on a Cuisinart?

It means calcium has built up and the machine needs decalcifying. Cuisinart recommends cleaning whenever it lights. Use 1/3 white vinegar and 2/3 water, hold CLEAN until it flashes, and repeat if it lights again after the cycle.

What filter does a Cuisinart DCC-3200 or DCC-3400 take?

A #4 paper filter or the Cuisinart Gold-Tone Commercial Style filter. The DCC-3200C booklet calls the paper basket-style and the DCC-3400 booklet cone-shaped, so match the shape of your basket. The booklets warn that other gold-tone permanent filters may make the coffeemaker overflow, and that using the gold-tone filter together with a paper one makes the basket back up.

How much coffee can I put in a Cuisinart?

One level scoop per cup to start, adjusted to taste, up to a maximum of 15 tablespoons on the DCC-3200 and DCC-3400. Going over that with a fine grind may make the basket overflow.

Why is my Cuisinart thermal coffee not hot?

The DCC-3400 has no warming plate, so the coffee is only as hot as the carafe keeps it. Cuisinart's tip is to rinse the carafe with hot water before brewing. If it has been a while since the CLEAN light last came on and was cleared, decalcify as well.

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Related Cuisinart Guides

• Cuisinart Won't Turn On?
• Cuisinart Coffee Maker Won't Brew?
• Cuisinart Coffee Maker Leaking?
• Cuisinart Clean Light Won't Turn Off?
• Cuisinart Coffee Center Not Working?: the SS-series machines with a single-serve side

Sources: Cuisinart DCC-3200C Instruction Booklet; Cuisinart DCC-3200 Instruction Manual; Cuisinart DCC-3400 Instruction Booklet (IB-14337); Cuisinart DCC-1200 Brew Central Instruction Book; Cuisinart DGB-900BC Instruction Booklet and Quick Reference Guide; Cuisinart SS-15 Series Instruction Booklet.