Temperature Control on Hotpoint Fridge Gone Berserk

Helen_from_yorkshire

The temperature on my mother's fridge/freezer has gone potty, she's lost the instructions and I wonder if anyone can help.

It's a silver Hotpoint fridge/freezer (fridge at top) and the temperature is controlled electronically. At the top, there are about four buttons:

1st one is "zone" and this shows the temperature (on display on left) of either fridge or freezer each time you press it.

Next button is "set temperature" ... when zone button shows temperature for either fridge or freezer, this button alters the temperature (see next button below).

Next button is "save" - this should save the temperature that is set with "set temp" button but doesn't.

Next button is fast freeze.

The fridge is showing a temperature of +17 degrees and we can't alter it. When pressing the set temperature, the temperature will move to a different temperature but can't save this, it always reverts back to +17.

No problems with temperature on freezer but didn't try altering it.

Tried switching fridge/freezer off at socket, left off for a while in case it might re-set itself ... it didn't.

I'd really appreciate any suggestions as to what might be wrong with it.

Hope you can help.

Thanks.

scoot1on1

Is the fridge temp hot or is it just showing that on the display?

Regards
Jon

Helen_from_yorkshire

Sorry for not explaining ... the temperature inside the fridge is about 17 too.

scoot1on1

Helen I think it may be leaking gas..Im not an expert, but I work in a catering kitchen and when the fridges there go up in temp we have to get a guy out and he fills them up with gas...sometimes this is caused by the compressor also and if that is the case im sorry to say it is usually cheaper to get a new fridge. Where about in Yorkshire are you as ther is a guy Nr York who we use at work and I could give you his number if you wish.

Regards
Jon

Helen_from_yorkshire

Thanks for the advice. Re the engineer in York ... MIL lives in Northallerton so too far for him to travel but thanks anyway. I think she is ringing round tomorrow anyway but posted tonight as it may just have been a matter of pressing the buttons in a set sequence to resolve it ... unfortunately not.

Cheers.

scoot1on1

As I said Helen not an engineer and im not familiar with that fridge and I hope it is only a few buttons to press.. but I wouldn't bet on it. All the best
Jon

Seamus

I had a similar problem last year with my hotpoint fridge freezer.

The problem was fixed by replacing the thermister ( a small component buried in the back of the freezer compartment. The part looked cheap but it took the engineer a couple of hours to dismantle the fridge and replace it. Cost about £100.

espresso

I read your post at about 11 AM this morning and went to look at our fridge freezer which sounded very similar. I was amazed to find that ours had done exactly as you had described (spooky coincidence or what?)

Ours is a Hotpoint 8596 and we have had it for about 10 years. A couple of times during this period, we have had an error code E6 appear on the temperature display screen. To fix this I have removed the grill at the bottom below the freezer door and vacuumed out the dust etc. Air is drawn in by a fan at the right hand side and passes over a radiator and then comes out on the left hand side.

After leaving it off for about half an hour while I cleaned it, I then switched it back on and it now seems to be working fine again with the temperatures almost back to normal after a couple of hours with the compressor on.

I am guessing that if it cannot successfully expel the heat, due to the lack of air flow, that it shuts down to protect itself. I suppose that if it was vacuumed out more regularly, that this problem may not occur!

I hope that you get yours working again without an expensive repair bill.

Helen_from_yorkshire

I love you all ... thanks for all your advice. I'll send my hubbie round with the hoover, a filthy pair of trousers and some vicks tomorrow.

Thanks.

indiegirl_2

Helen_from_yorkshire wrote:

...she's lost the instructions and I wonder if anyone can help.

Have a look here - as long as you have the model number of the f/freezer, you may be able to find the instructions for it as well for future use.

I hope that this isn't a commonplace problem on the newer variants - I've just ordered a Hotpoint digitally controlled f/freezer for my flat! :-o

Madman_McDoc

I have had a number of problems with my Hotpoint FF92 Fridge Freezer. All have been rectified by replacing either the Fridge and Freezer Thermistors. You can purchase these parts direct from Hotpoint, however, unless you are a qualified electrician or fridge engineer I recommend you get someone in to do it. You shouldn't be paying more than about £80 for parts (the actual part can be as little as £12.00(QTY 1)) and labour as it shouldn't take more than about an hour or 2 if the guy knows what he is doing. If he's never come across the problem before direct him to the Credaservice.co.uk website and he can find a list of fault codes. It is probably worth replacing all of the thermistors in one go as they seem to be a commonly weak component.

Hope this helps even if it is a bit late.

Personally I'll never buy a Frost Free ever again as there is too much to go wrong and when they do you really have to dig around and disturb all sorts of stuff to get to the parts!

MadMan McDoc