'American Style' Samsung Fridge Freezer (merged threads)

gfb_2

aburns wrote: »

:j Many many thanks to you gfb for your detailed instructions on how to fix this problem. My symptoms were exactly the same as yours and your 'fix' worked a treat. Again thankyou for saving me a packet as my fridge is also just over 2 years old.:T

Thanks 'aburns' for acknowledging my efforts in writing the instructions down. Pleased to know that it helped you to do it yourself. :j

pook78

This problem isn't limited to just the American style FF, I have a RL33SBNS which I got at the beginning of Feb and this weekend the buzzing started for the third time. Samsung want to repair again but I am pushing Currys for a replacement (not Samsung!).

chickencounter

Have read a lot of scary threads about Samsung Fridge freezers packing up.

Have had noisy buzzing sound which stops when the door is opened, am
assuming it's ice on the fan, which several posties have left instructions to fix, but also have had the water dispenser stop working suddenly, although the rest of the fridge freezer is working fine for now.

Is this all part of the same problem, ie is the water pipe frozen, and will defrosting the fan fix it, or is there something else going on.

Would appreciate any help to avoid costly repairs.

Also is there anywyay of telling whether the fridge freezer is within it's warranty or not from the serial number?

Cheers

cornwallis0

I wish I had read this forum prior to buying my Samsung FF- my problems occurred after I accidentally switched off the unit in August- turned it back on to see the temp gauge rising and the fridge hotting up - no matter what I pressed, the fridge kept getting warmer. Engineer came out as under warranty (albeit had to wait 3 days) and changed the sensors..I also mentioned the buzzing noise but he said he couldn't hear anything!!! no sooner had he left, then the temperature shot up to 21 degrees - the fridge was hotter than my kitchen! I called Samsung but was told they were really busy (fixing broken FF maybe!!?!!) and couldn't come out for 5 days !!! The engineer finally turned up and said that the fan wasn't working and that Samsung thought it may be the circuit board but they weren't sure. I showed the engineer this forum and he then admitted that there are serious problems with the samsung FF but that they are told explicitly by Samsung not to mention the common faults!! I am still waiting for my replacement circuit board (18 days has elapsed) and Samsung helpline keep saying "madam that is the time it takes to get replacement parts"- Frankly they really don't care - I wish i'd purchased from AEG! If any one is considering buying a samsung American Style fridge freezer - think twice - you may be buying an oven instead!!
Update: had to wait exactly a month for the replacement parts to turn up - engineer fitted them and thankfully the ff is working okay now...

chickencounter

I would just like to express my thanks to gfb for his detailed instructions. I stumbled across this site to find answers to my problems with my Samsung RS21DCNS water dispenser packing up. Reading all the threads I too had had the buzzing noise that stopped when the fridge door was opened, then it stopped buzzing altogether, then the water dispenser stopped dispensing a few days later suddenly.

I followed gfb's instructions to the letter, found the fan frozen solid, melted the ice with warm water, let the fridge defrost a bit more, as we luckily have a spare fridge from our previous house. Made the slit bigger for the water flow as suggested, and now have a fully working fridge freezer with working water.

These instructions are worth their weight in gold, and although seemingly scary to read through, once you're in fornt of the offending article they make perfect sense and an easy job.

So thank you once again gfb, you're a star.

I'm considering whether as a collective if we make enough noise whether Samsung would provide a permanent solution to this problem - is there a new fan unit that can be bought to resolve the problem permanently.

gfb_2

chickencounter wrote: »

I would just like to express my thanks to gfb for his detailed instructions...So thank you once again gfb, you're a star...

Thanks for appreciating my efforts in writing down the instructions. Very pleased that it is helping poeple solve this issue themself and giving their appreciation to me. :cheesy:

mrf_3

gfb wrote: »

Thanks for appreciating my efforts in writing down the instructions. Very pleased that it is helping poeple solve this issue themself and giving their appreciation to me. :cheesy:

Hi All

Just had a 14 month old RS21DCNS written off by the warranty company after repeated attempts of them trying to repair it unsuccessfully.

After a phone call to the warranty company on Friday I was instructed to choose a replacment so I set to researching which is the best model to replace it with. It is shocking to see over 10,000 posts with regard to obvious design faults and it is now with concern that after reading through other peoples bad experiences and a confusing visit this weekend to the local Comet with the wide array of confusing model numbers and codes, I am now thinking is it wise to chose another Samsung?

I was generally very happy with the RS21DCNS until It started to develop the usual symptoms and was set on replacing it with the latest model until I read this and other forums.

Q. Can anyone advise me please on the reliability of the new model Samsung 'RSH1----' and explain what the last 4 letters are meant to signify?
It looks like a facelift of the old 'RS20/21----' but have they sorted out the gremlins, is it liable to give trouble or is there another make model that anyone can reccomend within the £600-1000 budget.

We would need it to be very close size wise to the original RS21DCNS as we designed the kitchen units around it, it needs to have the ice and water dispenser and fianlly be in stainless steel finish.

As for the 'write off' thats currently making a really annoying whining noise in the kitchen, it will be retired to the garage, hpoefully fixed for however long using the 'gbf' repair method and used as very posh beer fridge and overflow freezer.

Many thanks

MRF

simont110

Thanks to this forum I have chased down and found a permanent fix for this problem:

I have a 3 year old RS21DCSV1 which started to "ice up" and cause the noisy fan problem, fridge not cooling properly and water dispenser not dispensing.

I tried defrosting, as suggested in previous posts, which works for about 3 weeks.

I called Samsung who would not acknowledge a known fault and would only pass on the number of a local authorised repairer.
I called them, they were not interested in the fault, but only in informing ne of their call out charge of £47.00 + vat and that they would charge for any parts used - not even an estimate of the likely cause or cost - useless!

So with a little help from Google and the info posted by samsung.tech.guy I searched for "samsung fridge repair kit" which took me to atsscotland.co.uk/samsung_fridge_repair.html.

They charge £ 129.99, + £ 14.99 p & p for a full repair kit and step by step photo instructions.

So I called the number and spoke directly to one of their engineers who was brilliant. (I beleive he may be samsung tech guy) who explained why I needed the new front panel - the part with the fan - this is because the density of the polystyrene has been improved to reduce condensation. He also told me how to test the defrost heater by using the front panel controls to override the settings. If this heater does not work it would also require replacing. Fortunately mine worked.
He also explained that you must test the drain underneath the cooling element as there are problems with some of these not draining water properly due to poor manufacture.

So, long story short, I ordered the parts - came first class, fitted them using their comprehensive instructions and hey presto - permanent fix. Now been working fine for over a month.:j

bazigaar

are you alble to tell me how to test the defrost heater?
it would be really helpful so i can order all my replacement parts andfit them at the same time.

simont110

OK, I am not an expert, Greg at ats Scotland is, but this worked for me....

Switch it off and unplug!!

First you have to remove all the interior shelves and two rear panels to expose the cooling element - defrost thoroughly first! - which is behind the lower part of the back cover assembly.

Switch fridge back on - then on the front control panel with the six silver buttons - if this is the model with ice and water dispenser.........

Press the top left and middle right buttons together and hold until the screen goes blank.

Then press the top right button twice. (by this time the fridge will probably start beeping because the door is open)

The silver drain channel underneath the cooling element should get warm to the touch after about a minute - if it does not then it probably needs replacing.

Switch fridge back off and then on again to reset the control panel.

Hope this helps.