Why Does My Fridge Say High Temp? Here's Why & How to Fix It

Your fridge says “high temp” because something is making its inside temperature go up, often above the safe level for keeping food cold, and its built-in refrigerator temperature alarm is telling you about it. This fridge high temp alert is a warning sign that your fridge is not working right. It means the fridge cannot get cold enough or stay cold enough. Many simple things can cause this problem. You can often fix it yourself.

Why Does My Fridge Say High Temp
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What a High Temperature Alert Means

When your fridge screen shows a high temperature or an alarm sounds, it means the air inside is too warm. Fridges need to stay cold to keep food safe. The right temperature is usually below 40°F (4°C) for the fridge part and 0°F (-18°C) for the freezer part. If the temperature goes much higher than these numbers, food can spoil quickly. The alert is there to let you know there is a problem so you can fix it before your food goes bad. This alert is part of the fridge’s safety system. It is a helpful message from your appliance.

Finding Out Why Your Fridge is Hot

Many things can make your fridge’s temperature go up. Some are easy to check. Some need a little more work. You need to check a few parts of your fridge. Finding the reason helps you fix the problem quickly. Let’s look at the common causes. We will cover why each one happens. We will also cover how to fix it.

Simple Checks First

Before you do anything else, check a few simple things. These are the fastest things to look at. They often fix the issue without much effort.

The Fridge Door Was Open Too Long

Did someone leave the door open? Maybe the door did not close all the way. This is a very common reason for a fridge high temp alert. When the door is open, the cold air leaves. Warm air from the room goes in. The fridge has to work very hard to cool this warm air. If the door is open for a long time, the temperature inside goes up. The fridge might not be able to keep up. This sets off the alarm.

Why this happens: Warm air enters, cold air escapes. The cooling system struggles.
How to fix it:
- Close the door firmly.
- Make sure nothing is blocking the door from closing. Check shelves, drawers, or food items.
- Tell everyone in the house to make sure the door is closed tight.
- Wait a few hours. The fridge should cool down. The alarm should stop.

Adding Lots of Warm Food

Putting a lot of warm food into the fridge at once can raise the temperature. Think about hot leftovers. Or a big grocery haul that sat in a warm car. All that warm food adds heat to the inside of the fridge. The fridge needs time to cool it all down. While it is working, the overall temperature inside might go up slightly. This can sometimes set off the alarm.

Why this happens: New, warm items add heat load. The fridge needs extra time to cool everything.
How to fix it:
- Try not to put too much warm food in at once.
- Let very hot food cool down a little on the counter first. Do not leave it out too long though! Food safety rules still apply.
- Spread out new food items inside the fridge. This lets air flow around them. Good airflow helps cooling.
- The fridge should cool down on its own after a few hours.

Grasping Problems with the Door Seal

The rubber seal around the fridge door is very important. It keeps the cold air in. It keeps the warm air out. This seal is also called the gasket. If the fridge door seal is dirty or damaged, it cannot do its job right. Air leaks in. Air leaks out. This makes the fridge work harder. It might not be able to stay cold enough. This leads to a high temp alert.

Why this happens: A bad seal lets warm air leak into the fridge. Cold air leaks out. The cooling system cannot keep the temperature down.
How to check the seal:
- Look closely at the rubber seal all the way around the door. Is it ripped? Does it look flat?
- Is it dirty? Food bits or sticky spills can stop it from sealing tight.
- Do the dollar bill test. Close the fridge door on a dollar bill. Can you pull the bill out easily? Try this all around the door. If the bill pulls out easily, the seal is bad in that spot.
How to fix a bad seal:
- Clean the seal: Use warm, soapy water. Wipe the seal clean. Also, clean the part of the fridge body where the seal touches. Make sure it is not sticky or dirty. This often fixes minor leaks.
- Warm up a flat seal: Sometimes seals get flat and hard. You can try to make them soft again. Use a hairdryer on a low setting. Go over the seal quickly. Do not get it too hot. This can make the rubber puff up a little and seal better. Be careful not to melt or damage it.
- Replace the seal: If the seal is ripped, cracked, or badly damaged, you need a new one. You can often buy a replacement seal for your specific fridge model. It might screw on or push into a groove. Look up your fridge’s model number. Find a replacement seal online or at a parts store. Replacing it can take a little time but is usually something you can do.

Deciphering Issues with Condenser Coils

Fridges work by moving heat from inside to outside. They use a special liquid called refrigerant. This liquid flows through coils. The coils on the back or under your fridge are called condenser coils. These coils get rid of the heat. They need airflow to cool down. If the dirty condenser coils are covered in dust, dirt, or pet hair, they cannot get rid of heat well. This makes the fridge’s cooling system work harder. It can’t cool the inside properly. This is a common cause for a refrigerator not cooling problem and a high temp alert.

Why this happens: Dirty coils cannot release heat. The fridge’s cooling system overheats or works poorly.
How to find the coils:
- On many fridges, they are on the back. You might need to pull the fridge out from the wall.
- On newer fridges, they are often underneath. Look behind the front kick panel near the floor. You might need a screwdriver to take the panel off.
How to clean the coils:
- Unplug the fridge first! This is important for safety.
- Use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment. Gently vacuum the coils and the area around them. Get rid of all the dust bunnies and dirt.
- You can also use a special long, skinny coil brush to reach between the coils.
- Clean the floor area around the coils too. Dust gathers there.
- Put the kick panel back on if you removed it.
- Push the fridge back into place. Leave some space behind it for air circulation (a few inches is usually enough).
- Plug the fridge back in. It might take several hours for the temperature to drop back to normal.

Comprehending Problems with Fridge Fans

Fridges have fans that help move air. There are usually two main fans:

Condenser Fan: This fan is near the compressor and the condenser coils (usually at the bottom or back). It blows air over the hot coils to help them cool down.
Evaporator Fan: This fan is inside the freezer section (or sometimes in the fridge section on side-by-side models). It blows cold air from the freezer into the fridge section.

If either of these fans stops working, the fridge will have cooling problems. If the refrigerator fan not working, it cannot move air where it needs to go.

Condenser Fan Not Working

If the condenser fan does not run, the coils cannot cool down. The whole cooling system gets too hot. It stops working right. The fridge warms up.

Why this happens: The fan motor breaks, or something is blocking the fan blades.
How to check the condenser fan:
- Unplug the fridge!
- Find the condenser fan near the compressor and coils (bottom back).
- Look for anything blocking the fan blades (dust, wire, etc.). Clean it out carefully.
- Try turning the fan blades by hand. Do they spin freely? If they are stiff or cannot move, the motor might be bad or blocked.
How to fix the condenser fan:
- Remove any blockage.
- If the fan blades spin freely but the fan does not run when the fridge is plugged in and cooling (you can hear the compressor running), the fan motor might be broken.
- Replacing the condenser fan motor is a repair that might need a technician. Or, if you are comfortable with appliance repair, you can buy the part for your model and replace it yourself. Remember to unplug the fridge first!

Evaporator Fan Not Working

If the evaporator fan inside the freezer stops, cold air does not get blown into the fridge section. The freezer might stay cold for a while (though it might get warmer too – freezer temperature high), but the fridge section will definitely get warm. This is a very common reason for a fridge to get warm while the freezer stays cold.

Why this happens: The fan motor breaks, the fan blades are blocked by ice, or the fan control board fails.
How to check the evaporator fan:
- The evaporator fan is usually behind a panel in the freezer section.
- Open the freezer door. Press the door switch (it’s a small button usually near the door frame that turns off the light and fans when the door is open). Release the button. You should hear the fan start running after a short delay.
- If you hear a loud noise, the fan might be hitting ice or something else.
- If you hear nothing, the fan is not running.
How to fix the evaporator fan:
- Unplug the fridge!
- Look for ice build-up around the back panel inside the freezer. Heavy ice can stop the fan blades. This points to a defrost problem (see below). You will need to defrost the freezer to fix this.
- If there is no ice, the fan motor might be bad.
- Replacing the evaporator fan motor usually means taking apart the inside back panel of the freezer. This can be tricky. It is often best to get help from a repair person unless you have experience.

Investigating Defrost System Issues

Fridges, especially freezers, build up frost and ice. The fridge has a defrost system to melt this ice regularly. This system includes a heater, a thermostat, and a timer or control board. If the defrost system fails, ice can build up heavily on the evaporator coils inside the freezer. When ice covers these coils, the evaporator fan cannot blow air through them to cool the fridge or freezer. This stops cooling. The temperature goes up. This is a very common reason for a refrigerator not cooling properly and showing a high temp alert.

Why this happens: A part of the defrost system (heater, thermostat, timer, or control board) is broken. Ice builds up and blocks airflow.
How to check for defrost issues:
- Look at the back panel inside your freezer. Is there a lot of ice built up? More than just a light frost? Is there a big block of ice?
- If there is heavy ice build-up, the defrost system is likely the problem.
How to fix defrost issues:
- This is usually not a quick fix you can do yourself unless you are familiar with appliance parts.
- You can temporarily fix the cooling problem by manually defrosting the fridge/freezer. Unplug the fridge. Open the doors. Let all the ice melt. This can take 24-48 hours. Put towels down to catch water. You can speed it up a little with a fan blowing into the freezer, but do not use a hairdryer or heater directly on the parts as you can cause damage.
- Once all the ice is gone and everything is dry, plug the fridge back in. It should cool normally for a while.
- However, the ice will build up again if the defrost system part is not replaced. You will likely need a technician to find and replace the faulty part (defrost heater, defrost thermostat, or control board).

Checking the Temperature Sensor

Your fridge needs to know how cold it is inside. It uses a temperature sensor (often called a thermistor) to measure the air temperature. This sensor sends information to the fridge’s main control board. The board uses this info to decide when to run the cooling system. If the fridge temperature sensor is faulty, it might send wrong temperature readings. It might tell the board the fridge is cold when it is actually warm. Or it might think it is warm when it is already cold. Incorrect readings mean the cooling system does not run at the right times or for the right length of time. This can cause the temperature to go up. It can trigger the refrigerator temperature alarm.

Why this happens: The sensor itself is bad, or the wires connected to it are damaged.
How to check the temperature sensor:
- Finding the sensor can be hard. It is usually inside the fridge or freezer section, often near where the cold air comes in. It might look like a small plastic bulb or probe.
- Testing a temperature sensor usually requires a multi-meter. You would measure its resistance. The resistance changes with temperature. You would need to know the correct resistance values for your specific fridge model’s sensor at different temperatures. This information is often in a service manual.
- Checking the wiring for any visible damage is easier.
How to fix the temperature sensor:
- If the sensor is bad, it needs to be replaced. You can buy a replacement sensor for your fridge model.
- Replacing it means locating it, disconnecting the old one, and connecting the new one. This might involve removing interior panels. It is a repair many people can do, but it requires careful work and knowing where the sensor is. Look up guides for your specific fridge model.

Figuring Out Control Board Issues

The control board is like the brain of your fridge. It gets signals from the temperature sensors. It controls the compressor, fans, and defrost system. If the control board is faulty, it might not send the right commands. It might not turn on the compressor when it needs to. It might not run the fans. It might not start the defrost cycle. This can cause the fridge to get warm and trigger a fridge error code and high temp alert.

Why this happens: The electronic board itself has a problem, or there’s a power surge issue.
How to check the control board:
- Checking the control board is hard without special tools or knowledge.
- Sometimes a simple power reset can fix a temporary glitch. Unplug the fridge for 5-10 minutes. Then plug it back in. This is like restarting a computer. It can clear minor errors.
- If the problem comes back, the board might be bad.
- Some fridges show fridge error code numbers or letters on the display when something is wrong. Look up the error code in your fridge manual. This can tell you what part the fridge thinks is broken, which might point to a control board issue or another component.
How to fix the control board:
- If the control board is bad, it needs to be replaced.
- Replacing a control board can be expensive. It also needs you to take covers off and handle electronics. Make sure the fridge is unplugged!
- This repair might be best left to a trained appliance technician.

Considering Compressor Problems

The compressor is the heart of the fridge’s cooling system. It pumps the refrigerant liquid. If the compressor is not working, the fridge cannot cool at all. The temperature inside will rise quickly. This will definitely cause a refrigerator not cooling issue and a high temp alert.

Why this happens: The compressor motor is broken, or a starting component for the compressor fails.
How to check the compressor:
- The compressor is usually a large, black, round or oval part at the bottom back of the fridge.
- When the fridge is trying to cool, you should hear the compressor running. It makes a low humming or buzzing sound.
- Is the compressor very hot to touch? (Be careful!) It gets warm, but not usually extremely hot if working right.
- Is it making strange noises? Clicking, buzzing loudly, but not humming steadily?
- Is it not running at all when it should be?
How to fix the compressor:
- Compressor problems are serious.
- Replacing a compressor is complex. It involves working with refrigerant and special tools.
- This is a job for a certified appliance technician. It is also an expensive repair. Sometimes, if the fridge is old, replacing the fridge might be cheaper than replacing the compressor.

Other Possible Reasons

Less common issues can also cause high temperatures:

Low Refrigerant: If the fridge has a leak, it might lose refrigerant. Without enough refrigerant, the cooling system cannot work well. This makes the fridge warm. Fixing this needs a technician to find the leak, repair it, and add more refrigerant.
Ice Maker or Water Dispenser Issues: Sometimes, problems with the ice maker water line freezing up can cause airflow issues in the freezer, impacting cooling.
Overpacking the Fridge: Filling the fridge or freezer too full can block the vents where cold air comes in and circulates. Air needs to move freely to cool everything.
Placement Problems: Is the fridge in a very hot room? Is it too close to a wall or stove? It needs space around it for air to move and cool the condenser coils. Check your manual for recommended space behind and beside the fridge.

Table of Common Causes and Quick Checks

Here is a simple table to help you check the most likely causes:

Problem	Quick Check	Is it a DIY Fix? (Often)	What Might Need a Pro?
Door Left Open / Not Sealed	Is the door shut? Is the seal clean & tight?	Yes (Clean/Close Door)	Replacing a torn seal
Lots of Warm Food Added	Did you just add a lot of warm things?	Yes (Wait)	N/A
Dirty Condenser Coils	Look at coils (back/bottom). Are they dusty?	Yes (Cleaning)	N/A
Condenser Fan Not Working	Is fan near compressor running? (Unplug first)	Yes (Check for block)	Replacing fan motor
Evaporator Fan Not Working	Is fan inside freezer running? (Listen/Check ice)	Yes (Check for ice/block)	Replacing fan motor
Defrost System Failure	Is there heavy ice in the freezer?	No (Manual defrost temp.)	Replacing defrost parts
Temperature Sensor Problem	Is the sensor clean/connected?	Maybe (Replace sensor)	Diagnosing electrical issue
Control Board Problem	Did a power reset help? Any error codes?	Yes (Power reset)	Replacing control board
Compressor Problem	Is the compressor running/sounding normal?	No	Any compressor repair/replace

How to Fix Fridge High Temp – Step-by-Step

When your fridge shows a high temp alert, here is a good order to check things:

Check the Doors First: Are they closed? Is the seal clean and tight? This is the easiest fix.
Check for Blockages: Did you overfill the fridge? Is anything blocking the air vents inside? Clear things out.
Power Reset: Unplug the fridge for 5-10 minutes. Plug it back in. See if the alarm clears and it starts cooling.
Clean the Coils: Unplug the fridge! Find the condenser coils. Clean all the dust and dirt off them carefully. Plug back in.
Check the Fans: Unplug the fridge! Check the condenser fan for blockages. Check the evaporator fan inside the freezer for ice or blockages. Plug back in.
Check for Ice Buildup: If there is heavy ice in the freezer, you might have a defrost problem. You can manually defrost (unplug for 24-48 hours) to see if that helps temporarily.
Look for Error Codes: Check your fridge display for any fridge error code. Look up the code in your manual.
Consider Sensor/Board/Compressor: If the simple checks don’t work, the problem might be a bad temperature sensor, control board, or compressor. These often need a repair professional.

When to Call a Professional

Sometimes, fixing a high temp fridge needs a skilled person. You should call a technician if:

You tried the easy fixes (door, cleaning, power reset) and the fridge is still warm.
You suspect a problem with a fan motor, defrost system, temperature sensor, control board, or compressor. These parts can be hard to test and replace correctly.
You see heavy ice buildup that comes back after manual defrosting.
You are not comfortable working with electrical parts or taking your fridge apart.
Your fridge gives a specific fridge error code that points to an internal component failure.

A professional can quickly find the exact problem using special tools. They have the right parts and know how to install them safely. While it costs money, it can save your food and make sure the fridge is fixed right.

Keeping Your Fridge Working Well

Here are some tips to help prevent high temp alerts:

Keep the fridge door seal clean. Wipe it down often.
Do not leave the fridge door open for long times.
Let warm food cool down a little before putting it in the fridge.
Clean the dirty condenser coils at least once or twice a year. More often if you have pets that shed a lot.
Do not block the vents inside the fridge or freezer. Allow air to circulate.
Make sure the fridge has space around it for air flow.
Check the temperature inside your fridge and freezer occasionally with a separate thermometer to make sure it is staying cold enough.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions about high temp fridge alerts.

Q: Why does my `refrigerator temperature alarm` keep going off?

A: It keeps going off because the fridge temperature is staying too high or keeps going above the safe level. This means the fridge is having trouble staying cold. Check the door seal, clean the coils, and make sure the fans are running. If it continues, there is likely a bigger problem with a part like the defrost system, fan motor, or sensor.

Q: My fridge is warm, but the freezer is cold. Why?

A: This often happens because the evaporator fan inside the freezer is not working. This fan blows cold air from the freezer into the fridge section. If it stops, the freezer stays cold (for a while), but the fridge gets warm. It could also be caused by heavy ice buildup blocking airflow, often due to a failed defrost system.

Q: Can I turn off the high temp alarm?

A: Yes, most fridges have a button to silence the alarm. However, this does not fix the problem. The alarm will likely come back if the temperature does not drop. It is important to find and fix the reason for the high temp, not just silence the warning.

Q: How long does it take for a fridge to cool down after fixing a high temp problem?

A: It can take several hours, sometimes up to 12-24 hours, for the fridge to reach its target temperature after being warm or after you fix a problem like cleaning coils or closing the door. Be patient. Avoid opening the door often while it is cooling down.

Q: What is a `fridge error code`?

A: A fridge error code is a number or letter shown on the fridge display. It is a message from the fridge’s computer (control board) telling you it has found a problem with a specific part or system. Your fridge manual will explain what each code means.

Q: Is my food safe if my fridge says high temp?

A: Food safety is a concern. If your fridge temperature goes above 40°F (4°C) for more than a few hours, food can start to spoil and grow harmful bacteria. If the high temp alert has been on for a long time, or if perishable food feels warm to the touch, it is best to throw it away to be safe. Check the food inside. When in doubt, throw it out.

Conclusion

A high temperature alert on your fridge is a sign that something needs attention. It is often caused by simple things like an open door or dirty coils. By checking these common issues, you can often fix the problem yourself and save your food. If the issue is more complex, like a bad fan, sensor, or defrost system, knowing the cause helps you decide if you need a professional repair. Keeping your fridge clean and checking on it helps make sure it stays cold and keeps your food safe.