Display shows alarm, freezer extremely cold or not cycling off, heavy frost on packages

Safety first: Disconnect power before removing interior panels. Coils and fins are sharp—handle carefully.

Steps:

• Access evaporator area: Remove baskets and the rear interior panel to expose the evaporator coil.
• Locate the evaporator sensor: Look for a small probe clipped to the evaporator tubing or embedded in foam near the coil, with two wires leading to a connector.
• Check mounting: Ensure the sensor is firmly clipped to the coil. A loose sensor can misread temperature and cause over-freezing.
• Test resistance: With the freezer unplugged, disconnect the sensor and measure resistance. Compare to expected NTC values at the approximate coil temperature (often lower than room temperature if recently running).
• Inspect harness: Look for corrosion at the connector or damaged insulation along the wire path.
• Replace if faulty: Install a new Hotpoint-compatible evaporator NTC sensor, clip it securely to the same coil location, and reconnect the harness.
• Reassemble and monitor: Refit the panel, restore power, and check that the freezer cycles normally without excessive frost buildup.