Etna
Defrost System Failure
Excessive frost or ice buildup on the back wall of the freezer compartment.
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Safety Warning
This repair may involve working with high voltage components or water connections. Always unplug the appliance before removing any panels.
If you are not confident in your ability to perform this repair safely, we strongly recommend contacting a professional technician.
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Possible Causes
Open defrost heater element, Failed defrost thermal fuse, Faulty defrost sensor, Defective main control PCB defrost circuit
How to Fix / Troubleshooting
Safety first: Unplug the refrigerator before working in the freezer compartment.
Steps:
- Manual defrost: Remove food from the freezer, unplug the unit, and leave the door open until all ice melts. Use towels to catch water.
- Access evaporator: Remove the rear inner panel to expose the evaporator coil, defrost heater, thermal fuse, and evaporator NTC sensor.
- Test heater and fuse: With a multimeter, check continuity of the heater and thermal fuse. Replace any open components with genuine Etna defrost heater or Etna defrost thermal fuse.
- Check sensor: Measure resistance of the evaporator NTC sensor; replace if open/shorted.
- Control board: If all components test good but frost returns quickly, the main control PCB may not be initiating defrost and should be replaced.
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Repair Difficulty
Hard
4/5
Required Part
Defrost Heater Element
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