Refrigerator display shows E1 and fresh food compartment temperature is incorrect or fluctuating.
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.
Possible Causes
How to Fix / Troubleshooting
Safety first: Disconnect power before accessing internal wiring or control boards.
Diagnosis steps:
- Locate the refrigerator thermistor: It is usually clipped to the liner wall or behind a small plastic cover in the fresh food section.
- Inspect the sensor: Check for broken wires, loose connector, or signs of moisture intrusion.
- Resistance test (for advanced DIYers): With the thermistor unplugged and at room temperature (~25°C / 77°F), measure resistance with a multimeter. Most NTC thermistors used by Hotpoint read around 5k–10k ohms at room temperature (check your service manual for exact spec). Infinite or near-zero resistance indicates a bad sensor.
- Check harness to PCB: At the main control board, verify the thermistor harness is fully seated and not pinched or damaged.
Corrective action: Replace the refrigerator thermistor if readings are out of spec or wiring is damaged. If the thermistor and wiring are good but E1 persists, the main control board may need replacement.
Repair Difficulty
Required Part
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