Refrigerator displays SY EF; fresh food section may be warm or fan noise may be absent or intermittent.

Safety first: Disconnect power before removing shelves or panels. Edges of metal panels and evaporator fins are sharp—wear cut-resistant gloves.

• Power cycle: Unplug the refrigerator for 5 minutes and plug it back in to see if the code clears temporarily.
• Check for airflow: Open the fresh food door and listen for the evaporator fan (usually behind the rear interior panel). If you do not hear a fan running after the doors have been closed for 1–2 minutes, the fan may be stalled or failed.
• Inspect for frost buildup: Remove shelves and the rear interior panel of the fresh food section (with power disconnected). Look for heavy ice around the evaporator fan motor. If present, defrost the area with a hair dryer on low, keeping the dryer moving and away from plastic parts. Do not chip ice with tools.
• Check wiring: Inspect the fan motor connector and wiring harness for loose plugs or damaged wires. Reseat the connector firmly.
• Fan motor test/replace: If the fan blades spin freely by hand but never run when the unit is powered and doors are closed, the evaporator fan motor is likely defective and should be replaced. This typically requires removing the fan bracket and transferring the fan blade to the new motor.
• Control board: If a known-good fan motor does not run and wiring is intact, the main control board may not be sending power and should be diagnosed by a technician.