Refrigerator display shows E1; unit may run continuously or not maintain set temperature.
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 panels.
Steps:
- Locate the refrigerator thermistor: On many Viking models, the fresh food thermistor is behind a small plastic cover on the rear interior wall or ceiling of the refrigerator compartment.
- Visual inspection: Remove the cover and inspect the sensor and wiring for damage, moisture intrusion, or broken insulation.
- Resistance test: Disconnect the thermistor and measure resistance with a multimeter. At about 77°F (25°C), most Viking NTC thermistors read roughly 10kΩ (check your service manual for exact spec). If reading is open (OL) or near 0Ω, the sensor is bad.
- Check harness to board: Trace the wires to the main control board and ensure the connector is fully seated and not corroded.
Corrective action: Replace the refrigerator compartment thermistor if readings are out of range or wiring is damaged. Clear the code by disconnecting power for a few minutes after replacement.
Repair Difficulty
Required Part
We may earn a commission from links on this page.