Display shows E3 and the set temperature cannot be maintained; unit may run continuously or shut off prematurely.
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: Unplug the wine cooler before removing the front grille or accessing the control board.
How to troubleshoot E3:
- Check installation environment: Ensure the cooler is not installed in direct sunlight or near a heat source. Extremely high ambient temperatures can sometimes trigger sensor-related errors.
- Access the ambient sensor: On many Arctic King wine coolers, the ambient sensor is located behind the lower front grille or near the control panel. Remove the grille or control panel screws to access it.
- Inspect the sensor: Look for a small plastic-encased sensor with two wires. Check for broken wires, corrosion, or a loose connector.
- Test with a multimeter: Disconnect the sensor and measure resistance at room temperature. Compare to typical NTC values (often 5–20 kΩ at 25°C). Replace if reading is out of range or unstable.
- Reconnect or replace: If the connector was loose, reseat it firmly. If the sensor is faulty, install a new Arctic King ambient temperature sensor and route the wiring away from the condenser fan and compressor.
- Power up and verify: Restore power and confirm that the E3 code disappears and the unit responds correctly to ambient changes.
Professional help: If the sensor is good but E3 persists, the main control board may have a defective sensor input circuit.
Repair Difficulty
Required Part
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