Common Problems With Frigidaire Side-By-Side Refrigerators

Frigidaire side-by-side refrigerators grace many homes and are fairly reliable units. Like all refrigerators, however, they can act up from time to time. Fortunately, a few troubleshooting tips can often get you back up and running quickly if you have a problem with your Frigidaire. Taking a few minutes to troubleshoot can often save you a repair bill, and it is well worth a bit of effort. Here's what to watch for.

Most refrigerators run the compressor when cooling the unit and then shut off when the unit reaches the desired temperature. Sometimes, however, you may hear your fridge running more frequently than normal, which means it's using more electricity than normal. If you notice this issue with your Frigidaire side-by-side refrigerator, first check your instruction manual. The compressors on some Frigidaire models are designed to run all the time at various speeds, so hearing frequent compressor noises doesn't necessarily indicate an issue.

If yours isn't one of them, check your temperature settings to ensure you're not asking too much of your fridge. Ideally, you should aim for a refrigerator temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit and a freezer temperature of 0 degrees Fahrenheit. If your fridge is overcrowded, try thinning things out a bit.

Next pull the refrigerator away from the wall and vacuum the dust from the coils on the back. Then check the door seals to make sure they are clean and free of rips and tears. If none of these things seems to be the issue, it's time to call a service professional.

A built-in ice and water dispenser is super convenient, but sometimes, these units stop working as expected. If your Frigidaire dispenser has stopped providing water and ice, verify that the dispensing panel hasn't accidentally locked. Pressing the lock key for a few seconds may fix the problem.

If you're still lacking ice, make sure there are ice cubes in the freezer bin and that the refrigerator door is firmly closed. Remove the ice bin completely, empty it, clean it, and then reinsert it. If the ice bin won't go back in, verify that the auger isn't in the way. If it is, turn it 45 degrees at a time until the ice bin fits again.

If a lack of water is the problem, install a new water filter. The old filter is likely clogged, particularly if it's more than six months old. If you still can't get water or ice, you may have clogged water lines or another issue that requires professional service.

Like all refrigerators, side-by-side units work best and most efficiently when the doors are firmly closed. It's quite common, however, for one door on a side-by-side unit to pop open when the one next to it closes, particularly if the door is slammed or shut with some force. The best way to solve this problem is to simply be aware of it and always check both doors when shutting the refrigerator or freezer. Some Frigidaire models include a door alarm that will audibly alert you if a door is left ajar.

If your Frigidaire refrigerator is beeping, it probably has a good reason for wanting your attention. Usually, these beeps accompany an error code on the refrigerator display. To turn off the alarm, you can simply press the "mute" button or acknowledge the alarm in the settings menu. You may or may not have to take further action to keep the alarm from going off again.

A "PF" message indicates that there has been a power failure. Things should return to normal now that power has been restored, but check your food for spoilage if the power was out for an extended period. An "H" or "HI" on the display indicates that the temperature in the refrigerator or freezer has gone too high. More specifically, it indicates that the freezer temperature has climbed to 26 degrees Fahrenheit or that the refrigerator temperature has risen to 55 degrees Fahrenheit.

High temperatures should return to normal on their own after a power failure. They may also occur after someone leaves the door ajar or stands in front of the fridge with the door open for too long. If the temperature fails to go back down, however, your fridge may require a service call.

The "DI SP" code stands for dispenser and means there is an ice cube stuck in the ice dispensing chute. Check the ice flap on the ice dispenser and remove the ice cube to resolve the error code.