Is your freezer flashing different colored lights or sounding alarms? Although it might be a minor inconvenience, these issues can indicate that your appliance isn’t working correctly, and your food may be at risk. So, what do these issues mean, and how can you fix them?
Flashing lights inside a freezer typically mean high-temperature warnings. Remove any hot food, close the door, and give it time to cool down. If the light persists, you may have issues with the coolant or fan systems. You’ll need to call a service technician for additional assistance.
Don’t panic if you notice any strange lights inside your freezer. Most of the time, these issues can be dealt with and quickly resolved. Let’s look at some common causes and solutions for this, and we’ll talk about specific colors of light you may be seeing later on.
Fixing a Blinking Freezer Light
In most cases, a blinking light will turn inside a freezer when the temperature is too high or the door is open for too long.
Although all freezer models will vary, here are a few solutions to resolve a blinking light.
If The Temperature Is Too High
There are two primary causes for a freezer with a high temperature, including a faulty evaporator fan and hot food inside the cabinet.
If there’s hot food inside your freezer:
- Remove any hot food products inside your freezer. Allow food to cool down before you place it inside the cabinet, so it doesn’t exceed the normal operating range and cause lights to flash.
- If the lights still flash after removing the item, you can click the freezer reset button on the display panel. If your model doesn’t have a reset button, you may need to press the top left and right buttons simultaneously.
- You can also conduct a hard reset by disabling the freezer for around 30 minutes and rebooting it if necessary.
- If there aren’t any hot food products inside the cabinet and the lights are blinking, you may need to call a service technician to resolve issues with the internal components and wiring.
a Faulty Evaporator Fan Motor:
- Inspect if the fan is working by closing and opening the door.
- After opening the door, you should hear the fan working as expected. However, you may have a faulty evaporator fan motor if you don’t hear it.
- If the fan works for a little bit and then turns off, you may have a wiring issue. This will require professional services in most cases.
- If you have evaporator fan and motor problems, it’s best to call a professional technician to identify and resolve the issue.
If You Left the Door Open
Sometimes, a flashing light and alarm sound can turn on if you leave your freezer door open for more than five minutes. Here’s how you can resolve the issue:
- First, try to close the freezer door as usual.
- If the door won’t stay closed, inspect the appliance’s balance. The door will not remain closed if it’s tilted forward or off-balance.
- Adjust the appliance’s balance if necessary.
- Next, inspect if anything inside the cabinet is preventing the door from closing correctly. Remove any objects blocking the door. Large boxes and frozen items can often get in the way.
- If your freezer door still isn’t closing correctly, you may have an issue with the hinges or seals. In these cases, you’ll usually need to consult a technician to fix the door.
Disable the High-Temperature Alarm
Sometimes, you can disable the high-temperature alarm or flashing warning indicator. Each model will include different guidelines for disabling the feature.
You’ll need to inspect the owner’s manual or the manufacturer’s website for the most accurate instructions.
That being said, you can follow the general guidelines below to get a better idea of what to expect:
- First, locate the control panel on the interior of your freezer.
- Then, press the Temp Setting button once.
- After you press the button, the red light may change from flashing to continuous illumination. The light may remain on until your freezer reaches a suitable temperature.
Note: If the red light in your freezer is flashing, but you don’t hear an alert sound, this could indicate that your freezer reached high temperatures but returned to normal. You can follow the steps above to turn off the light.
What Do the Flashing Lights in My Freezer Mean?
The flashing lights in your freezer can indicate various things, ranging from your freezer working correctly to high-temperature warnings. Although each freezer model will have slight variations, there are a few lights you can expect to see in your appliance.
- Green Indicator Light: If your appliance is connected and working correctly, you may notice a green indicator light.
- Yellow or Amber Indicator Light: A yellow warning light indicates that Fast Freeze is enabled. The compressor will continue cooling until it’s disabled. Your freezer may need around three hours for the internal temperature to drop to suitable levels.
- Red Indicator Light: Red warning lights are typically high-temperature warnings and indicate that your freezer is above the normal operating range. You might also hear a buzzing or alarm sound alongside the flashing red light.
- Door Ajar Light or Alarm: You may notice a Door Ajar warning indicator if your freezer door has remained open for over five minutes. You can close the door to turn off the light or alarm sound.
Again, these are a few common meanings behind flashing lights in a freezer. Of course, your model may vary and use different lights for various warnings, so double-check with the owner’s manual or manufacturer’s website.
What Causes Blinking Lights?
As mentioned earlier, a freezer can have blinking lights for various reasons. Some of the most common causes include loose connections, high temperatures, and open doors.
Each model will use different lights and colors to indicate issues, so you’ll need to check your owner’s manual for the most accurate information available. You can also use the quick guide below to get a better idea of what your issue might be.
What Causes a Green Light?
In most cases, a green light inside your freezer is a good sign and indicates that everything is working correctly. Your freezer should be receiving electricity and operating as expected.
That being said, some models use a green light to indicate the following:
- Your freezer is working normally.
- Faulty evaporator fan.
- Failed thermostat readings.
- Compressor relay failure.
If you don’t notice a green light, your freezer may not be working correctly. If there isn’t a green light inside your freezer, it may not be plugged in correctly, or there may be damage to the fusees.
Other issues like faulty fans, thermostats, and internal components can cause the green light to flash or stop working.
What Causes a Red Light?
A red light or flashing red light on the inside of a freezer typically indicates a high-temperature warning.
The red light will turn on if the cabinet is unusually hot and outside the normal operating range. You may also notice a buzzing or alarm sound, indicating your freezer is not suitable for holding food.
- High-temperature warning light.
- Short circuits cause a rise in temperature.
- Coolant issues.
In many situations, wires carrying opposite currents can melt and short circuit, causing the temperature to rise. In addition, other issues with the coolant system can prevent the appliance from reaching ideal temperatures.
Likewise, putting hot food inside the freezer and leaving the door open can cause the high-temperature light to turn on. In these cases, the light will turn off once the cabinet stabilizes the temperature.
What Causes an Amber Light?
Amber, orange, and yellow lights on a freezer’s display indicate the appliance is in a fast freeze or turbo setting. However, this light isn’t usually a warning nor a cause for concern.
Most modern appliances include fast freeze settings due to the high demand for ice cubes and quickly frozen items. So if you set your freezer to turbo or fast freeze and notice an amber light, that’s a good sign.
Unfortunately, you may have a deeper issue if you notice that your appliance isn’t freezing quickly with the setting turned on. This may indicate that your freezer is starting to wear out or needs maintenance.
Additionally, if the amber light does not turn on, but your freezer is working correctly, you may have an issue with the bulb or display panel.
Hi, I'm Ed, and I run BuildFanatic! I enjoy providing the best possible information on a range of home improvement topics.
