Samsung Refrigerator Won't Turn On After Cleaning the Condenser in Palm Harbor: A Quick Reset
- Symptom
- The fridge wouldn't start again after the owner turned it off to clean the condenser coil.
- Cause
- The control didn't come back up after power was cut. It happens on these Samsung fridges.
- Fix
- We unplugged it, waited a minute, plugged it back in and held the two top buttons on the dispenser panel for about 10 seconds. No parts were needed.
The owner of this Samsung French door refrigerator in the East Lake Woodlands neighborhood of Palm Harbor (model RF23HTEDBSR, made in 2017) cleaned the condenser coil, which is a good thing to do. To do it, they turned the fridge off. When they turned it back on, it wouldn’t start.
Nothing was broken
We looked at the machine compartment at the back and the control boards behind it.
Nothing in there was bad. The fridge just didn’t come back up after the power was cut, which happens on these Samsungs. A reset fixes it.
How to reset it
- Unplug the fridge.
- Wait about a minute and plug it back in.
- On the dispenser panel, press and hold the two top buttons (Freezer on the left, Fridge on the right) for about 10 seconds.
- The whole display lights up, every segment. Let go.
- The fridge should start. Give it up to 15 minutes.
If it still won’t start after that, there may be a real problem with the control or the compressor, and it’s time to call someone.
Cleaning the coil is a good idea, so if you turn your fridge off to do it, keep these steps handy. More on our refrigerator repair page.
FAQ
Why won't my Samsung fridge start after I turned it off to clean it?
On these Samsung fridges the control can get stuck when power is cut, and the fridge just sits there when you plug it back in. A reset usually brings it back.
How do I reset a Samsung French door fridge that won't start?
Unplug it, wait about a minute and plug it back in. Then hold the two top buttons on the dispenser panel for about 10 seconds. When the whole display lights up, let go. The fridge can take up to 15 minutes to start.