Samsung Refrigerator Beeping

Your fridge beeps because it wants to alert you about a condition that may be a problem. Before you start to dig in, make sure it really is your fridge. Sometimes the source of high pitched beeps can be difficult to pinpoint.

Listen carefully. Sometimes, the beeping alarms you hear may be from another device.

• You can try pressing a few buttons on your Samsung fridge. The buttons will beep, and you can listen to this sound to see if it is the same as the beeps you hear. If it isn’t, then you know it isn’t your fridge.
• Try unplugging your fridge and see if the beeping stops.
• If it doesn’t stop, you know it is not the fridge, and you can try to find the cause. If it does stop, now you investigate.
• Leave the fridge unplugged for 10 minutes (avoid opening the doors during that time), and then plug it in again. This should reset the fridge and may clear up the beeping, especially intermittent beeping. There may be some settings that have gone astray, so keep an eye on the fridge.

This is a very common cause of beeping, and it may not be an actual defect in the fridge. If the fridge isn’t beeping right now, open one of the doors partially and see if the fridge starts beeping after 3 minutes (it may beep sooner). If it does, and this matches the beeping you heard, then check the door alarm. You may just have had a door cracked open or one that keeps popping open. It could also be the door switch. Go to the next step.

You may have a defective door switch. Here are some checks:

• Open all the fridge doors up and the freezer doors or drawers and close them firmly (don’t slam them).
  • Check carefully to ensure there aren’t any obstructions keeping the door from shutting fully or items that tend to push the door open when it is closed.
  • Wait at least three minutes to ensure the door-ajar alarm isn’t triggered. You could have inadvertently reset it by making the door switch work momentarily when you close the door. Then, after 3 minutes, it will start again. That’s why you wait.
• You can also set your phone to record a video and place it inside the fridge while it is recording. The purpose is to monitor the refrigerator interior lights to see if they turn off.
  • Place the phone inside the fridge and close the doors, wait 10 seconds, and then retrieve the phone and watch the video.
  • You may find that the lights go out momentarily and then come back on, which would confirm that there is a defective door switch.

If you have a defective door switch, you should check the following:

Fridges with magnetic switches usually have them on the top rim of the refrigerator. There are magnets mounted on the door rim that operate the switches.

• Use magnets to test these switches; the switch location will usually be marked.
  • On fridges with French doors, both switches must be closed for the light to go out. Hold magnets near both switches at the same time; if the light doesn’t go out, you have a problem with the switches or the wiring to the switches.

Fridges with mechanical door switches may have little paddles, rockers, or buttons inside the fridge. The door pushes the switch button to operate it.

• Test them by just pushing on them with your fingertip.
  • Note that if you have to push the switch all the way in, it may be worn, and the door won’t be able to push it the same way. The phone trick mentioned above may be useful for checking this.

A guide on Door sensor or switch replacement. This is helpful for noting the position of the sensors or switches am may models.

Helpful Video: From Ben’s Appliances and Junk https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCIgFL4c...

When the refrigerator is operating in a forced defrost mode, it will beep continuously. This only lasts for about 20 minutes, so it could be annoying as it may seem random. The helpful part is that it should flash Fd on the door display. Forced defrost is likely the most common mode that may be accidentally turned on. You can get rid of the forced defrost mode:

• Press (at the same time) the Energy Saver and Power Freeze/Freezer buttons and hold them down for about 4-5 seconds. Some models require 8 seconds.
• Release them when the fridge beeps and shows the feature is turned off in its display.
• Resetting the fridge (done earlier) should also deal with this condition, so if it is persisting, there may be a larger problem.

Your fridge may have several other modes that will cause a continuous beeping when they are engaged. Among these are the Forced Cool modes (Fc1, 2 or 3), and the forced refrigerator defrost mode (rd) (see below). If one of these is engaged, you will hear a continuous beeping. You can cancel these modes by unplugging your fridge for 5-10 minutes or follow the instructions above for the Forced Defrost Mode.

If this doesn’t stop the beeps, go on to the next item.

This isn’t something that the fridge senses itself; rather, it causes problems with high fridge or freezer temps. When the ice builds up in the freezer, the fresh food/refrigerator portion of the unit can be affected. The ice prevents proper cooling and air circulation, leading to higher temperatures.

• Run a forced defrost cycle and see if the temperatures improve.
• You are seeking to enter the diagnostic mode, from there you can toggle to the forced defrost mode.
  • On units with front-of-door controls, press the upper left and middle right buttons.
  • On other units, you will press the lighting and fridge buttons simultaneously.
  • Another combination: Freezer and control lock
  • Another Freezer and Flex Zone (Interior control models)
  • Another combination is energy saver and fridge
• Once in the diagnostic mode, you can press any button repeatedly until Fd (or rd) shows up on the display. This mode remains on for about 20-30 minutes.
• You may need to remove all the contents of your unit and manually defrost it if you can't enter this mode or if it is ineffective.
  • If you can, try to remove the evaporator cover(s)
  • Use a steamer if at all possible.
  • Caution: Avoid using a heat gun or a hair dryer unless you are extremely careful and keep the airflow moving constantly. Using these devices goes against the manufacturer’s recommendations and can lead to deformation of the plastic interior of the unit, and such deformation is not reversible.

With dual evaporator refrigerators, each part of the unit has its own evaporator, so the icing of the freezer’s evaporator won’t affect the fresh food portion in the same way.  Icing will affect the freezer, though. You should check it. If you find or suspect that there is ice on the freezer evaporator, run a forced defrost cycle (more beeping) and see if that helps. With dual evaporators, there are two forced defrost cycles: one for the freezer (Fd) and one for the refrigerator or fresh foods section (rd) If your freezer was left open for a time inadvertently, or if you put a number of warm, moist items into the freezer, the evaporator can get an ice buildup.

Remember that an ice buildup may mean your defrost system isn’t working. If the forced defrost cycle mentioned above, intended to deal with these situations, doesn’t help, check the defrost system.

Your refrigerator has an alarm that will sound if the temperature of either the fresh food section or the freezer section of the unit has exceeded a safe level. For the Fresh food portion (refrigerator), this is 59°F.  Generally, this alarm will be accompanied by a flashing temperature display.

• Use a thermometer inside the fridge to check its internal temperature. You are looking for 33-40°F. If the temperature is over 40°F, the beeping could come from a temperature alarm.
• If your unit has experienced a power interruption, it may have warmed up a bit and just needs to cool down.
• Check the freezer temperature as well. It should be around 0°F.
• If either of these temperatures is off, check the temperature settings. They might have been accidentally changed.
• If the temperatures are correct, go to the next item. If not, you will need to determine what is causing the high temperatures. Here below are some initial steps.
• Remove the rear cover, and if the fridge has been unplugged, be prepared to plug it in again.
• With the rear panel removed, check to see that the condenser fan is running.
• Check to see that the condenser coils (the ones located at the back of the refrigerator behind the rear cover are clean. If they have become very dirty they can lead to high temperatures inside the refrigerator.
• If you discover that the compressor is not running, you should check to see if it has failed. If everything checks out, go to the next item.

While something not sensed in itself, leaky door gaskets cam admit warm, moist air into the fridge causing icing problems and temperature problems.

• Inspect both the freezer and fresh food section gaskets for deformed portions (It may look crushed) or tears.

Check the gasket seal using a dollar bill or a strip of paper of similar size.

• Open the fridge door and place the bill or strip in the opening and close the door on the bill, so the gasket holds it.
• It should have resistance to being pulled out with the door closed.
  • Don’t hold the door shut. Just let the magnetic gasket hold it closed for this test.
  • If the strip of paper or bill falls out without being pulled, you will need to replace the gasket.
• Test both the fresh food section doors, and the freezer door or drawer. Test around the whole perimeter of each door.
• If the gaskets look ok go to the next item.

The wiring of your refrigerator may have a fault. There are two main culprits. One condition arises when the doors have been removed and then replaced. Frequently, a connector is not fully seated. If the beeping starts and you have recently shifted the doors, check all the connections carefully.

Another wiring fault can occur when a wire is repeatedly flexed by opening and shutting  the door, and a wire connecting the door parts is caught on some part of the refrigerator. Eventually the wire will break and you will have errors that a reset of the fridge will not clear.

The usual location for this fault is under the top plastic cover on the fridge.

• Remove the cover and carefully inspect the wiring.
  • Look for pinched or kinked wires, especially where the wire disappears into the door or the top of the fridge.
  • Note how the wire moves when the door is opened and closed; make sure it isn’t rubbing against the hinge portion of the fridge.
  • Check to see that the wire does not become tight when the door moves.
• If you find damaged wiring, splice in a piece carefully so that there is more slack in the wire.
  • Use butt splice crimps or a secure solder joint
  • Make sure to properly insulate the splice if soldered.

Another possibility is the main control board has failed. This is a final stop since the replacement of this part is costly.