Frigidaire Refrigerator – SY EF Error Code – How To Troubleshoot It?

When your Frigidaire refrigerator shows you an error code, you’ll want to troubleshoot and resolve the issue as soon as possible. One such code that requires your attention is the SY EF error code.

The SY EF error code on a Frigidaire refrigerator means a problem with the freezer evaporator fan motor. There’s likely an ice buildup preventing the fan blades from turning, caused by a faulty door gasket or restricted airflow inside the compartment. Besides that, the fan motor could also be worn out, or the main control board could be faulty.

This guide will help you quickly understand what the SY EF code means, how to troubleshoot the problem, and how to clear the error code.

What Does The SY EF Error Code Mean On A Frigidaire Refrigerator?

When your Frigidaire refrigerator shows the SY EF error code, that means it’s experiencing a freezer evaporator fan failure.

With that error, the freezer and the appliance as a whole will continue to work. However, the freezer won’t be able to cool itself down thoroughly and reach your set temperature.

So, it’s always best to troubleshoot and resolve the issue as soon as possible.

Read: 6 Reasons Why Frigidaire Refrigerator Is Not Cooling

What Does A Freezer Evaporator Fan Do?

The evaporator is a section of your Frigidaire refrigerator’s sealed cooling system. The evaporator is the part that releases cold air while removing any heat inside the freezer compartment.

The evaporator has a dedicated fan to make that cooling process more efficient. Its purpose is to blow cold air into the freezer compartment.

More importantly, the fan distributes cold air to every corner of the freezer compartment, so all the food items you keep inside are equally cold.

In other words, a working evaporator fan ensures that there are no warm spots anywhere in the freezer compartment of your Frigidaire refrigerator.

Read: 5 Reasons Why Freezer Is Too Cold

How Do You Fix The SY EF Error Code On A Frigidaire Refrigerator?

The SY EF error code points to a problem with the evaporator fan motor. But before assuming that the motor is faulty, it’s essential to check for an ice buildup inside the compartment. 

Once you rule that out, you can troubleshoot the fan motor and then the main control board.

Here’s a detailed look at the troubleshooting process:

Ice Buildup Caused By Faulty Door Gasket

What causes this: One of the first issues you should troubleshoot is a severe buildup of ice near the evaporator. When that happens, the ice can solidify around the evaporator fan and prevent it from turning, thereby triggering the SY EF error code.

Ice buildups can form in two ways. The first is a faulty gasket around the freezer door.

You see, the gasket is there to help the door form a tight seal when you close it. That way, the compartment can keep cold air inside and prevent warm air from leaking in.

However, if the freezer door gasket is faulty and fails to do its job, warm air can leak into the freezer. For example, a foreign object could be stuck on the gasket. Besides that, it could also be worn out or damaged.

Whatever the reason might be, a faulty door gasket will lead to frost and ice building up around the evaporator fan. That will then cause the SY EF error code to appear.

How to fix it: Thankfully, this problem is pretty straightforward to fix. Firstly, you must inspect the freezer door gasket to ensure that it’s free from any foreign objects. Then, remove them and wipe the gasket clean when you find any.

Then, check for any signs of wear or damage. If you find any, you’ll have to remove the gasket and replace it with a new one. 

That’s very straightforward to do as you won’t require any tools.

Read: Why Is Ice Or Frost Build Up In The Freezer?

Ice Buildup Caused By Restricted Air Flow

What causes this: Besides a faulty gasket, an ice buildup around the evaporator can also form because of restricted airflow.

Remember: the evaporator fan blows cold air and distributes it throughout the freezer compartment.

However, suppose there are too many items near the evaporator. In that case, cold air cannot quickly flow to other parts of the freezer. As a result, the area around the evaporator will become too cold and start to freeze over.

Typically, this problem happens because there are too many items in the freezer and not enough room between them for air to flow easily.

That’s enough to lead to the SY EF error code appearing on the appliance’s display.

How to fix it: You can fix this problem and prevent it from happening by carefully arranging the items in your freezer.

For example, you can arrange items neatly and ensure that there’s space for air to flow around their containers. You can also create more empty space around the evaporator for the cool air to spread evenly around the freezer compartment.

Read: 5 Reasons Why Refrigerator Is Making A Knocking Sound

Failed Evaporator Fan Motor

What that is: The evaporator fan motor is responsible for blowing cold air from the evaporator into the freezer. In doing so, the fan motor ensures that cold air spreads to all corners of the freezer and cools all of the food items you store in the compartment.

What causes this: An evaporator fan motor will fail for one of two reasons. 

Firstly, it’s likely that the motor has simply worn out. That’s especially true if you’ve had your Frigidaire refrigerator for a long time. Over the years, the fan motor will experience normal wear and stop working as it should.

Secondly, the fan motor can also burn out. If something forces the fan motor to work harder than usual, that will happen. 

For example, a buildup of ice around the fan blades will force the motor to work extra hard. When that continues for too long, the motor will overheat, burn out, and stop working.

How to fix it: The only solution for this problem is to replace the evaporator fan motor with a new one. 

You’ll have to access the evaporator by removing the freezer’s back panel. Then, you can disconnect and remove the existing motor before installing the new one in its place.

Faulty Main Control Board

What that is: The main control board is a printed control board (PCB) that controls all of your Frigidaire refrigerator’s functions. The board has lots of components on it, each one sending electrical power and signals to different fridge components.

What causes this: When the main control board becomes faulty, especially at the components that control the evaporator fan motor, that will trigger the SY EF error code.

How to fix it: You should only troubleshoot the main control board once you finish ruling out all of the other items on your troubleshooting list. That’s because the only solution for a faulty main control board is to buy a new replacement, which can be pretty costly.

To replace the main control board, you’ll have to locate its housing inside your refrigerator. Typically, that requires access through the back panel.

Once you find it, you can disconnect its wiring and remove it before installing the replacement board.

Read: 3 Reasons Why Ice Maker Is Leaking Water On Floor

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are some other questions you’ll likely have when resolving the SY EF error code:

How Do You Clear The SY EF Error Code On A Frigidaire Refrigerator?

To clear the SY EF error code, you must ensure that the freezer evaporator fan motor can work without issues. Once you do that, you can remove the code by resetting the appliance.

How Do You Reset A Frigidaire Refrigerator?

You can reset your Frigidaire refrigerator by disconnecting it from its power source. Then, leave it alone for at least 1 minute. After that time passes, reconnect the appliance and let it start up again.

How Do I Get Rid Of An Ice Build Up In My Freezer?

You must defrost your freezer to remove any ice built up inside it. You can do so by shutting the freezer off and leaving the door open. Alternatively, you can also place a pot of hot water inside the freezer compartment, so the steam will melt away any ice buildup.