Refrigerators, freezers and ice makers. Our owner guides list the safe checks you can try before you book.
Not cooling
Refrigerator or freezer warm, food at risk.
Often a dirty condenser, a failed fan, a control or sensor fault, or a sealed-system problem. Sub-Zero notes that a refrigerator reading above 48°F while set at 38°F needs a technician. In harbor homes, a salt-crusted condenser is one of the first things we rule out.
Owner checks: Sub-Zero not cooling
Error codes and display messages
"Service" flashing, double dashes, or a display that will not respond.
Some messages are simple, like showroom or Sabbath mode. Others point to a sensor or a compressor that ran too long. A photo of the display and the serial tag helps us prepare. Integrated columns in Newport Coast each have their own control, so note which column shows the message.
Sub-Zero display messages explained
Condenser cleaning
Unit running constantly, warm sections, or "Service" lit.
A clogged condenser is one of the most common causes of warm temperatures. Sub-Zero recommends cleaning every 6 to 12 months on built-ins and every 3 to 6 months on undercounter units. Outdoor undercounter units on Balboa Island and the Peninsula need the 3 to 6 month schedule most.
How to clean a Sub-Zero condenser
Ice maker not working
No ice, small or hollow cubes, or "Service" and "Ice" flashing.
Common causes are a jammed cube, low water pressure, an old filter, a frozen fill tube or a warm freezer. We check the water supply and freezer temperature before replacing parts. Outdoor ice makers near the water get their condenser and fan checked on the same visit.
Owner checks: Sub-Zero ice maker
Warm refrigerator, cold freezer
One section fails while the other seems fine.
Most Sub-Zero built-ins and columns have separate cooling for each section, so we test each one on its own instead of selling a full sealed-system job by default. On Classic side-by-sides in Eastbluff and Dover Shores, we check each system's fan and temperatures separately.