What E02 actually means
One of the temperature sensors inside your fridge freezer has failed or lost its connection, so the appliance can no longer read the temperature properly.
The control board relies on small temperature sensors (NTC probes) to know how cold each compartment is. E02 means the second of these sensors is reading as a short circuit or an open circuit, in other words the board is getting nonsense back from it or nothing at all. Cooling may carry on in a fallback mode or stop altogether, and temperatures can drift without the machine knowing.
What usually causes it
- A failed temperature sensor in the cabinet
- A loose or corroded plug on the sensor wiring
- Damp or ice build-up around the sensor
- A fault on the main control board misreading the sensor
What you can safely check yourself
Work through these in order. Anything beyond this — panels off, testing parts, anything to do with the wiring — is an engineer's job, and not one to attempt with the machine plugged in.
- Turn the appliance off at the socket for a minute, then switch it back on to see if the code clears
- Check the door is closing fully and the seal is not folded over, as heavy frosting around the sensor can contribute
- Move the food away from the back wall and vents so air can circulate
- Note the actual fridge and freezer temperatures with a thermometer so you know whether food is still safe
When to call someone
This one usually needs an engineer once you have tried the checks above. We cover Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire, and it's £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it — £84 in total if it's repaired on the visit with no parts needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.
Outside our area? The explanation above still stands — take it to a local engineer and tell them the code. Knowing it saves them time and you money.
Other Electrolux fridge freezer codes
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- Electrolux E08 — The fridge freezer has detected that the electricity reachin…
- Electrolux E09 — The freezer has been warmer than -9", so the fridge is warni…
- Electrolux E10 — The fridge side has been warmer than 10°C for 20 minutes and…
- Electrolux E11 — The fridge side is running warmer than it should, and the ap…
- Electrolux F07 — The control board has decided the freezer side isn't cooling…