What is actually happening
On a fridge freezer the freezer side normally does the cooling for both compartments, so a freezer that has stopped freezing while the fridge is still cold is unusual and points at airflow rather than the compressor. The most common cause of all is a thick layer of ice on the evaporator, which stops air moving over the coil no matter how well the compressor is working.
The Flavel fault codes that point at this
A Flavel freezer will usually tell you what it thinks is wrong before anyone opens it up. These are the codes we hold for this make that relate to not freezing:
- E00 — The freezer's air temperature sensor has stopped giving the control board a sensible reading, so the fridge freezer no longer knows how cold the freezer actually is.
- E01 — The freezer's evaporator temperature sensor is no longer giving the control board a sensible reading, so the fridge freezer can't monitor the cold plate behind the freezer's back wall.
- E02 — The temperature sensor on the fridge side's cooling coil has stopped giving the control board a sensible reading.
- E03 — The fridge section's temperature sensor has stopped giving the control board a sensible reading, so the appliance can no longer tell how cold the fresh food compartment actually is.
- E04 — The freezer's automatic defrost isn't working, so ice is building up on the hidden cooling coil instead of being melted away.
- E05 — The sensor that tells your fridge freezer how warm and humid the room around it is has stopped reporting properly.
- E08 — The temperature sensor inside the ice maker section has stopped giving the control board a sensible reading.
- E09 — The automatic ice maker's motor isn't turning as the control board expects, so the machine has flagged the ice maker rather than the fridge or freezer itself.
If yours is showing one of those, that is a much shorter conversation than a general fault — tell us the code when you book and the engineer can often carry the part.
The usual causes on a Flavel freezer
- A failed defrost heater or defrost timer, letting ice build up over the evaporator
- A failed evaporator fan, so cold air never circulates
- A door left ajar or a failed door seal, packing the compartment with frost
- A refrigerant leak
- A failed thermostat or sensor
What you can safely check yourself
- Empty it and defrost it fully for twenty-four hours with the door open, then run it again — if it works and then fails a few weeks later, that is the defrost system
- Check the door seal and that nothing is holding the door open
- Listen for the fan when the door switch is held in
Still not freezing?
Most of these need an engineer once the checks above are done. £66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.
Our engineers work on Flavel machines week in, week out, so they arrive knowing the machine rather than reading the back of it. Local engineers across Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Leicestershire.
Call 0115 648 0929 Book online — postcode and number is all we need
Common questions
Why is my Flavel freezer not freezing?
The freezer is running but the contents are soft or thawing. On a fridge freezer the freezer side normally does the cooling for both compartments, so a freezer that has stopped freezing while the fridge is still cold is unusual and points at airflow rather than the compressor. The most common cause of all is a thick layer of ice on the evaporator, which stops air moving over the coil no matter how well the compressor is working.
Can I fix a Flavel freezer not freezing myself?
Empty it and defrost it fully for twenty-four hours with the door open, then run it again — if it works and then fails a few weeks later, that is the defrost system. Check the door seal and that nothing is holding the door open. Listen for the fan when the door switch is held in. Beyond those checks this one normally needs an engineer.
What Flavel error codes mean not freezing?
Flavel freezers report this through their own fault codes. The ones that point at not freezing are E00, E01, E02, E03, E04, E05. If your machine is showing one of those, that narrows it down considerably — each has its own guide on this site.
How much does a Flavel freezer repair cost?
£66 including VAT for an engineer to come out and diagnose it, or £84 in total including VAT if it is put right on the visit and no parts are needed. Any parts needed are quoted on site before we fit them — you decide. Every repair carries a 90-day workmanship guarantee.