What is a Frigidaire H1 code? (And How to Fix It Fast)

We all know that a fridge isn’t a magic cabinet. No matter how many times we open the door, our cravings won’t suddenly appear on the shelves—but we keep on checking our fridge anyway.

Like many of us, you’ve probably left the door open during one of your late-night trips to the fridge. It can be pretty alarming when you notice your unit beeping and flashing an H1 code, but it is usually easy to fix.

Below, we’ll show you the most common causes of an H1 code on a Frigidaire refrigerator and how to troubleshoot them.

What is a Frigidaire H1 error code?

An H1 error code appears on a Frigidaire refrigerator when its internal temperature is too high. It indicates that your unit is no longer cool enough to store food safely.

If the fridge is in a high-heat environment or has a faulty sensor, its internal temperature can rise, triggering an H1 error.

Here are a few quick fixes that might help you resolve an H1 error.

• Check if the fridge door is open. Just close it properly to prevent cool air from escaping.

• Reset your refrigerator. Unplug the power cord, then restore power after 30 seconds to reset the error code.

If the problem persists after these fixes, keep reading our guide below for more detailed repair instructions.

How to Fix a Frigidaire H1 Error Code

Closing a Fridigaire door that has been left ajar for a while is sometimes all it takes to clear an H1 error code. If the door is closed, check your fridge contents and arrange them properly to improve air circulation.

Here’s a brief overview of the common causes of an H1 error code, along with the necessary steps to troubleshoot them.

Causes	Solutions
Open Fridge Door	• Wipe the water droplets inside your refrigerator to prevent thick frost from accumulating. Close the fridge door properly.
Door Seal Problems	Dirt Build-Up • Mix 1:3 parts vinegar and water in a bowl. Dip the soft cloth or toothbrush in the mixture and use it to clean the dirty gasket.
	Damaged Door Seal • Take out the new door gasket and lay it out on a flat surface. • Leave it for 1-2 days to remove any creases and kinks. • Before installing the new gasket, unplug the refrigerator and open the door. • Pull out the rubber gasket on the door, starting from the top corner of the fridge.  • Work your way around the door until the seal is fully removed. • Position the new door seal over the shelving. Push the gasket into the channel and work your way around the door.  • Repeat the same process for the other doors that might have a bad seal. • Restore power to your refrigerator.
Inadequate Air Circulation	• Rearrange your fridge contents, placing the items in their designated shelves and bins.  • Locate the air vents in your unit and make sure they aren’t obstructed.
Faulty Thermistor	Fridge Thermistor • Test your refrigerator’s thermistor for continuity. If it has none, a replacement is necessary. • Unplug your refrigerator. Open the fridge doors and pull out the deli drawer. • Remove the crisper drawers, the glass shelf, and the support rails. Detach the rest of the upper shelving. • Lift up the air duct cover and remove it. • Unthread the screws mounting the rear air duct. Then, remove the duct away from the liner. • Disconnect the wire on the thermistor to detach it from the duct. • Connect the wire to the new thermistor. Then, slip it into the housing behind the duct. • Mount the air duct on the liner and rethread its screws to secure it. After, reattach the cover. • Reinstall the upper shelving, the glass support rails, and the glass shelf insert to their original position. • Reinstall the crisper drawers and the deli drawer.
	Freezer Thermistor • Test your freezer’s thermistor for continuity. If it has none, replace it. • Unplug your refrigerator and open the freezer door. Unmount the freezer panel and set it aside. • Pull out the upper basket. Release the retaining clip on the rail and slide out the basket frame. • Release the retaining clips on the drawer. Then, remove the drawer assembly. • Unmount the thermistor housing and unplug the wire connector. • Remove the old thermistor. • Align the new thermistor on the housing and push it in until it locks into place. • Reconnect the wire and mount the housing. • Extend the slide rails and reattach the drawer assembly. Then, insert the retaining clips. • Reinstall the basket frame on the support rails. Pull the frame forward and reattach the basket. • Mount the freezer panel and rethread its screws. • Restore power to your fridge.

Open Fridge Door

If you leave the refrigerator door open for too long, the cool air will mix with the warm outside air, raising the internal temperature of your unit. It forces the compressor to work harder to keep the fridge cool.

You might notice moisture inside, which can develop into thick frost in the freezer. It can affect the compartment’s cooling efficiency, resulting in freezer-burned food and unpleasant odors.

Solution: Wipe the water droplets inside your refrigerator to prevent thick frost from accumulating. Close the fridge door properly.

If the door seal is damaged, your fridge will continue to lose cool air, even if the door appears to be closed. Move to the next fix if you suspect that a broken gasket is causing the H1 error.

Door Seal Problems

A refrigerator door that closes but doesn’t seal most likely has a damaged or dirty rubber gasket. You can do a visual inspection or a more hands-on approach to identify the underlying cause of your door seal problem.

Dirt Build-Up

Without proper cleaning, mold, dirt, and food scraps can accumulate in the crevices of the door gasket. It will prevent your door from sealing properly. 

Not to worry, if you don’t see any damage to the rubber gasket, a good clean is all it needs to seal properly again. 

What you’ll need:

• Soft cloth/toothbrush
• Vinegar
• Warm water
• Bowl

Solution: Mix 1:3 parts vinegar and water in a bowl. Dip the soft cloth or toothbrush in the mixture and use it to clean the dirty gasket.

Tips: • Don’t wash the rubber gasket in the dishwasher. • Don’t use a knife or any sharp object to remove dirt on the gasket. • Avoid using abrasive scrubs and harsh cleaning products.

Damaged Door Seal

Most of the time, a quick visual inspection will help you determine if you have a damaged door seal. Sometimes, cracks and tears aren’t always visible, but you can get hands-on and feel around for any cold air escaping.

If the door seal is loose or torn, replace it as soon as possible. Get a replacement for your fridge model and perform the fix yourself, which should only take a few minutes.

How to Test: Insert a dollar bill or a single sheet of paper between the door seal and fridge, then carefully pull it out. If you don’t feel any resistance, the gasket might be loose or damaged in this area.

Repeat the same steps until you cover the entire length of the gasket.

Solution: Take out the new door gasket and lay it out on a flat surface to remove any creases and kinks. Leave the gasket for 1-2 days to prep it for installation.

To replace a damaged door seal on a Frigidaire fridge, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Unplug the refrigerator and open the door.
• Step 2: Pull out the rubber gasket on the door, starting from the top corner of the fridge. Work your way around the door until the seal is fully removed.
• Step 3: Position the new door seal over the shelving. Push the gasket into the channel, starting from the top corner again.
• Step 4: Repeat the same process for the other doors that might have a bad seal.
• Step 5: Restore power to your refrigerator.

Inadequate Air Circulation

Poor air circulation is often the result of an overpacked or disorganized fridge. If the air vents are also blocked, it can also restrict airflow and raise the internal temperature of your fridge/freezer.

Solution: Rearrange your fridge contents, placing the items in their designated shelves and bins. Locate the air vents in your unit and make sure they aren’t obstructed.

• Door bins: As the warmest zone in the fridge, stock the door bins with non-perishable items like condiments and sodas.

• Cool-zone drawer: Store deli meat, eggs, cheeses, and party platters in the shallow drawer or the bottom shelf where it’s colder than the rest of the fridge.

• Crisper drawers: Keep your vegetable and fruits fresh in the crisper drawers.

Faulty Thermistor

In a refrigerator, a thermistor senses the temperature inside the appliance and helps regulate it. Others may refer to it as a temperature sensor or an evaporator sensor.

If the thermistor is malfunctioning, you’ll notice temperature fluctuations and incorrect readings. Simply put, your refrigerator will struggle to stay cool.

A continuity test will help you determine if your fridge’s thermistor has gone bad. You can replace the old sensor yourself with a few tools and our step-by-step repair guide.

What you’ll need:

• Phillips screwdriver
• 3/8” socket
• #2 square bit
• Multimeter
• New thermistor

Fridge Thermistor

On a Frigidaire refrigerator, the thermistor is most likely mounted on the side wall, behind a panel, or attached to the evaporator. If you can’t locate the thermistor, we recommend checking your user manual.

How to Test: First, test your refrigerator’s thermistor for continuity. If it has none, a replacement is necessary.

• Step 1: Unplug your refrigerator or turn off the circuit breaker.
• Step 2: Open the fridge doors and pull out the deli drawer.
• Step 3: Remove the crisper drawers.
• Step 4: Carefully remove the glass shelf and its support rails.
• Step 5: Detach the remaining shelves.
• Step 6: Lift up the air duct cover and remove it.
• Step 7: Unthread the screws mounting the rear air duct. Then, remove the duct away from the liner.
• Step 8: Disconnect the wire on the old thermistor to detach it from the duct.
• Step 9: Inspect the thermistor for a designated ohm rating.
• Step 10: Get a multimeter and rotate the dial to the corresponding setting for ohms of resistance. 

If the component doesn’t indicate an ohm rating, set the multimeter to the lowest setting for ohms of resistance. Rotate the dial as needed to get a reading.

• Step 11: Place the multimeter’s black lead on a wire or terminal. Connect the red lead to the other wire or terminal.
• Step 12: Check the reading on the multimeter.

At room temperature, the reading should be close to the ohms of resistance indicated on the thermistor. If the display shows no ohms of resistance, your thermistor has no continuity and should be replaced.

Quick Note: • The ohms of resistance will change when the temperature changes. While still connected to the multimeter, use a hair dryer to heat the thermistor. • You should see the reading on the multimeter change. If there is no change in resistance, your thermistor is most likely bad.

Solution: To replace a faulty thermistor on a Frigidaire refrigerator, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Unplug your refrigerator or turn off the circuit breaker.
• Step 2: Open the fridge doors and pull out the deli drawer.
• Step 3: Remove the crisper drawers.
• Step 4: Carefully remove the glass shelf and its support rails.
• Step 5: Detach the remaining shelves.
• Step 6: Lift up the air duct cover and remove it.
• Step 7: Unthread the screws mounting the rear air duct. Then, remove the duct away from the liner.
• Step 8: Disconnect the wire on the thermistor to detach it from the duct.
• Step 9: Connect the wire to the new thermistor. Then, slip it into the housing behind the duct.
• Step 10: Reinstall the duct on the liner and rethread its screws to secure it. After, reattach the cover.
• Step 11: Return the upper shelving, the glass support rails, and the glass shelf insert to their original position.
• Step 12: Reinstall the crisper drawers.
• Step 13: Extend the slide rails for the deli drawer. Insert its rear end and pull out the rail forward until the drawer snaps into place.

Freezer Thermistor

Depending on your refrigerator model, your unit might have a separate thermistor for the freezer compartment. If only the freezer section isn’t cooling, you should test the thermistor for continuity and replace it, if needed.

How to Test: Remove the old thermistor from your freezer compartment and test it for continuity. If it has none, replace it as soon as possible.

• Step 1: Unplug your refrigerator, or turn off the circuit breaker.
• Step 2: Open the freezer door. 
• Step 3: Use a 3/8” socket to unthread the screws on the freezer panel. Then, remove the panel and set it aside.
• Step 4: Pull out the upper basket.
• Step 5: Release the retaining clip on the rail and slide out the basket frame.
• Step 6: Remove the drawer’s retaining clips.
• Step 7: Lift and remove the drawer assembly.
• Step 8: Unmount the thermistor housing.
• Step 9: Press the tab to unplug the wire connector.
• Step 10: Remove the old thermistor.
• Step 11: Look for an ohm rating on the thermistor.
• Step 12: Get a multimeter and rotate the dial to the corresponding setting for ohms of resistance. 

If the component doesn’t indicate an ohm rating, set the multimeter to the lowest setting for ohms of resistance. Rotate the dial as needed to get a reading.

• Step 13: Connect the multimeter’s black lead to a wire or terminal. Then, connect the red lead to the other wire or terminal.
• Step 14: Check the reading on the display.

At room temperature, the ohms of resistance should be close to the rating indicated on the thermistor. If the display shows no ohms of resistance, your thermistor has no continuity and should be replaced.

Quick Note: • The ohms of resistance will change when the temperature changes. While still connected to the multimeter, use a hair dryer to heat up the thermistor. • You should see the reading on the multimeter change. If there is no change in resistance, your thermistor is most likely bad.

Solution: To replace a Frigidaire freezer thermistor, follow these steps:

• Step 1: Unplug your refrigerator or turn off the circuit breaker.
• Step 2: Open the freezer door. 
• Step 3: Use a 3/8” socket to unthread the screws on the freezer panel. Then, remove the panel and set it aside.
• Step 4: Pull out the upper basket.
• Step 5: Release the retaining clip on the rail and slide out the basket frame.
• Step 6: Remove the drawer’s retaining clips.
• Step 7: Lift and remove the drawer assembly.
• Step 8: Unmount the thermistor housing.
• Step 9: Press the tab to unplug the wire connector.
• Step 10: Remove the old thermistor.
• Step 11: Align the new thermistor on the housing and push it in until it locks into place.
• Step 12: Reconnect the wire and reinstall the housing. Rethread the screw to secure it.
• Step 13: Extend the slide rails and reattach the drawer assembly. Then, insert the retaining clips.
• Step 14: Reinstall the basket frame on the support rails. Pull the frame forward and reattach the basket.
• Step 15: Mount the freezer panel and rethread its screws.
• Step 16: Restore power to your fridge. 

Frequently Asked Questions

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