23ESamsung · Refrigerator · Fridge

Samsung Refrigerator error code 23E

Condenser fan fault

Needs attention soon

Also written as 23C, 23

Which models this applies to. This page covers the Samsung refrigerator codes.

What is specific to the Refrigerator platform

Two-digit codes here differ from the washer set, so a Samsung fridge code is never a Samsung washer code.

Your control board prints the code as text, for example F01 or EE3, so you read it off the display rather than counting blinks. The printed number is the fault itself, not a position in a table.

Quick answer

On Samsung Refrigerator (2000s onward), 23E is a fault. It means condenser fan fault. A first thing to check: Condenser fan motor bearing failed or motor burnt out.

Applies to: Samsung Refrigerator; Samsung refrigerator codes · Refrigerator · 2000s onward
Type of code: Fault; Urgency: Needs attention soon
First safe check: Pull the refrigerator out and look at the back for dust, cardboard, and airflow blockers.

Checked 2026-09-26

What 23E means on this model

The fan that draws air across the condenser coil has stalled or failed. On a static condenser refrigerator that fan moves all the cooling air, so a stopped fan means the compressor runs constantly without moving enough heat to keep the cabinet cold.

Symptoms you will notice

Cabinet is warm to the touch and the compressor runs constantly
No air comes from the vents at the bottom or the back of the cabinet
Condensation or standing water on top of the refrigerator
Code appears and the compressor shuts down to protect itself

Common causes

The code tells you what the control detected, not which part failed. These are the causes we see most often, roughly in order of likelihood:

Condenser fan motor bearing failed or motor burnt out
Coil or housing obstructed by boxes, a mattress, or debris
Fan blade fouling a shroud, or ice from a defrost fault
Fan relay or the board output that drives it
Blocked or kinked condenser tubing, so the fan runs against high pressure
A failed fan motor dragging the compressor down until it overheats

What you can safely check

These are homeowner-level checks. None of them need you to open a live electrical compartment or work on gas.

Pull the refrigerator out and look at the back for dust, cardboard, and airflow blockers.
Listen for the fan running when the compressor starts, and check whether a blade is visibly stuck.
Check the clearance behind the cabinet, which manufacturers specify and which is often filled in over the years.

Do not do these

×Do not push the cabinet back hard against the wall or cabinets without checking the specified clearance. A blocked condenser is one of the most common causes of early failure.
×Do not add refrigerant for a fan that is not running. The refrigerant is very likely fine and the compressor will be damaged.

When to call a technician

Book a technician, do not keep resetting it

This fault will not clear on its own. Every power cycle gives the control one more failed attempt, and repeated attempts are what turn a cheap part replacement into a seized or contaminated system.

If the appliance has stopped mid-cycle, is making a noise you have not heard before, or smells burnt, stop reading here and call. Those are symptoms of something the fault code does not describe well enough.

A rear-mounted fan is accessible once the cabinet is pulled out, which is moderate work. Fan relays and boards are a technician job.

What it costs to fix

Parts

Condenser fan motor $45 to $130. Fan relay or board output $25 to $80. Defrost timer or board $80 to $200.

Labor

One to two hours for a fan motor.

DIY or technician