Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Display

The electronic temperature display increases very quickly after a power interruption.

The time given in the brochure is the time the temperature (at the core of the frozen food) takes to increase from –18°C to –9°C when the appliance is fully loaded. The electronic temperature sensor only measures the air temperature in the appliance and not the core temperature of the food. The air temperature will naturally increase much more quickly than the temperature of the frozen food after the power is interrupted. That is why the display indicates a very rapid temperature increase.

The temperature display on the freezer compartment shows a much higher temperature than a thermometer placed inside the freezer.

The display is designed in accordance with certain standards. The temperature displayed is always the highest temperature at the core of the frozen food. Deviations of up to 8°C are completely normal even when precise temperature measurements are taken.

Positioning

The appliance is not straight / the door is at an angle.

Ensure the appliance has been levelled using the adjustable feet. Place a spirit level on top of the appliance to check as you make the adjustment.

The appliance can no longer be switched off.

The child-safe control has been activated by pressing a button combination, preventing the appliance from being inadvertently switched off. Check your instruction manual on how to de-activate the child-safe control, if you need to switch off.

Refrigerator does not switch on straightaway when the control is set to a colder temperature.

The thermostat on refrigerators with automatic defrosting only switches the compressor on when the defrosting phase has ended. As the temperature at which the compressor is activated at the end of the defrosting phase remains constant, it cannot be changed by changing the setting on the thermostat. The thermostat will only switch the compressor back on once the defrosting phase is completely finished, no matter what the setting is changed to.

The compressor can switch on again only after a delay of e.g. 5-8 minutes has elapsed.

IceMaker

Appliance fails to produce ice cubes after start-up.

Ensure the water connection is supplying water and at the correct pressure (Refer to your user manual for information on water pressures). It may take up to 24 hours from start-up for the first ice cubes to be produced. Production will also be stopped if the drawer is not inserted or if it is full.

Noises

Some noises, e.g. compressor operating noises, fan noises and flow or injection noises, happen for technical reasons. Noises like humming, hissing, bubbling or gurgling are quite normal and do not effect the efficiency of the appliance.

Smells in the refrigerator

All materials and components used in a Liebherr appliance (including in the refrigeration system and insulation foam) are hygienically sound and cannot generate unpleasant smells. If a smell does develop after the appliance has been operational for a while (e.g. a rotten, mouldy or decaying smell), this can only be caused by something not connected with the appliance itself. As
there are many reasons for this, we have only listed the most common here:

A piece of food may have found its way onto the refrigerator compressor via the defrost water drain and evaporation tray. The residual heat given off by the compressor will cause food remnants (e.g. spilt milk) to emit unpleasant smells which can penetrate back into the appliance via the defrost water drain.
Residues of spilt liquids on the glass shelves, in the door seals etc.
Food that has gone off, e.g. after a long period of absence.
Residues in the defrost water on the rear wall of the interior (the condensed water on the rear wall may contain substances and micro-organisms that can cause smells to develop).

Heater

The chest freezer is warm on the outside.

Modern chest freezers are equipped with a device called an exterior skin condenser. This is a heat exchanger which is located immediately behind the exterior skin of the appliance and emits
the heat extracted from the interior into the air. It is therefore quite normal for the outside of the freezer to become warm.

The door frame / side wall of the freezer gets warm on the outside.

Many appliances have a front frame / side wall heater running right round the door frame / side wall to prevent condensation from forming.

Compartment liner of the refrigerator becomes warm inside at the front right or left. (Refrigerators with freezer compartment and winter heater)

Various refrigerators with a winter mode have a foamed-in radiant panel heater on the inside left or right wall (depending on the model). When the winter mode is activated, the heater has a heat output of approximately 7W. This causes the interior to heat up. When the appliance is running in low ambient temperatures of 10°C – 16°C or 10°C – 18°C, this heating is necessary in order to ensure that the appliance operates correctly. If the heater is not activated, the freezer compartment may not freeze properly.

Interior Light

The interior light of the refrigerator is lit (with half strength) even when the door is closed.

In low ambient temperatures, the freezing capacity can be insufficient in the freezer compartment. The interior light is controlled through the electronic control system or by activating the CoolPlus switch and burns at half strength. This ensures operation of the freezer compartment at the correct temperature.

Condensation

Drops of water on the inside rear wall of the refrigerator. Make sure the door closes properly and the seal and installation or set-up position are OK.

When the evaporator is running, ice forms on the rear wall because the humidity is being extracted from the interior of the appliance. During the idling phase of all appliances with automatic defrosting, the ice defrosts. Drops of water form; most of these run off into the drain channel and are evaporated by the heat from the compressor. Drops of water on the rear wall are therefore completely normal!

There is water on the floor of the appliance or on the glass shelves.

Reason: the drain in the middle of the drain channel on the inside rear wall of the appliance could be blocked. You can clear any food particles by placing a pipe cleaner, cotton bud or drinking straw into the drainage hole to clear any debris. Do not use solid objects like screwdrivers. Ensure that packaging of food is not touching the rear wall. Water can run along packaging onto shelving.

Condensation on the outside of the doors and/or side walls of a freezer.

Condensation may form on the outside of the freezer if it is located in a cool place with high humidity (e.g. in a cool basement during hot weather). This physical effect is usually only temporary.

SuperFrost

The compressor does not start straight away when the SuperFrost button is pressed. (Appliances with electronic controls).

If the compressor has just finished its cycle when you switch on the SuperFrost button, there can be a delay of upto 8 minutes before the compressor will switch back on. Press the SuperFrost button once and leave it. The compressor will switch back on when its timer has come to the end of its cycle.

Temperature

The temperature in the refrigerator compartment is too high. Appliances with manual winter heater.

The winter mode may have been unnecessarily activated. As described in the Operating Instructions, the winter heater should only be activated when the ambient temperature falls below 16°C or 18°C, depending on the model. If the winter heater is activated in higher ambient temperatures, this will cause the interior to heat up.

The temperature increases after placing food inside the appliance.

When you place fresh food inside the appliance, the inside of the appliance will automatically heat up slightly. If you place the food near the air temperature sensor in appliances with electronic controls, the temperature shown on the display may increase briefly. The audible warning signal may sound (this is normal – it does not indicate a fault).

As described in the Operating Instructions, the SuperFrost function should be switched on at least 24 hours before placing large quantities of frozen food in the freezer (up to the maximum quantity stated on the type plate (e.g. up to 30 kg in 24 hrs in the GSS 3166)).

The temperature in the appliance may rise to an inadmissible level and already frozen food may thaw or start to thaw, particularly when freezing large quantities of fresh produce. The freezing process may also take a very long time if too much fresh food is put inside the freezer.

The SuperFrost function reduces the temperature inside the freezer to a very low level. The low temperatures give the appliance and the food inside it a cold boost. Unfrozen food placed
inside the appliance will freeze more quickly with no effect on frozen food already in it.

When placing fresh produce in your freezer, distribute it evenly in the appliance and not all in one drawer. This will speed up the freezing process.

The temperature in the refrigerator compartment is too high / too low Appliances with mechanical controls.

The customer must set the thermostat to the required temperature. The usual setting on the old appliance (e.g. level 2) is not necessarily the right setting for a new appliance. The appliance may also need turning up higher during the summer than during the winter, as changes in the ambient temperature can affect the length of time the appliance runs.

Temperature fluctuations in the freezer compartment of a refrigerator.

Refrigerators with freezer compartments (including KD, KSD, CT, CU etc.) have only one refrigeration circuit. The refrigerator and freezer compartments are cooled simultaneously when the motor is running. The air temperature in the refrigerator and freezer compartments will therefore always be slightly colder towards the end of the running phase. While the motor is idle, i.e. during the defrost phase in the refrigerator compartment, the air temperature in both compartments will rise slightly. However the temperature of the food in the refrigerator and freezer compartments will not alter much, as every item in these compartments stores the cold. The level of temperature fluctuations may depend on several factors:

The quantity of frozen food inside the appliance: the more frozen food there is, the smaller the fluctuations because the frozen food stores the cold.
The ambient temperature: the colder the temperature where the appliance is installed, the less frequently the motor will run, and the greater the fluctuations will be. Appliances with a winter mode fitted should be activated as described in the Operating Instructions.

The temperature control should also be set at a medium setting (e.g. 4 out of 7) so that the food is kept sufficiently cold.

Temperature fluctuations in the refrigerator compartment. Appliances with automatic defrosting.

All refrigerators with automatic defrosting are defrosted every time the compressor switches off. The appliance will stop refrigerating until the heat emitted from the environment has completely
defrosted the rear wall evaporator. Drops of water will be visible on the rear wall during the defrosting phase.

The end of the defrosting phase is followed by an active phase again (compressor runs, appliance cools). It is therefore quite normal for the air temperature in the appliance to fluctuate during these active and idle phases.

Food in the freezer compartment starts thawing or thaws completely. Appliance located in a cool place.

If the ambient temperature around an appliance with one control circuit (e.g. KT, KD, KSD, CT, CU) is cool (lower than 16°C or 18°C), the freezer compartment may heat up (ice cream becomes soft). Activate the winter mode as described in the operating instructions.

Refrigerator does not cool but the display indicates 5°C or –18°C.

Possibly the demo mode is activated. The appliance may have been used as an exhibition model or the customer inadvertently activated the demo mode.

Icing Up

The freezer compartment ices up too much. Make sure the door closes properly and the seal and installation or set-up position are OK.

Humidity from the interior or part of the water content of the frozen food will settle on the cooling plate (plate evaporator, lamellar evaporator, drawer fronts) in the form of frost while the appliance
is running.

There are certain factors, like the humidity of the air around the appliance, the frequency with which the door is opened and the quality of the packaging, which can affect the amount of frosting
that occurs.