Samsung Refrigerator Error Code 88 8a – Troubleshooting Guide

Suppose you find that the freezer compartment is a little warm in your Samsung refrigerator, and it’s showing you the 88 8a error code. If that’s the case, then you’ve come to the right place.

The 88 8a error code on a Samsung refrigerator means that the appliance can’t detect any movement from the evaporator fan in the freezer compartment. That is most likely due to an ice buildup that’s stopping the fan blades from turning. However, it’s also possible the fan motor is faulty or that the main control board has a problem.

As you continue reading, you’ll discover more about this error code and how you can fix it.

When you see the 88 8a error code (sometimes seen as 8a 88 instead), it means that your Samsung refrigerator doesn’t sense the freezer fan turning. 

This error code could mean that there’s a problem with the fan itself. However, it could also mean that other components are faulty and fail to communicate with the fan, as they should.

Read: Samsung Refrigerator Error Code 40 E

What Are The Fans Inside A Fridge?

There are several fans inside your Samsung refrigerator. In the case of the 88 8a error code, we’re focusing on the evaporator fan located inside the freezer compartment.

When that fan works correctly, it forces cold air to distribute evenly throughout the freezer compartment. As a result, all of your food items inside can cool down to the temperature that you’ve set for the freezer.

Unfortunately, when that fan fails, some parts of the freezer will become warmer than others. That is because the items inside will not freeze evenly without that fan working, even if all the other refrigerator components are working correctly.

The most likely triggers for the 88 8a error code are an ice buildup, a faulty fan motor, or a problem with the main control board.

Here’s more information on each part and what you can do to fix them.

Ice Buildup In Fan Blades

What it is: Any evaporator fan, including the one inside the freezer compartment, consists of a motor and fan blades. Those blades will force air to move whenever they turn, ensuring that cold air is equally distributed and reaches all compartment parts.

How it fails: Unfortunately, moving air can sometimes carry moisture along with it. That’s especially true if the compartment door has been left open for too long or if warm air is somehow leaking in through a damaged door seal.

When that happens, ice and frost will gradually build up around the evaporator fan. As the buildup becomes more and more severe, the ice will block the movement of the fan blades, stopping them from turning at all.

In worse cases, the fan blades could also get damaged as they turn and hit the ice buildup repeatedly.

How to fix it: The only safe way to get rid of an ice buildup is to defrost the freezer and let the ice melt by itself. To do that, you must turn the refrigerator off and leave the freezer door open. This process can take many hours as the ice melts slowly but thoroughly.

Warning: Do not use any equipment like hair dryers or heat guns. There are plenty of plastic parts inside your freezer, such as the compartment walls and the fan blades themselves. Using a focused blast of heat could warp or melt them, causing more damage.

Read: 5 Reasons Why Samsung Fridge Not Cooling + Service Manual

Faulty Freezer Fan Motor

What it is: As mentioned before, fan blades turn to force cold air throughout the freezer compartment. Turning those fan blades is a motor connected to the fridge’s main control board.

When the freezer isn’t cold enough, the fan motor will receive power and signals to turn on.

The motor will turn off once the freezer is cold enough.

How it fails: The freezer fan motor can overheat and burn out with extended use. That’s especially true if there was an ice buildup around the fan blades, as described in the previous section.

For example, those ice build-ups will prevent the fan blades from turning smoothly. As a result, the fan motor works extra hard to turn the blades. At some point, the motor will work too hard and burn itself out, preventing it from working at all.

How to fix it: A faulty freezer fan motor must be replaced. To start, disconnect all power from the Samsung refrigerator to prevent injury and electrocution.

Suppose you find that the freezer compartment is a little warm in your Samsung refrigerator, and it’s showing you the 88 8a error code. If that’s the case, then you’ve come to the right place.

The 88 8a error code on a Samsung refrigerator means that the appliance can’t detect any movement from the evaporator fan in the freezer compartment. That is most likely due to an ice buildup that’s stopping the fan blades from turning. However, it’s also possible the fan motor is faulty or that the main control board has a problem.

As you continue reading, you’ll discover more about this error code and how you can fix it.

When you see the 88 8a error code (sometimes seen as 8a 88 instead), it means that your Samsung refrigerator doesn’t sense the freezer fan turning. 

This error code could mean that there’s a problem with the fan itself. However, it could also mean that other components are faulty and fail to communicate with the fan, as they should.

Read: Samsung Refrigerator Error Code 40 E

What Are The Fans Inside A Fridge?

There are several fans inside your Samsung refrigerator. In the case of the 88 8a error code, we’re focusing on the evaporator fan located inside the freezer compartment.

When that fan works correctly, it forces cold air to distribute evenly throughout the freezer compartment. As a result, all of your food items inside can cool down to the temperature that you’ve set for the freezer.

Unfortunately, when that fan fails, some parts of the freezer will become warmer than others. That is because the items inside will not freeze evenly without that fan working, even if all the other refrigerator components are working correctly.

The most likely triggers for the 88 8a error code are an ice buildup, a faulty fan motor, or a problem with the main control board.

Here’s more information on each part and what you can do to fix them.

Ice Buildup In Fan Blades

What it is: Any evaporator fan, including the one inside the freezer compartment, consists of a motor and fan blades. Those blades will force air to move whenever they turn, ensuring that cold air is equally distributed and reaches all compartment parts.

How it fails: Unfortunately, moving air can sometimes carry moisture along with it. That’s especially true if the compartment door has been left open for too long or if warm air is somehow leaking in through a damaged door seal.

When that happens, ice and frost will gradually build up around the evaporator fan. As the buildup becomes more and more severe, the ice will block the movement of the fan blades, stopping them from turning at all.

In worse cases, the fan blades could also get damaged as they turn and hit the ice buildup repeatedly.

How to fix it: The only safe way to get rid of an ice buildup is to defrost the freezer and let the ice melt by itself. To do that, you must turn the refrigerator off and leave the freezer door open. This process can take many hours as the ice melts slowly but thoroughly.

Warning: Do not use any equipment like hair dryers or heat guns. There are plenty of plastic parts inside your freezer, such as the compartment walls and the fan blades themselves. Using a focused blast of heat could warp or melt them, causing more damage.

Read: 5 Reasons Why Samsung Fridge Not Cooling + Service Manual

Faulty Freezer Fan Motor

What it is: As mentioned before, fan blades turn to force cold air throughout the freezer compartment. Turning those fan blades is a motor connected to the fridge’s main control board.

When the freezer isn’t cold enough, the fan motor will receive power and signals to turn on.

The motor will turn off once the freezer is cold enough.

How it fails: The freezer fan motor can overheat and burn out with extended use. That’s especially true if there was an ice buildup around the fan blades, as described in the previous section.

For example, those ice build-ups will prevent the fan blades from turning smoothly. As a result, the fan motor works extra hard to turn the blades. At some point, the motor will work too hard and burn itself out, preventing it from working at all.

How to fix it: A faulty freezer fan motor must be replaced. To start, disconnect all power from the Samsung refrigerator to prevent injury and electrocution.