Kenmore Elite refrigerator sensor error codes such as Er rt, Er SS, Er IS, Er HS, Er FS and Er rS appear on LG-built Kenmore refrigerators with a 795 or 796 model prefix, and each one names a specific sensor that has shorted or disconnected. This list gathers the sensor codes and the closely related fan, ice maker and communication codes from the code pages on our site, with what each page says it means and what part a technician would test. If your model number does not start with 795 or 796, these codes do not apply to your refrigerator, because other builders use different code sets.
Which Kenmore Elite refrigerators use these sensor codes?
Our code pages say these codes apply to LG-built Kenmore refrigerators with a 795 or 796 prefix. One of our model pages, the 795.72063.11, is described as an LG-built Kenmore Elite refrigerator line, confirmed by its 795 model prefix. Our Kenmore model number decoder explains how to read the prefix on your own refrigerator. If the first three digits are 253, 587, 106 or 363, you have a Frigidaire, Whirlpool or GE build and a different code set, and our guides say to check the chart that matches your builder before you trust a code.
What do the temperature sensor codes mean?
Each of the six codes in the table above names one sensor. The Er rt page lists the usual signs: the display shows the code, cooling behavior can seem inconsistent, and other cooling functions may otherwise seem normal. The component on each page is the sensor and its wiring, so the fault is a failed sensor or a bad connection, not the compressor.
- Er rt affects how the control adjusts cooling for the kitchen temperature. Our page lists the room or ambient temperature sensor and its wiring, rated medium severity.
- Er rS and Er FS are the fresh-food and freezer sensors, each rated medium severity on our pages.
- Er SS applies to models with a dedicated pantry or special-temperature drawer and is rated low severity.
- Er IS is the ice-maker sensor, rated medium severity.
- Er HS is the humidity sensor, including the crisper drawer humidity control, rated low severity.
Which other Er codes look like sensor codes but are not?
Several two-letter codes on the same refrigerators describe other parts, and they are easy to confuse with the sensor codes. Our pages give these meanings:
For the two most common, read our Er FF guide and Er CO guide. The Er FF page also notes that the same letters on a GE-built Kenmore mean a warm frozen-food section rather than a fan failure, which is why the prefix matters.
What can you check yourself when a code appears?
The pages agree on one safe step: power-cycle the refrigerator at the breaker and check whether the code clears, and do not repeat resets if it returns immediately. For Er gF, the page says to power-cycle and retest the dispenser, and that a persistent code with adequate water pressure needs the flow meter tested. Beyond that, a sensor fault is a technician job, because it means testing the sensor and its wiring, and sometimes replacing the control or display board. Do not pull panels or unplug connectors yourself, and switch the breaker off if you see water near electrical parts. Write down the exact code, the model number and whether the refrigerator is still cold, and take a thermometer reading of both compartments. Our refrigerator diagnostics guide explains how to take those readings.
Each code also has its own page with the component list and severity: Er rt, Er rS, Er FS, Er SS, Er IS and Er HS. If more than one code appears at the same time, write them all down in the order they show, because the pattern helps the technician decide where to look, including the wiring and the control board. Do not guess; let the technician test it.
What about codes that are not on our pages?
If you searched for a code such as Er CL, we do not have a page for it, so we do not state a meaning for it. Check the owner’s manual for your exact model, and do not assume it is one of the codes above. The same goes for any code that does not start with Er on an LG-built unit. When a code is unclear, a technician can read the control and test the sensors directly.
When should you call a technician?
Call if the code returns after a reset, if the refrigerator is warm, if frost is building or if a high-severity code (Er FF or Er CF) appears. Keep perishable food above 40°F for no more than about four hours. Our Kenmore refrigerator repair technicians test sensors, fans, ice maker parts and boards. We are an independent repair company, not a factory service arm, and the part is matched from your model and serial number. You can book a visit with the code and model ready.
