The indication of the 40E Error Code on the display of your Samsung refrigerator is a signal that your device is having issues with the ice-maker fan, which is located inside the freezer, behind its back panel.
This code may be accompanied by other combinations, such as 24E, which means the freezer doesn’t defrost like it has to, or 21E, saying that the cooler is out of order. Another code that may appear with the 40E is 1E, which stands for the defrost sensor malfunction.
What can cause the 40E Error?
The 40E error code usually appears on the display in case one of the elements of the defrosting system is out of order. Most often it is the fan, as it can easily get blocked by extra ice in the frozen camera, and its blades just stop moving or move slower than needed.
The motor of the fan can also be damaged, as well as the wiring, connecting the fan with the control board.
Another reason can be in the malfunction of the defrost sensor, which is responsible to send signals from the heater to the timer, and if it doesn’t work properly the system starts can’t stop the defrosting process and the temperature inside the freezer goes up.
One more explanation might be in the control panel breakage, which is the most rear, but still possible.
How to fix the 40E Error?
To start examinations and fixing your device, first, you need to take everything out of the freezer, including its back panel, and to melt the ice on its walls with the help of the hairdryer. Then wipe everything dry and put the back panel of the camera back. Now you can try to reset the error by pressing and holding two upper buttons, placed on the dispenser, for 5-10 secs.
This will help you eliminate the system malfunction from the list of possible reasons, so if the code is still indicated on the display, it means the cause of the error is in the fan or connected elements.
To start examinations the inner elements of the refrigerator, unplug it from the power. Begin with the defrost sensor, which is placed behind the back panel of the freezer, clipped on the upper part of the coil. Clean and check all its contacts with the multimeter, some may be fixed. If not, the whole sensor has to be replaced.
Proceed with checking the fan. As we already mentioned, there might be a problem with its impeller, motor, or wiring, so check all the elements.
The blades of the fan can be clogged with ice or dirt, so simply clean them. There can also be foreign objects, making the rotation difficult, so remove them. One of the blades (or all of them) can be broken and have to be replaced.
After you checked the impeller of the fan, proceed with its motor. It is the element, responsible for the rotation of the blades and is the most important in the proper work of the fan. You will need a multimeter to check whether it is out of order or not. The indication should be 7-12 V on cn62 1 and cn62 2. If you see the voltage is lower or higher, replace the motor, taking a photo of how it was connected, to install the new one properly.
If both the impeller and the motor operating normally, examine the wires around the fan with the multimeter. Probably there are some contacts which need to be cleaned or some wires to solder or fix. Check all the connections, as even the smallest breakage can stop the fan from rotating.
But what if the sensor and the fan are good? The only option left to check is the control board, which is a complicated electronic element of your device, responsible for all the operations.
To check whether it is the reason, you need the fan to be on, and while it is rotating, use the multimeter to measure the voltage on cn76 1 and cn76 2. But the first thing to do is pressing and holding EnergySaver and PowerCool for 10 secs until you hear a sound signal. After the voltage is measured, press PowerFreeze, which will slow the rotation. Measure the voltage at the slow speed.
If there is no difference in the indication, then the board is out of order. It is recommended to contact the service center for its professional diagnostic and repair, as reasons for its breakage may vary.