Samsung Refrigerators2012–present

Error Code R3

Refrigerator compressor will not operate or is operating abnormally

Critical

Stop using immediately - risk of damage or safety issue

Also displayed as: R3 LED blink

What This Means

Compressor fails to start; Short circuit between compressor terminals; Short between IPM (Intelligent Power Module) pins; IPM module fault detected; Abnormal current detected; Motor restriction or locked rotor; Excessive RPM detected; Shunt resistance failure; Low input voltage; Over voltage condition

What actually causes this:

Usually caused by electrical failure in the inverter circuit, compressor winding failure, or lack of proper input voltage

First Thing to Check

Verify the unit has proper 115V AC input power and measure the voltage at the compressor terminals

Parts Involved

Compressor (MKV172C-L2J)Inverter PCBIPM ModuleShunt Resistance

How to Fix

  1. 1

    Check for short between compressor terminals

  2. 2

    Check for short between IPM pins

  3. 3

    Inspect compressor and refrigeration cycle integrity

  4. 4

    Measure input voltage to unit

  5. 5

    Check shunt resistance (R1) condition

  6. 6

    Turn off refrigerator for 5 minutes then turn on

  7. 7

    Observe if error clears or persists

This Error Applies To

Samsung RF221NCTAS Series Refrigerators (2012) (2012–present)

Service manual exact match: RF221NCTASRService manual exact match: RF221NCTASPService manual exact match: RF221NCTABCService manual exact match: RF221NCTAWWService manual exact match: RF221NCTASLService manual exact match: RF220NCTASGService manual exact match: RF220NCTASRService manual exact match: RF220NCTASP+2 more

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