Hotpoint refrigerators usually stop cooling because of heavy dust on the condenser coils or a failed evaporator fan motor. I recommend checking for frost buildup on the back panel of the freezer first to see if the defrost cycle is working.
Ignore this long enough and you're looking at spoiled groceries and a compressor that burns out from overwork, and then you're paying way more than you had to. Most of the time when I show up to a Hotpoint that's not cooling, it's dusty coils or a frozen evaporator. Catch it early and you're spending 10 bucks on a start relay. Wait a month and you might need a whole compressor.
OK so here's the deal with Hotpoint fridges specifically. These units run GE-era compressor platforms, which means they share a ton of parts and failure patterns with older GE models. The most common call I get is frost completely blocking the evaporator coils behind the back panel in the freezer. Second most common is a rattly start relay that costs about eight bucks and takes ten minutes to swap. Start there before you do anything else.
Most Likely Causes
Based on aggregated repair data, here is the probability breakdown for this error code:
Dirty Condenser Coils35%
Evaporator Fan Failure25%
Defrost System Malfunction20%
Start Relay Failure15%
Control Board or Thermostat5%
Symptoms You May Notice
Refrigerator section is warm but freezer is cold
Both compartments are warm
Clicking noise coming from the back
Constant running without reaching temperature
Ice buildup on the freezer back wall
Can you reset a Hotpoint refrigerator to clear the NOT-COOLING code?
Unplug the fridge for at least 5 full minutes, not just 30 seconds. Most Hotpoint models don't have a button-based reset, the control board just clears when power cycles completely. After plugging back in, give it 24 hours before you decide it's still broken. Set fresh food to 37°F and freezer to 0°F. If your model uses a dial, start at 5 out of 9. The compressor might not kick on immediately after restart, that's totally normal.
Tools Required for Diagnosis
Phillips #2 screwdriverFlat-head screwdriver1/4 inch nut driver5/16 inch nut driverDigital multimeterVacuum with narrow brush attachmentCondenser coil cleaning brushHair dryer (for manual defrost)FlashlightWork gloves
Diagnostic Checklist
Follow these steps in order. We start with the easiest external fixes before opening up the machine.
ComponentComponent Under Test
Expected Range10–50 ohms
ConditionIf Open (OL) or infinite, replace component.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my freezer cold but the refrigerator section is warm?
Classic defrost failure or a stuck air damper. The most likely culprit is evaporator coils that are completely iced over in the freezer. The freezer still feels cold because you're right next to the coils, but no air can circulate through that ice wall into the fridge section. Pull the back panel in the freezer and see if it's a solid block of ice. The other thing to check is the air damper, a little flap between the two compartments. If it's frozen shut or the motor failed, cold air can't pass through even if everything else is working perfectly fine.
How do I know if my Hotpoint compressor is bad?
First rule out the start relay. It's way cheaper and fails way more often. If the relay's good and you've got voltage to the compressor but it still won't start, try this: measure ohms between any two of the three terminals on the compressor (start, run, common). You should read about 4 to 10 ohms on each pair. Infinity on any pair means a winding is open and the compressor is cooked. Also if it runs but the lines never get cold, it might be running but not pumping, which is internal failure. At that point you're usually better off pricing a new fridge.
What should the temperature settings be on a Hotpoint fridge?
Fresh food at 37°F, freezer at 0°F. If yours has a dial numbered 1 through 9, start at 5. Don't crank it to 9 thinking it'll cool faster. All that does is make the coils run colder, which actually causes them to frost up faster if there's any humidity getting in. Give it 24 hours after any adjustment before you mess with the settings again. The fridge needs time to stabilize. And if you just loaded it up with warm groceries, that'll throw temps off for a few hours. That's totally normal, not a problem.
Can a bad door seal cause cooling problems?
Yeah, absolutely, and it's something a lot of people overlook. A torn or warped gasket lets warm humid air sneak in constantly. That humidity hits the cold evaporator coils and freezes, and over time it builds up faster than the defrost cycle can melt it off. Eventually you end up with the same outcome as a failed defrost heater: total ice blockage, no airflow, warm fridge. Test yours by closing the door on a dollar bill. You should feel real resistance when you pull it out. If it slides right out with no drag, the gasket's shot.
How much does it cost to fix a Hotpoint refrigerator that's not cooling?
Depends completely on what's wrong. Start relay is like 10 bucks and you can do it yourself in ten minutes. Evaporator fan motor runs 25 to 60 dollars for the part. Defrost heater and thermostat together are maybe 30 to 50 in parts. A control board, if it comes to that, can run 100 to 200 dollars. Labor on top of parts usually runs another 100 to 200 for a tech visit. Compressor? You're probably looking at 300 to 500 all in, and at that point ask yourself how old the fridge is. I had a customer spend 400 bucks fixing a compressor on an 11-year-old Hotpoint last month. I told him to just buy a new one. He didn't listen.
Models Known to Experience NOT-COOLING Errors
This repair applies to most Hotpoint refrigerators with this error code. Common model numbers include: