Freezer not freezing
A freezer that runs but stays warm is usually blocked airflow or a failed defrost system — a heavy frost build-up is the giveaway.
Likely causes, ranked
- Failed auto-defrost Most likely — Frost more than 5 mm thick on the evaporator insulates it, so the freezer warms. Hotpoint E3/E5 point here.
- Door left open or seal leaking Likely — Hotpoint E9 is exactly this alarm: door ajar or high temperature. Check the seal and how the door closes.
- Overloaded or warm food loaded Likely — Large warm loads raise the temperature faster than the compressor can recover.
- Compressor or gas fault Less likely — The compressor runs constantly with no cooling, or never starts at all — a sealed-system problem for an engineer.
First checks
- Check the door shuts and seals cleanly.
- Move food away from the back wall and vents.
- If frost is heavy, defrost fully for 24 hours with the door open.
- After restart, give the freezer 12 hours to reach -18 °C.
- Note whether an E-code shows during recovery.
Safety
Unplug before defrosting. Never use knives or sharp tools on frost. Do not refreeze fully or partly thawed food.
Call a professional when…
No frost, seals fine, and the freezer still will not pull down to -18 °C — the sealed system or compressor needs an engineer.