Hotpoint Refrigerator Control Board

The electronic control board (PCB) that reads the dials, buttons and sensors and switches the motor, heater, pump and valves.

DifficultyModerate

Typical time30 to 60 minutes

ToolsScrewdrivers, Phone for photographs of the connectors

Safety. Unplug the appliance before you start and keep food cold elsewhere while you work. Never pierce the sealed cooling system.

Signs it has failed

The appliance is completely dead, or the display is blank or garbled
Buttons or the programme selector do nothing, or the cycle jumps or stops
A fault code that keeps returning after the named part has been replaced
Visible scorching, swollen components or a burning smell on the board

Check before you buy

Check the supply, fuse, plug and any door switch first, since these cause the same symptoms
Look for water ingress, corrosion or burnt tracks on the board
Rule out the part named by the fault code (pump, sensor, element) before blaming the board

What replacing it fixes: if the signs above match your refrigerator and the checks point to this part, fitting a new one should clear those faults. If the symptoms continue, the cause is elsewhere (a control board, a sensor or a blocked vent or hose).

How to replace it

Unplug the appliance (and turn the water off if it has a water supply)
Remove the panel to reach the board and photograph every connector and its position
Unplug the connectors and release the board from its clips or screws
Fit the new board with the connectors in exactly the same positions
Refit the panel, restore power and run a short test

Guide steps are typical for this type of part. Layouts differ between models, so follow your own manual where it differs.

Getting the right part

Boards are specific to the exact model and often to its software. Match the part number printed on the old board, then your model and serial number. Repaired or refurbished boards are common, so check what you are buying.

Check your model number first. It is on the rating plate — usually inside the door frame, on the back or side panel, or inside the appliance. Parts that look identical often differ by model, so match the number to the listing before you order.