Fridge Stuck In Vacation or Holiday Mode? 3 Steps To Fix

Are you trying to stop your fridge from being stuck in vacation mode?

Get in line! You wouldn’t believe how many people I’ve seen struggle with this issue. I know how frustrating it can be to have this happen, especially when you can’t understand what’s causing the problem.

Luckily, you came to the right place for answers.

If your fridge is stuck in vacation or holiday mode, please make sure the child lock is not enabled and reset your refrigerator. But, if that doesn’t work, you might need to replace the control board.

Keep reading to learn more about these fixes!

How to Turn Off Vacation Mode on Your Fridge?

If you love traveling, you’ll probably agree with me that having a fridge that offers a Vacation or Holiday mode is very convenient.

This feature keeps the freezer running normally, but maintains the internal temperature of the other compartments at 59 °F (15 °C).  This can help you save energy while you’re away on holiday or on a business trip.

But, how can you disable this mode?

Simple! You’ll just need to press and hold the Vacation or Holiday button for three seconds. If the button has a LED light, wait until it turns off.

Bear in mind that the process of deactivating Vacation mode may vary depending on your fridge’s model number. This is why I recommend checking your manual first.

What to Do if Your Fridge Is Stuck in Vacation or Holiday Mode: 3 Steps

If you’ve pressed the button for three seconds, but your fridge is still stuck on Vacation or Holiday mode, you’ll need to check some of its settings and compartments.

Below, I’ve prepared a list of 3 fixes you should try to get rid of the issue:

#1 Make Sure the Child Lock Is Not Enabled

Most modern fridges come with a Child Lock feature that keeps children from accidentally changing the settings.

So, if your fridge’s child lock is turned on, you won’t be able to make changes on the control panel.

Don’t worry, though. You can easily solve the issue by disabling the child lock.

To do it, you’ll just need to press the “Child Lock” button (or the lock icon) for three seconds. On some models, you may need to press the “Ice Off” button.

Bear in mind that this process may vary depending on the model and brand you own, so please check your manual for detailed instructions.

#2 Reset Your Refrigerator

Most modern fridges use computer chips to operate. Some of them can even connect to the Internet and automatically adjust their temperature.

As you can imagine, refrigerators, just like computers, are vulnerable to coding bugs and glitches that can prevent the control panel from responding.

So, if your fridge is stuck in Vacation or Holiday mode, you might want to perform a hard reset.

Similar to computers or phones, resetting your fridge can help you get rid of any glitches that were causing the error.

To hard reset your refrigerator, you’ll need to unplug it from the power source and wait for at least 10 minutes. Then, plug it back into the wall outlet.

If you can’t reach behind your fridge to unplug it, turn it off at the circuit breaker and wait for at least 10 minutes. Then, turn it back on.

I always recommend checking your manual before resetting your fridge, as this process may vary.

#3 Replace the Control Board

If resetting your fridge didn’t do the trick, there’s a good chance your control board is faulty.

This board is responsible for controlling major components and all of your fridge’s functions, it’s essentially the brain of your refrigerator.

Unfortunately, if it’s damaged, you won’t be able to turn off the Vacation or Holiday mode and your fridge won’t work as intended.

Replacing the control board is not as simple as replacing other components, such as the door gasket. This is why I recommend calling a professional.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the control board is one of the most expensive components to replace, since it can cost up to $800. So, you might want to check if your fridge is still under warranty, and if it’s not, you should consider buying a new one.

Finding Your Fridge’s Manual

As mentioned before, the process of disabling the child lock and resetting your fridge can vary depending on the model and brand you own.

This is why I strongly recommend checking your manual.

If you can’t find it, please search for a label on the back, interior, or sides of your refrigerator. This label includes the model number.

Then, go to Google and search for the model number and brand. For example, if you have a Whirlpool fridge, you’ll need to type “Whirlpool [model number] Refrigerator Manual PDF” in the search bar.

You can also go to the manufacturer’s website and search for the model number there.

Once you’ve found the manual, try downloading it.

How to Check if Your Fridge Is Under Warranty

As mentioned before, if your fridge has a faulty control board, you might want to check if your fridge is still under warranty, as this component can be expensive.

If you purchased your fridge one year ago, it might still be under warranty. But, please verify this.

When you bought your fridge, you probably received some documents that contain the warranty length and information.

If you can’t find those documents, don’t worry. You can easily learn more about your warranty by entering the manufacturer’s website.

You can also try contacting the retailer since they usually save information about their customers’ transactions.

Conclusion

Hopefully, now that we’ve covered everything, you’ll be able to stop your fridge from being stuck on Holiday or Vacation mode.

If you take anything away, please let it be that you can solve the issue by making sure the child lock isn’t enabled and by resetting your fridge to get rid of any glitches.

But, if that didn’t do the trick, remember that you might need to replace the control board. Don’t forget to check if your fridge is still under warranty.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this article. If you ever experience a different issue while using your fridge or any other appliance, please visit our site or check our related posts below.

Have a wonderful rest of the day!