Fridge Permanently switched on

[Jabberwocky]

Hi
Can anyone save me a trip to the dealer?
When my control panel is on the Fridge is on and I can't turn it off no matter what I do. It makes no difference if the Fridge icon is illuminated orange or red, the Fridge is on. I can go into the Fridge menu and "switch it off" and nothing happens, it stays on.
I have tried the reset button hold and no change.
The only way I can switch the fridge off is switch off the control panel.
Edit: Checked for errors in control box menu and non shown.
Any ideas?

 

[AlanC]

Sorry Rik, if you have tried the fridge menu and the top right button, then that looks like a trip to a dealer.

Alan

 

[GrannyJen]

Sadly I also must agree with the above. Sorry

 

[Jabberwocky]

Hi
Can anyone save me a trip to the dealer?
When my control panel is on the Fridge is on and I can't turn it off no matter what I do. It makes no difference if the Fridge icon is illuminated orange or red, the Fridge is on. I can go into the Fridge menu and "switch it off" and nothing happens, it stays on.
I have tried the reset button hold and no change.
The only way I can switch the fridge off is switch off the control panel.
Edit: Checked for errors in control box menu and non shown.
Any ideas?

Any thoughts @VW Guru ?

 

[DM]

Does the control panel ‘think’ it is turning the fridge off / on? If it does then it suggests that the main power ‘switch’ is stuck in an on position. My instinct is a control panel issue rather than fridge itself but like others I fear a trip to the dealer is on the cards.

 

[ArunAlec]

Does the control panel ‘think’ it is turning the fridge off / on? If it does then it suggests that the main power ‘switch’ is stuck in an on position. My instinct is a control panel issue rather than fridge itself but like others I fear a trip to the dealer is on the cards.

Agree, it does sound like a software issue but I would have thought a full reset of the control unit would have cleared it. Might be worth another go at a reset and leaving it powered down for a couple of hours.

 

[DM]

If reset doesn’t work then it suggests a component in the control panel. Incredibly unlucky as electronic hardware is incredibly reliable these days. Is it still under warranty?

 

[VW Guru]

Any thoughts @VW Guru ?

Hi @Jabberwocky it sounds like a control unit failure to me but just let me check the wiring diagrams at work tomorrow and I will let you know

 

[Jabberwocky]

Is it still under warranty?

Fortunately yes but just trying to avoid the trip to a dealer........

 

[pjm-84]

Should be, as he has only just bought it!

 

[Meoncoast]

Never seen the red light on the fridge switch

 

[Jabberwocky]

Does the control panel ‘think’ it is turning the fridge off / on? If it does then it suggests that the main power ‘switch’ is stuck in an on position. My instinct is a control panel issue rather than fridge itself but like others I fear a trip to the dealer is on the cards.

Yes, the control panel shows the fridge as being off but in fact it is not! You can select "on" and "off" again but the fridge is still on! Can only switch fridge off by switching off the whole control panel.

 

[Emil Silenhag]

If you have a friend with a Calli you should try another control panel.
You should also check the hidden menu (multi-knob + return) for fault codes...

 

[Jabberwocky]

Update @VW Guru. Over night the control unit was switched off and the Fridge was not on - it was the only way to switch Fridge off. This morning - switch on Control Panel. Fridge remains off! Use Fridge menu to try to switch on and top right button flashes on and off - fridge is still off although menu says its on. Leave control panel on. Return to Vehicle after 10 minutes - Fridge on although menu says off. Something very odd is going on.
EDIT: No Error codes showing.

 

[VW Guru]

Update @VW Guru. Over night the control unit was switched off and the Fridge was not on - it was the only way to switch Fridge off. This morning - switch on Control Panel. Fridge remains off! Use Fridge menu to try to switch on and top right button flashes on and off - fridge is still off although menu says its on. Leave control panel on. Return to Vehicle after 10 minutes - Fridge on although menu says off. Something very odd is going on.
EDIT: No Error codes showing.

Hi so looking at the wiring diagrams you have a permanent feed and earth to the fridge the feed is from the battery under the seat via fuse sh19 under the seat. The fridge is switched on via a single wire data connection between the control unit and fridge my suspicion is the control unit is sending the wrong signal to the control unit of the fridge but just to make sure pull out fuse 19 under the seat and leave the fridge control unit to shut down about 30mins then connect the fuse back up this should have stored a fault in the control unit if it has the data wire and control unit are ok leaving the control unit at fault if no fault code is present then it could be either a fridge control unit fault or the data wire has an issue.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Hi so looking at the wiring diagrams you have a permanent feed and earth to the fridge the feed is from the battery under the seat via fuse sh19 under the seat. The fridge is switched on via a single wire data connection between the control unit and fridge my suspicion is the control unit is sending the wrong signal to the control unit of the fridge but just to make sure pull out fuse 19 under the seat and leave the fridge control unit to shut down about 30mins then connect the fuse back up this should have stored a fault in the control unit if it has the data wire and control unit are ok leaving the control unit at fault if no fault code is present then it could be either a fridge control unit fault or the data wire has an issue.

Thanks, VWG, I’ll try the fuse removal tomorrow. Not able to check tonight.

 

[JudeT]

Watching this thread with interest @Jabberwocky as we have a similar issue with our fridge. However we did have an ‘incident’ with a bottle of Fairy liquid in the bottom right cupboard! The lid came off whilst travelling & washing up liquid seeped into the wiring. Fridge comes on intermittently & can only be switched off by removing fuse 19. Taking van in to our local dealer tomorrow
Control panel shows error 3101

 

[WelshGas]

Watching this thread with interest @Jabberwocky as we have a similar issue with our fridge. However we did have an ‘incident’ with a bottle of Fairy liquid in the bottom right cupboard! The lid came off whilst travelling & washing up liquid seeped into the wiring. Fridge comes on intermittently & can only be switched off by removing fuse 19. Taking van in to our local dealer tomorrow
Control panel shows error 3101

Error 3101 - Fuse Error
Probably related to your removal of Fuse 19.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Watching this thread with interest @Jabberwocky as we have a similar issue with our fridge. However we did have an ‘incident’ with a bottle of Fairy liquid in the bottom right cupboard! The lid came off whilst travelling & washing up liquid seeped into the wiring. Fridge comes on intermittently & can only be switched off by removing fuse 19. Taking van in to our local dealer tomorrow
Control panel shows error 3101

Pls let me know how you get on. Thanks

 

[JudeT]

Pls let me know how you get on. Thanks

Will do

 

[Jabberwocky]

Up date! Fuse 19 removed. Replaced after 30 mins. Problem still exists. Control panel removed and replaced with known working unit. Problem still exists. Fridge control unit??? How big a job is it to replace?

 

[MattBW]

As far as I am aware its just a circuit board and not a big job. Many folks out of warranty often remove and send theirs off to Penguin for testing.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Dropped Cali into dealer today - too complex for me now.
Thx for all help and advice @VW Guru , @MattBW
My view? A dry soldered joint in the fridge control unit.......
Will report when sorted.

 

[MattBW]

Hope they sort it quickly for you, of course VW will tend to just replace the whole fridge but that probably would work too.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Hope they sort it quickly for you, of course VW will tend to just replace the whole fridge but that probably would work too.

Oo....er.....replace fridge? What does that entail in terms of work? Kitchen removal for example?
Supposed to be going away tomorrow. No news from the dealer so far.