What F3 / r3 (111-prefix) Means
F3 and r3 on 111-prefix Kenmore bottom-freezer refrigerators report a defrost heater as failed — F3 for the freezer evaporator, r3 for the fresh-food one. Without the heater, frost accumulates on the coil until airflow stops.
Common Causes of F3 / r3 (111-prefix)
- A defrost heater element gone open circuit
- Broken or corroded wiring at the heater terminals
- A defrost circuit fault on the control board
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
Note how quickly frost is returning after any manual defrost; a compartment that ices up again within days tells a technician the heater is genuinely dead rather than intermittently working.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- Unplug the refrigerator and let ice melt before the evaporator cover comes away — the heater sits against the coil at line voltage.
- Chipping ice off a coil to get at the heater bends fins and punctures tubing with alarming ease.
- Fitting a heater onto corroded terminals repeats the failure within a season.
Opening a panel to inspect or repair something yourself doesn't automatically cancel your manufacturer's warranty — but it can risk accidental damage, and some manufacturers do have specific service conditions. Check your product's warranty terms, or ask us, before deciding.