Code 18: the freezer fan pulls too much current. Wiring check, then the fan.
Model compatibility: Fisher & Paykel reuses codes across series and model years, so 18 may mean something different on another appliance or generation. Confirm this against your model’s documentation and record your full model number before acting.
Plain language
What this code means
The FC fan draws more current than expected, from shorted wiring or a faulty fan.
A flashing 18 means the control has found the FC fan consuming more current than it should. The Active Smart service manual gives shorted wiring or a faulty fan as the explanations. It closes the manual’s run of fan codes, which goes from 15 to 18.
How the manual reads codes
The manual picks 18 as its sample. The LEDs that flash are binary values, and the two lit in the example are worth 2 and 16, so they add to 18. When you must describe the lights to someone, name the LEDs that are on rather than guessing at a number.
The checks, in order
The wiring and connections of the FC fan, at the fan end and at the power module end.
The fan itself, replaced if it is faulty.
No owner steps are listed, and the fans on these units connect to mains-powered parts, so leave this to service.
Why wiring is checked first
For a fan with excess current, the manual separates a short in the wiring from a fan that has failed, and it puts the wiring check ahead of the fan check. Neither the freezer contents nor the door seals are suggested as the cause anywhere in it.
Important safety warning. Do not attempt repairs involving electrical components, gas, water lines, refrigerant or sealed systems. Unplug the appliance if it is safe to reach the outlet, and leave internal diagnostics to a qualified technician.
Seeing this code on your Fisher & Paykel appliance?
Book a specialist visit for a clear estimate and approval before any repair.
