What Fault 42 Means
Fault 42 concerns the ice maker fill tube heater - a small element that stops the water tube freezing shut between fills. The module has measured it as short circuit. F&P notes that this problem produces no audio alarm, so it can sit in the log unnoticed, and the action is to check the heater resistance and replace it if it falls outside limits.
Common Causes of Fault 42
- A shorted fill tube heater element
- Moisture bridging the heater terminals
- Chafed heater wiring shorting to the chassis
🔧 One Safe Check You Can Try
No home test applies, but a sign worth reporting is ice forming at the point where water enters the tray, or cubes that arrive fused to one another - both point at a fill tube that is not being kept clear.
⚠ Why You Shouldn't Go Further Than That
- Unplug the refrigerator before the ice maker bay is opened, since the fill valve and the heater in there are mains-powered.
- Because this problem raises no audible alarm, it is often found alongside others, and clearing only the noisy one leaves this still active.
- A short that has been through the module may have affected its output, which needs checking rather than assuming.
- The fill tube is positioned to deliver water to a specific point in the tray, and one disturbed and refitted by eye spills down the compartment wall instead.
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.