Written by
Julian Reed Appliance Care EditorPublished September 2, 2026Updated October 17, 2026
Content status:
Verified
Error codeE3
ApplianceRefrigerator
Quick answer
E3 is a Quattro Temp Zone sensor on one refrigerator manual and an upper frosting probe on the wine cooler.
Model compatibility: Bertazzoni reuses codes across series and model years, so E3 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
E3 is a Quattro Temp Zone sensor failure in the Bertazzoni REF36FDFZXNT manual and an open circuit on the upper zone frosting probe in the wine cooler manual.
Which E3 do you have?
Bertazzoni gives the number E3 two unrelated jobs. Start by checking whether the code is on a 36 inch refrigerator or on a wine cooler.
Appliance
Definition
REF36FDFZXNT refrigerator
Quattro Temp Zone sensor failure
Wine cooler
Upper zone frosting probe, open circuit
Refrigerator reading
The Quattro Temp Zone drawer has four preset temperature modes: meat and fish, beverages, deli and wine. E3 tells you the sensor behind that drawer has failed. Of the three refrigerator manuals we reference, only the REF36FDFZXNT one lists E3, so other models may never show it. The manual states neither a cause nor a procedure. For all codes it says the same three things: look at the temperature display, press any button to stop the chime, and expect the code to disappear after the problem is solved.
Wine cooler reading
For the cooler the open circuit refers to the frosting probe of the upper zone. Open means the probe does not close its electrical loop. Its short-circuit sibling is E4. The cooler manual gives this sequence:
Three tics from the buzzer tell you something is wrong.
The code is read on the display.
The on/off key releases the alarm.
A service technician handles the repair.
Keep them apart
Only the digit joins the two entries. A drawer zone sensor and a frosting probe are different parts in different appliances.
Nearby codes
E1: the fridge compartment sensor, or the cooler’s upper in-cabinet probe
For an E3 in Los Angeles, call (310) 987-4514. Tell us the appliance and read the model number from its nameplate; the refrigerator repair page has additional information.
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 Bertazzoni appliance?
Book a specialist visit for a clear estimate and approval before any repair.
Cooling loss is a symptom, not a diagnosis. A useful refrigerator visit separates airflow, defrost, sensing, door sealing and sealed-system faults before…
