VERIFIED
The settling-in period
A new or newly relocated refrigerator needs a little time. Door openings, ambient temperature and food load all shape how it schedules cooling and defrost. During those first weeks, status messages such as E28 are not unusual, and they tend to fade as the control finds its rhythm. A message that fades on its own is different from one that returns after the temperatures have already settled.
What a new owner sees
The note appears for a short time, sometimes at night. The freezer may frost a touch more than expected in the first days. There may be a faint trickling sound as meltwater drains. None of this alone suggests a defect, but it is wise to record it. Light frost and the sound of meltwater are part of the defrost cycle working, not faults by themselves.
Install details that matter
- Is the cabinet level, with the front slightly higher than the back?
- Did the installer leave the required air gap at the sides and top?
- Was the unit left upright for several hours before powering up?
- Is the freezer stocked gradually rather than all at once?
What to monitor
Take temperature readings morning and evening for the first week. The fresh-food section should settle near 37 degrees F and the freezer near 0 degrees F. If both reach those levels and the code goes away, your refrigerator is simply adapting.
When to ask for help
If the code persists beyond the first couple of weeks, or if frost thickens quickly, the defrost heater, the sensor and the board output are examined. Newly installed units can also have a shipping-related fault, so a persistent code deserves attention early rather than late. Persistent frost together with a persistent code points toward the defrost system, while a code with normal frost and temperatures is more likely informational.
Small outside checks
Verify the door seals by feeling for even closure, confirm the unit is level, and make sure no packaging remains behind the cabinet. A tidy surrounding keeps air flowing.
A kind word on patience
Patience for a few days, plus a thermometer, is the best first treatment. If the readings are healthy, the message can safely be treated as an information note.
Keep a copy of the delivery paperwork handy so the technician can see the installation date alongside the first appearance of the code.
Why early reports are useful
A refrigerator that shows a code from the first week gives the technician a clean timeline. Nothing has had time to wear or collect dust, so a genuine fault stands out clearly and a settling-in message is easy to dismiss with confidence.
Frequently asked questions
Status messages are not unusual in the first weeks while the control learns usage patterns.
About 37 degrees F in the fresh-food section and about 0 degrees F in the freezer.
If the code persists beyond a couple of weeks, mention the installation details when you book service.
Not necessarily. Meltwater draining during defrost can make that sound.
Model compatibility: Bertazzoni reuses codes across series and model years, so E28 may mean something different on another appliance or generation. Confirm this against your model’s documentation and record your full model number before acting.
