Refrigerator and Freezer Temperature Settings

General Temperature Setting Information

• In products with an electronic control panel, the refrigerator set to 38°F (3°C) and the freezer set to 0°F (-18°C) are ideal food storage temperatures.
• For products with a numbered dial control, refer to How to Set a Dial Control Refrigerator or Freezer.
• Storing food above 45°F is not safe.
• Always allow 24 hours for unit to reach new temperature setting.
• If the unit will not maintain set temperature, refer to Warm Refrigerator Troubleshooting or Warm Freezer Troubleshooting for more information.
• For units running too cold, verify the proper temperature units (°F or °C) appear. Refer to Extremely Cold Temperature on Display for instructions to change the display temperature units (°F or °C).

To change the units from Celsius to Fahrenheit or vice versa, see also:

• Refrigerators and Freezers:
  • Designer (Formerly Integrated) Series Temperature Unit Selection
  • Classic (Formerly Built-In) Series Temperature Unit Selection
  • 700 Series Temperature Unit Selection
  • 600 Series Temperature Unit Selection
  • 400 Series and WS-30 Temperature Unit Selection
  • 648PRO Temperature Unit Selection
  • PRO 36 and PRO 48 Temperature Unit Selection
• Wine Storage Units:
  • BW-30 Classic (Formerly Built-In) Wine Storage Temperature Unit Selection
  • Designer (Formerly Integrated) Wine Temperature Unit Selection
  • UW-24 Undercounter Wine Storage Temperature Unit Selection

Dial Controls

See How to Set a Dial Control Refrigerator or Freezer for instructions and recommendations.

For series-specific instructions, see:

• 500 Series Temperature Control
• 200 and 300 Series Temperature Control Knob

Electronic Control Panel Display

The temperature range in a Sub-Zero with an electronic control panel is 34° - 45°F (1° - 7°C) in the refrigerator and -5° to 5°F (-20° to -15°C) in the freezer.

• In units with an electronic control panel, the factory settings of 38°F (3°C) in a refrigerator and 0°F (-18°C) in a freezer are ideal food storage temperatures.
• Wine Storage products have different temperature ranges to preserve wine, see Wine Storage Temperature Ranges.
• Setting the temperature higher or lower than factory settings causes the unit to run more or less, according to set temperature.
• It is not possible to set a temperature higher or lower than the range listed above.
• If the control panel does not respond, refer to Sub-Zero Electronic Control Panel Non-Responsive for troubleshooting steps.

Adjust the Temperature

The steps to adjust the temperature vary depending on the product family.

400, 600, 700, Classic (formerly Built-In), UC Undercounter, UW and BW Wine Storage, and 648PRO

1. Press the colder or warmer key for the desired refrigerator or freezer section.
   • Unit normally shows the actual temperature.
   • When the colder or warmer key is pressed, unit will show the set temperature.
2. After setting to desired temperature, display will return to actual temperature after 3 seconds.
3. The temperature change is not immediate. Allow 24 hours for the unit to reach the set temperature. An audible beep occurs during this operation.

Classic Control Panel:

UC Undercounter Control Panel:

UW and BW Wine Storage Control Panel:

648PRO Controls and Display:

PRO3650 Display:

Designer (formerly Integrated) Refrigeration and Designer Wine Storage

1. Touch the temperature to adjust.
2. Touch + to increase or - to decrease the temperature until the desired temperature displays. The product saves the settings after the controls are not touched for 3 seconds.

Designer Control Panel:

See also:

• Sub-Zero Temperature Fluctuations
• Wine Storage Temperature Range
• How Many Temperature Zones in a Unit
• Measure Temperatures in a Refrigerator or Freezer
• Sub-Zero Food Preservation Laminated Cards

Refer to the product Use and Care Guide for further information.

If these troubleshooting steps do not resolve the issue, service is necessary to expertly diagnose and repair the product. Contact Factory Certified Service to schedule an appointment for repair.