Sharp Repair

The indoor fan blows ordinary air, or the room never reaches the temperature on the remote.

Possible causes

• A filter clogged with dust
• A dirty outdoor condenser, or one in an enclosed spot
• The outdoor fan not turning
• Low refrigerant from a leak
• A unit too small for the room

Solution: Wash the filter and clear the area around the outdoor unit. If its fan is still while the compressor runs, or the air is still not cold after a quarter of an hour, the technician measures pressure and voltage before any talk of recharging.

Fine in the morning and at night, but at midday the outdoor unit stops for a while and restarts, or a fault number appears.

Possible causes

• Voltage dropping at peak hours
• Hot air recirculating onto the condenser
• A hot compressor from low refrigerant
• The compressor capacitor on fixed-speed models

Solution: If you have a stabiliser with a display, read it when the unit cuts out. Clear around the outdoor unit. If you rinse the condenser, switch off the breaker first, and only rinse it gently with low-pressure water if the unit sits on a balcony or roof you can reach safely; never climb onto a ledge or lean out of a window. If it continues, the technician measures current and voltage while it runs at the time it cuts out.

Drops on the floor or a line of water down the wall under the unit.

Possible causes

• A drain hose that is blocked or rises somewhere
• A dirty filter letting the evaporator freeze and then melt at once
• A unit mounted out of level

Solution: Clean the filter and follow the drain hose to its end, making sure it slopes down all the way and is not sitting in water. If the tray inside is blocked, it is cleared when the unit is serviced.

A white layer on the thin pipe outside or on the evaporator inside, with cooling getting weaker.

Possible causes

• Air cannot pass over the evaporator because of the filter
• A slow indoor fan
• Low refrigerant

Solution: Run it on fan only until the ice melts, and clean the filter. If the ice comes back, the fan and refrigerant charge need measuring.

The unit starts and stops, or the indoor unit is silent while the outdoor unit runs.

Possible causes

• Something stopping the barrel fan from turning
• The fan motor
• The indoor board

Solution: Switch off the breaker and look through the air outlet with a torch for anything that has fallen in. Otherwise the motor and board are measured.

The indoor unit lights up but the outdoor unit never starts.

Possible causes

• A cut or corroded cable between the units
• A loose connection at the terminal block
• A board in one of the units

Solution: Switch off the breaker for two minutes and start again. If the number returns, the cable or a board is at fault, which is a technician's job because the terminal carries mains power.

Every week or two in the hot season, and never refit them wet.

The evaporator and barrel fan inside, the condenser outside, plus a check of the drain hose and connections.

Check it every month: nothing in front of it and no box around it; the air it blows out must move away from it.

On the maker's list this is under-voltage at the outdoor board. Switch the unit off, wait for the supply to improve and try again a little later. If it happens every day, the voltage and board need measuring, and a stabiliser rated for the unit protects the board.

On the models sold, inverters have an X after AH or AY, as in AH-XP18UHE, and fixed-speed units an A, as in AH-AP12ZHE. Confirm it on the outdoor unit label or warranty card too.

No. The refrigerant circulates in a sealed circuit and is not consumed. If it is low there is a leak, which should be found and repaired first, then the charge put back by the weight on the label.

Food up top is frozen while vegetables below spoil, and no air comes from the fridge vents.

Possible causes

• Ice blocking the air duct after a defrost fault
• The defrost heater or its sensor
• A stopped evaporator fan
• The damper that controls the air

Solution: Empty the fridge and unplug it for a full day with the doors open and towels underneath. If it works for a few days and the fault returns, a defrost part has failed and must be replaced; the defrost you did is only temporary.

A layer of ice on the back wall of the freezer, or droplets and mist on the fridge shelves.

Possible causes

• A door seal not closing
• The door left open or out of alignment
• A defrost cycle fault

Solution: Close the door on a sheet of paper: if it slides out easily, that part of the seal needs cleaning or replacing. A No Frost fridge should not build ice, so if the seal is fine the defrost system needs checking.

Water pooling in the bottom of the fridge or running out at the front.

Possible causes

• A blocked defrost water drain hole
• A loose rear hose or a cracked tray above the compressor
• The fridge tilting forward

Solution: Find the drain hole low on the back wall and clear it with warm water and a soft wire. Adjust the front feet so the fridge leans back slightly.

No compressor sound, and the temperature inside rises hour after hour.

Possible causes

• The inverter board after voltage swings
• Voltage too low for the compressor
• The compressor itself

Solution: Check the plug and the household voltage, and try unplugging it for five minutes before reconnecting. If there is still no sound, the technician measures the board and voltage before judging the compressor.

The fridge beeps even with the door closed.

Possible causes

• A shelf or box stopping the door closing fully
• The door switch or its magnet

Solution: Rearrange the door shelves and close it gently. If the inside light stays on with the door shut, the door switch needs replacing.

Clicking from inside or a hum from behind the fridge.

Possible causes

• Plastic expanding during defrost, which is normal
• The fan blade hitting ice
• The fridge not level or touching something

Solution: Move the fridge away from walls and cupboards and level its feet. If the noise comes from the freezer and sounds like scraping, the fan is hitting ice, which points back to a defrost fault.

With water and mild soap, especially the bottom section where dirt collects.

Do not press containers against the back walls of the fridge or freezer; the cold air needs to circulate.

If you see water under the drawers, clear the hole early before the water reaches the floor.

On inverter fridges that is normal, because the compressor runs for long periods at low speed. The fault is when the temperature inside does not drop although it is running, or the outer body gets unusually hot.

Keep the door shut. The SJ-PV48G-DST page says its Ice Pack keeps the freezer cold for up to 8 hours, and opening the door repeatedly shortens that.

The washer stops before or after spinning with water still inside, sometimes with a code.

Possible causes

• A pump filter blocked by coins, buttons or lint
• A drain hose kinked or pushed too far down
• A blocked wall drain pipe
• The drain pump

Solution: Drain the water through the small hose beside the filter if there is one, then unscrew and clean the filter and check that the impeller behind it turns by hand. If all of that is clear and the water still will not go, the pump needs measuring.

The programme starts with no sound of water, and the washer stops after a while.

Possible causes

• A closed tap or low water pressure
• Sand blocking the mesh at the hose connection
• The inlet valve

Solution: Close the tap and unplug the washer, undo the hose at the back and clean the mesh with a toothbrush. If household pressure is good and water still does not enter, the valve is measured.

The programme has finished but the lock lamp stays on, or the washer will not start because it sees the door as open.

Possible causes

• Water still in the drum
• The child lock is on
• The electric door lock
• Clothes caught between the door and the seal

Solution: Wait two minutes after the programme ends, and check there is no water inside and the child lock is off. Do not force the handle; if it stays locked, the lock needs a technician.

The washer walks across the floor, or there is a constant roar even with an empty drum.

Possible causes

• Transit bolts still in a new washer
• The load bunched on one side
• Feet not levelled
• Shock absorbers or drum bearings

Solution: If the washer is new, make sure the transit bolts have been removed from the back. Spread the load and level the feet. A roar that rises with speed points to the bearings, and replacing them means taking the drum apart.

The programme runs but the drum stays still, or it washes normally and stops before spinning.

Possible causes

• A very small load or a single heavy item, so the washer cancels the spin
• The belt on some models
• The motor or the board

Solution: Add more items alongside the blanket or small rug and try a spin-only programme. If the drum does not move in any programme, the motor and board are measured.

A musty smell on the clothes or when you open the door.

Possible causes

• Detergent residue and lint in the door seal
• The door kept shut after washing
• Standing water in the pump filter

Solution: Wipe inside the fold of the seal, clean the detergent drawer and run a hot programme with an empty drum. Leave the door open after the last wash.

Check pockets before every wash, and clean the filter about once a month.

Excess foam strains the pump and leaves residue in the seal, so use automatic detergent in the amount on the pack.

After the day's last wash, so the moisture can escape.

In the manual that came with it, because the washers on the market come from different factories and a code's meaning may differ. If you do not have the manual, send us a photo of the code and the label, and do not rely on code tables from other brands.

No. Ordinary powder makes a lot of foam, which makes the washer extend the rinse or stop. Use a detergent marked for automatic washers.

The microwave counts down normally, and the food comes out as it went in.

Possible causes

• The magnetron
• The high-voltage diode or capacitor
• The high-voltage transformer
• One of the door switches

Solution: Try the cup of water to confirm. If it stays cold, stop using the microwave; these parts are checked after discharging the capacitor with proper tools, which is a technician's job only.

A blue flash or sparks in one spot with a crackling sound.

Possible causes

• Metal, foil or a plate with a gold rim
• Burnt food on the waveguide cover (the panel on the side wall)
• Peeling paint on the inner wall

Solution: Stop it at once and remove any metal. Wipe the waveguide cover with a damp cloth. If the cover is burnt or holed, it is replaced; running it like that can damage the magnetron.

The microwave heats but the plate stays still, cooking the food on one side.

Possible causes

• The plate not seated on the coupler
• A dirty roller ring underneath
• The turntable motor

Solution: Take out the plate and roller ring and wash them, then refit them with the plate seated on the centre coupler. If the coupler itself does not turn, the small motor is replaced.

The display is lit but pressing buttons does nothing, or the display is completely dark.

Possible causes

• The child lock is on
• The keypad got wet or failed
• A blown fuse

Solution: The child lock is cancelled by a long press on a particular button depending on the model, as the manual explains. If the display is completely dark and the plug is fine, the internal fuse has usually blown because of another fault, and the technician looks for that cause before replacing it.

Microwave mode works, but the grill does not brown and the top element does not glow.

Possible causes

• A broken grill element
• The protection thermostat

Solution: Make sure you selected grill or combi mode, not microwave only. If the element does not glow at all, it is measured and replaced.

Especially the waveguide cover; grease that builds up on it burns and causes sparks.

Running it with no food or water reflects the energy back to the magnetron and shortens its life.

It depends on the appliance's age and the state of the door and inner walls. The technician gives you the cost after confirming the magnetron is the cause rather than the diode or capacitor, and you compare it with the price of a new one.

Steam from moist food is normal. What is not normal is a misaligned door, a torn seal, or the oven running with the door open; in those cases stop using it until it is repaired.

Channels and sound work but the screen is black, or it lights for a second and goes dark.

Possible causes

• Burnt-out backlight LEDs
• The backlight driver on the power board
• The panel cable or T-con board

Solution: Do the torch test. If a faint image is visible, the LEDs or their driver need replacing, which means opening the TV carefully so the panel does not crack.

The standby lamp glows red and pressing the remote or button does nothing, or the lamp blinks.

Possible causes

• The remote's batteries or its receiver
• A voltage swing leaving the set in protection
• The power board or main board
• An interrupted software update

Solution: Change the remote batteries, unplug the TV for five minutes and try the button on the set. If the lamp blinks in a regular pattern, count the blinks and send them with the model; this helps the technician narrow down the board.

Fixed vertical or horizontal lines, half the screen in the wrong colour, or a dark patch.

Possible causes

• A loose panel cable
• The T-con board
• A fault in the panel itself or an impact

Solution: If the lines also appear over the settings menu, the problem is hardware, not the channel. The T-con and cable are tested first; if the panel is at fault, its price can approach that of a new TV, and the technician tells you so before any work.

The TV takes ages to start, Netflix or YouTube close on their own, or a message says storage is full.

Possible causes

• Storage filled with apps and updates
• A software update not yet installed
• A corrupt app or a heavy cache

Solution: Remove apps you do not use, clear the cache in the app settings, and install the system update from the settings while connected. A factory reset is the last resort, after which you will need to sign in to Google and set up the channels again.

A No Signal message on the built-in receiver, or the TV cannot see the router.

Possible causes

• The dish cable or alignment
• The wrong input selected
• Network settings or distance from the router
• The TV's Wi-Fi module

Solution: Select the correct receiver input and check the cable connection. For Wi-Fi, restart the router and the TV, and try a network cable if there is a LAN port. If no network appears at all, the Wi-Fi module needs checking.

Power returning after a cut comes with a brief surge, and protection reduces what reaches the power board.

Without pressure and without spraying the screen directly; liquid runs inside the edge.

The panel is the most expensive part of a TV, and on large sizes its price can approach that of a new set, and sometimes it is not available under the same code. The technician tells you the cost and availability before any work, and the decision is yours.

Leave it plugged in and wait; sometimes it finishes on its own after restarting. If it stays stuck on the logo or the lamp keeps blinking, the software needs reloading in service mode, which is done with tools outside the normal menu.