Bee,
On mine, you adjust the temperature using the colder/warmer key pads - but it displays the current temperature. If it was only recently turned on, it might take it a while to get to 34?

I just looked up the specs for your fridge and it says you can adjust the refrigerator within a range of 34-45, so unless it was only recently turned on, you may have a problem.

Good luck!

Here is a link that might be useful: User Guide for 600 series

Bee,

What is happening is that you've got the fridge set at 34 degrees. But there is something is broken with it. The fridge will always display the set temp when adjusting it up or down, but then return a few seconds later to the actual temp inside the fridge.

Can you hear the fridge running? My SZ isn't loud but you can obviously tell when the compressors are operating. They should be making an obvious humming when on.

This type of situation happened to my fridge after installation, and there was a super simple fix that customer service talked me through. I was told to just power down the unit for 20 minutes and then power it back up. Something in the computer controls got screwed up, but this fixed the issue. I don't know if that is what is happening with yours though. Might be worth a shot.

Might be worth calling SZ customer service though, there very well may be something wrong with the compressor unfortunately.

Hope this helps.

If it is a floor model maybe it is still set to "demo mode" if it has that feature. SZ call center should be able to help you.

Oh yes. I guess I should have said it was probably in demo mode. I finally googled it with the right phrase and got an answer!! Yipee.

I went to the house, performed a little magic and the compressor is on and running.

I'll swing by later and check on it.

Thanks for the tips everybody....

Good to hear problem solved! we had the same issue with our gaggenau ovens - demo mode!! A quick call, keypad instructions and all is well!!! Get some wine cooling in here in the meantime, if your Perlick isn't in yet!!!

Bee -

My 27 year old 501 R needs some repairs and we'll probably replace it. The newest models are taller and will require some alterations to our cabinets and the wood panels won't fit either.

However if we can find a 601 R we will be able to use the panel and we won't have to reconfigure the cabinets.

Did your 601 R come with a manufacturer's warranty?

Well, update...

When I took it out of demo mode, indeed the fan came on. Not sure the compressor came on though. The temp never budged.

Called SZ, talked to their after-hours program (love that). Someone will call me Tuesday, after the holiday because she couldn't do any more over the phone. I told her that was fine since it is new construction and it wasn't as if my food was spoiling. She said they will take care of it.

Yes, it came with the full factory warranty which starts on the day of installation. I also will speak to the store I bought it from once they are back from the holiday as well. I want to verify all the details on how does SZ know that I own this product now..

Thanks for the info everybody. I wish there was better news.

Bee

Thanks Bee. I was at Fretz, our local Sub Zero distributor last month and asked the rep when did they discontinue the 601. She said they usually allow the stores to sell a discontinued item for 4 years.

Now I'll have to call around and see if I can find one. That would be the perfect solution.

Well, things are pretty bad.

First SZ says that there is no full 12 year warranty. Since they stopped making them in 2008, they consider it a floor model, whether it was on the floor or not. It should have been sold within 3 years of them obtaining it. So they say I get a 1 year full warranty, 5 years on the closed systems.

My dealer is trying to get the full warranty for us, they are going with the belief that this is how it was supposed to be. They were never told anything different.

Now, onto the fridge itself...the repairman came today. Diagnostic tests showed a leak. His leak finder gizmo couldn't find it. He put dye into the system. Used the blue light and still nothing. He added some stuff to it, it is cooling. He has ordered the following parts, which incidentally is pretty much everything that goes into a Sub-Zero

Compressor, Evaporator, Heat Exchanger, Dryer

Hopefully once this is all done, it will be as good as new and run like a champ.

Doesn't this just stink?

Bee

Wow, I'm surprised it needed that much repair, I wonder what caused it to have this many problems? Maybe the store was cutting the power on everything every night and it screwed it up. Sorry to hear that SZ isn't offering you a full warranty. I am fairly leery of buying 'floor model' stuff for this very reason.

I would hound the dealer on this issue, and if SZ will not give you a full warranty in the end, you should ask your dealer to give you an in house warranty for the same period of time, it is the least they can do at this rate (ESPECIALLY if they told you it WOULD have full warranty when you bought it). I find it hard to believe that a certified SZ dealer does not know the policies of the products they are selling. Maybe they are ignorant about it, and probably mislead you into buying something without knowing the full consequences of buying such an old unit.

At least they are giving you the full 1 year though, and luckily it'll all be covered by it. But yeah that does stink.

Good luck with the repairs and the warranty issues.

jgopp-I think he is replacing everything to be safe. He can't find the leak. He said it might be so small he never will find it.

The dealer we bought it from is 2 hours away (our old location). They are a very reputable high end dealer in the area. It wasn't as if it was a fly-by-night company so this is why I never even questioned them about the full warranty. I'm not sure why nobody at the dealer knew about this. And the oddest thing? Their SZ rep didn't know either! This is why it is taking so long to get any response, their rep is trying to work it all out with SZ.

thanks for the support

You may have seen my post about the SZ failure rates on CR?
Course folks attacked that as well as CR (Consumer Reports), but these were actually responses from folks that had bought SZ Fridges, and at one time, (well I won't mention numbers), don't want to "Tick anyone off" but lets just say the failure rate was "Very High".

Upon investigating why so many failures, An SZ "Big Shot Marketing type" was quoted on one website saying it was due to a batch of bad copper they got in, that was used to make the evaporators.

More investigation turned up, or so a "Knowledgible Poster claims" that 2 different metals were used to make the evaporators, the tubes were copper but the fins on them were aluminum, which caused a chemical reaction and leaks.

I can not personally verify either of the above as I don't have an SZ evaporator from the years that "Said Problem" , was said to exist, (2004-2007) from all I have read.

Don't take my word for this, do your own investigating, as I'm only reporting on the research I did and the posts about the problem I found on the net.

I think it is great that all these parts are being replaced, and I hope the new ones are updated parts, I would check the evaporator to be sure it is NOT 2 different metals.

Maybe that's why SZ is trying to cut the warranty on these models by adding "Fine Print" or whatever???

Anyway I wish you the "best of luck with it", and only offer this post in the hopes of increasing your knowledge about same!

Gary

For this type of corrosion to occur, there have to be two conditions met. The first is an electrolyte at the metallic junction, the second an external circuit connecting the copper to the aluminum. If we assume that some structure provides the latter, then the question is what formed the electrolyte. I would have to guess that if there was one it was due to high humidity and resulting condensatrion on the surfaces, possibly aided by dust providing a moisture pad. Was this dealer located in a salt air environment? The problem could have been exacerbated by not running the unit.

I would doubt the competency of a dealer who sold a floor model that he didn't bother to test after not running it for years.

It might be worth the time to ensure that dust is cleaned out of heat exchangers in areas of high humidity. I've seen dust induced corrosion on chrome plated parts subjected to high humidity from a nearby humidifier. This probably required some porosity in the chrome plating.

kas

Bee - is your Sub Zero working properly now? And how did you make out with the warranty.

maire-thanks for asking...the repairman charged it before he left. It was at 34 when he left, it still is at 34. The parts are in, but I'm having trouble with being delayed taking full possession of the house. As soon as construction is finally over and we have our co, I will have them out. We were scheduled for tomorrow, but that fell apart when they didn't do final inspection Friday. So far, they are scheduled to do the repairs on this Thursday. But we'll see. I have a hunch, final inspection will not happen tomorrow as scheduled.

Thanks for the reminder about the warranty. Time for an email. Last time I bugged them their service manager was in negotiations with SZ about it.

I'll keep you posted.

bee