Written by
Elena Marsh Appliance Care EditorPublished October 29, 2026
VERIFIED
Error codeES
ApplianceRefrigerator
Trio bottom-freezer Kenmore refrigerators with 111 at the start of the model number put ES on the display for a dispenser failure.
The telltale sign
Look at the indicator light on the display. If it will not stay put and keeps cycling through Water, Crushed Ice and Cubed Ice, the Water/Ice button is stuck.
In order
Try pressing the Water/Ice button at various points along it; that may free it.
Still stuck? The remedy given is a new user interface board.
The user interface board is the single part this code calls for.
If the indicator light behaves normally and one of those appears instead, the cause is elsewhere.
Kenmore dispenser repair in San Francisco
A stuck Water/Ice button that will not release on a Kenmore Trio in San Francisco or the Bay Area can go to our Kenmore refrigerator repair team. Phone (415) 825-6393 with the ES code, the 111-series model number and a note on where you pressed.
Model compatibility: Kenmore reuses codes across series and model years, so ES 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
ES is a dispenser failure; a stuck Water/Ice button is the condition to check.
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 Kenmore appliance?
Book a specialist visit for a clear estimate and approval before any repair.
You submit a request with your appliance model and symptom, we confirm an appointment window, and a technician performs an on-site diagnosis. You then receive a clear estimate and decide whether to proceed before any repair begins.
Yes. We provide an upfront estimate after diagnosis. No parts are ordered or installed until you approve the work, so there are no surprise charges.
Replacement parts are selected for the exact model and confirmed with you before ordering or installation.
Service areas are listed on the Locations page. Contact us with your ZIP code to confirm current coverage for your address.
Ready to get your Kenmore appliance working again?
Book a repair online or call us — clear estimates and approval before any repair work begins.
