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PO

Whirlpool PO: Power outage warned freezer got warm

PO is a power-outage alert, not a hardware fault. It appears after the electricity to the refrigerator was interrupted long enough for the freezer to warm to about 18°F (-8°C) or higher, which may have affected your frozen food.

DIY fix

By the FixByModel editorial team · Verified 2026-09 · Researched against manufacturer support & repair references (below)

Most likely causes

  1. A recent power outage or the unit being unplugged
  2. A tripped breaker or loose plug that briefly cut power
  3. Freezer temperature rose above the safe threshold while power was off
Before you start — unplug the refrigerator before working on it. Mind sharp metal edges, and never open the sealed refrigerant system — compressor, sealed-system and refrigerant work must be left to a qualified technician.

Step-by-step fix

1Acknowledge the alertOn the control panel, press the button shown under "Confirm" (Measured Fill on many models) to clear the PO message and silence the three alert tones.
2Check your foodInspect frozen items for signs of thawing and refreezing, and discard anything that is no longer safe to eat.
3Confirm cooling resumedVerify the fridge and freezer are pulling back down to their set temperatures over the next several hours.
4Check the power connectionMake sure the plug is firmly seated and the circuit breaker is on so the outage does not repeat.

Still showing PO?

If you’ve worked through every step and PO keeps returning, an internal part likely needs testing and replacement. That’s a job for a qualified appliance technician, who can measure the suspect part against the service-manual spec before replacing it.

Which models this applies to

Whirlpool refrigerators. Whirlpool French-door, side-by-side and bottom-freezer refrigerators with digital displays

FAQ

What does Whirlpool PO mean?

Power outage warned freezer got warm. PO is a power-outage alert, not a hardware fault. It appears after the electricity to the refrigerator was interrupted long enough for the freezer to warm to about 18°F (-8°C) or higher, which may have affected your frozen food.

What causes Whirlpool PO?

The most likely cause is a recent power outage or the unit being unplugged. Other causes include A tripped breaker or loose plug that briefly cut power; Freezer temperature rose above the safe threshold while power was off.

Can I fix Whirlpool PO myself?

Usually yes. Start by working through the steps above, beginning with: on the control panel, press the button shown under "confirm" (measured fill on many models) to clear the po message and silence the three alert tones.