Refrigerator GTH18IBXWW Control panel lights not illuminated (refrig and freezer settings and read out). This after a power outage.

http://www.searspartsdirect.com/partsdirect/part-number/Samsung-Parts/Refrigerator-Parts/DA41-00669A/0046/401/Model-RS261MDPNXAA/1482/0165000


this is the control board you will need for your model if unplugging the unit for 5 minutes doesn't fix the problem. If they are LED lights, then I point my finger at this. This is a plug and play board with molex connectors. Very easy to install with unit unplugged. You can manually reset the display and check for error codes by holding the top left and top right button on your user interface for 5 seconds in unison FOR 5 or more seconds after all the lights flash.

Replace your bulb in your refrigerator

To Start the Appliance
Allow the appliance to stand for 2 hours after
installation. Plug in the appliance and switch on at the mains
supply. Turn the thermostat control (B) to a midway
setting and adjust the slider control, situated on the
back wall of the fridge section, to a midway position
between "MIN" and "MAX".
The pilot light (A) will illuminate. Leave the appliance for approximately 4 hours for the correct temperature to be reached before placing food inside.
To switch off the appliance turn the thermostat
control to position "?"

After 4 hours, measure the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer. Should be between 2 and 10 degrees centigrade in refrigerator and app. -18 in freezer.

Dado

First make sure there is power to the plug at the wall. If not check the breaker. If power at the plug, the power outage could have been associated with a power surge that killed your refrig.

This error means some thing is wrong with the fan to the ice maker. It might also be a bad control board. If it is still under warranty get he board replaced. Kenmore has had some problems with these particular boards. You make be able to reset board by unplugging unit for a while and plugging it back in. Hope this helps

Check breaker. Was there a surge of electricity when the power went out. This may be a simple fix. Sounds like the breaker is tripped. Test the outlet with a light to see that power is to it.

The freezer get the first crack at cooling and combination units have a fan and adjustable vents to steal some of the cooling capacity for the refrigerator. The vent are normally located in the back of the refrigerator compartment and with these, you can balance the cooling capacity between freezer and fridge. I recommend you swap your thermometer back and forth until you get the balance you want; typically the freezer should be at 5 degrees F or below and the fridge at 35-40 degrees F. Adjusting the control for temperature and having the vents set to supply the cold air you want in each compartment should give you the range you want in each.

I would say that is not a feature, it's a problem. Sounds like the control board has no battery backup of any kind to retain settings in case such an outage occurs. If still under warranty, have it fixed. A refrigerator should be trusted to be left unattended, if this has been this way from new, you should have complained the first time it happened. If they say that it's in the design and all of these do this, perhaps there's a class action waiting to happen.

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In your freezer section, there should be a "control" for the freezer temp. I say "control" because the knob is attached to a flap that only controls airflow the the lower section. If the knob is turned to coldest it will block almost all of the air from getting into your fresh food section.

if it is an electronic control freezer then the electronic control sounds as though it has failed if there is no digital read out