Read PF and HI before clearing the alert
Frigidaire uses PF for a power interruption and HI for a temperature that rose beyond the appliance’s alarm threshold. They call for different checks: PF confirms a supply event; HI remains active until the cabinet returns to normal temperature. The refrigerator support article covers several door styles but explicitly says messages vary by model, so use the manual for the displayed appliance before relying on a button sequence.
On the French-door alarm guidance, the freezer alarm threshold is 26°F and the refrigerator threshold is 55°F. Another Frigidaire HI article describes a model-specific blinking display and highest-temperature readout. Those details are useful when the control matches that article, not a universal threshold across every Frigidaire refrigerator.
Acknowledge PF after power returns
After power is restored, the French-door support article says to press Alarm Reset to acknowledge PF. The refrigerator then resumes operation. If the outage lasted long enough to warm the cabinet, the HI alarm may also remain active; clearing PF does not prove the food compartment is back at its set temperature.
If a long outage occurred, distinguish an acknowledged outage message from continued warming: the support page says PF is acknowledged after power returns, while HI remains active until temperature is normal. For the covered French-door controls, the door alarm is five minutes. Record whether the HI warning is refrigerator-side or freezer-side because their cited thresholds differ.
Treat HI as a temperature event
Close both doors fully and check that containers are not holding a door open. Inspect the gasket contact around the affected compartment. Frigidaire lists an open door or poor seal as causes; an alarm can be muted, but its indicator stays active until the temperature returns to normal. Use a thermometer and watch recovery rather than clearing the alert repeatedly.
The model-specific HI page says Clear Alerts silences the repeating tone and reveals the highest temperature on first acknowledgment. That maximum helps explain how far the compartment warmed, but is not a current reading. Compare it with a thermometer and allow recovery before judging cooling.
Use the display-specific HI controls
For the specific support article that shows blinking HI beside Clear Alerts, Frigidaire says the alarm sounds every 60 seconds and the highest temperature is shown the first time the alert is acknowledged. Its control can clear the alert, and its reset alternatives are a 30-second unplug or breaker reset if the model’s guide permits. These are not interchangeable with the Alarm Reset control described for other displays.
An open door, poor gasket seal or changed temperature setting are listed causes of HI. Check that drawers close flush and that food packages do not sit across the gasket. If the gasket is dirty, clean it as the owner guide permits; avoid using the alert reset as a substitute for fixing a seal gap.
Check the conditions that keep the alarm active
Frigidaire’s broader alarm guide says a door-left-open alarm begins after five minutes on the models it covers. Close the door and use the Set key only where that control is present. For HI, note which compartment crossed temperature, how long the doors were open, whether power failed, and the measured temperature. If temperature does not recover after the manufacturer’s stated stabilization interval, use the exact model support path.
When the indicator remains after recovery, use the exact manual’s reset method. Some Frigidaire pages offer unplugging for 30 seconds or a breaker reset, while the French-door article uses Alarm Reset for PF. Avoid applying the controls interchangeably; note the model and display before asking support.