Do refrigerators have motherboards?

Some modern refrigerators include motherboards. For example, refrigerators manufactured by GE have had internal motherboards since 2000. These motherboards replace older mechanical parts, such as cold controls and defrost timers, and control all electronic aspects of the refrigerator.

In 2007, GE recalled a number of its refrigerator models because of concerns that the main circuit board was faulty. It issued a notice to consumers acknowledging this failure and promising to replace broken motherboards until the problem could be corrected. A faulty motherboard can be responsible for a number of problems, such as a failed compressor and periodic cooling and refreezing.