PURPOSE: To obtain a control device for a refrigerator which is capable of indicating that the self-diagnosis is being made and of performing inspection on service time or the like accurately and easily by installing a self-diagnosis indication means which indicates that self-diagnosis is being carried out.

CONSTITUTION: A self-diagnosis input switch 24 installed on a control panel 6 is connected with a part from an input port 14e of a microcomputer 14 to a power supply terminal 15 by way of a pullup resistor 25. By depressing the switch 24, an input signal of high level H is output to the input port 14e so as to operate a failure detection means 12 and to let self-diagnosis be carried out to see if it is anything wrong about a temperature detection device 3 and the like. A self-diagnosis means 26, which indicates that self-diagnosis is taking place, indicates users and service workers so that they may know that it is carrying out self-diagnosis about the lighting of display elements 5 and control of lighting off based on an input signal from the switch 24.