Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for operating a heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning (HVAC) system that include recording a number of consecutive occasions in which a defrost mode is entered within a first predefined length of time after a heating cycle is entered, preventing operation of at least one component of the HVAC system for a second predefined length of time in response to entering the defrost mode a first predetermined consecutive number of occurrences within the first predefined length of time after a heating cycle is entered, recording a number of consecutive preventions of operation of the component of the HVAC system, and determining that a fault condition exists in the HVAC system in response to the number of consecutive temporary preventions of operation of the component of the HVAC system exceeding a second predefined number of occurrences.