Food began thawing in freezer, very warm in freezer

if the food you have in there is iced pls, relocate and bring in fresh food there.

sounds like a defrost problem.. but be sure the freezer fan is running.. if the fan is running I would look at it being a defrost issue.... I hope this helped........ ken

Only when defrost cycle kicks in? Age of fridge?

The problem is with the "thermostat" right next to the defrost timer. When you tap on the control, you are actually tweaking the thermostat and not the defrost timer. Here is the thermostat to order.
Here is a diagram of the control box. The thermostat is number 13 and the defrost time is number 4.

Check if fan in freezer is running as well as fan by the compressor and the compressor itself. Check for any frost buildup on evaporator cover in freezer.

Before you throw out this refrigerator, try a few simple tests.

First, open the freezer while the compressor is running and listen for the fan running. If it is not, this could be your problem. Replacement fans can be ordered from on-line parts stores, a local appliance repair shop, even ebay.

Second, try turning off the refrigerator and letting the coils in the freezer thaw completely. Of course, move your food to a safe place for a few hours while you thaw the freezer. If you really get ambitious, remove the rear panel from the freezer and look to see if the coils are frozen. If they are, thaw them and dry the freezer compartment completely. Reassemble the freezer and restart the refrigerator.

If the problem reoccurs, you may have a problem with your defrosting circuit.

Might try unplugging for a few hours and then plug it back in. There is a possibility that it slugged the compressor and there is a restriction in the line. Sometimes when the compressor fails to stop running in cold air the liquid gets back to the compressor. It can cause a bit of gunk to be picked up out of the oil and carried to the expansion line and plug up the line. Maybe turning it off will let the plug fall free and not replug the line. Worth a try anyway.....

Does freezer cool like the cold food section? Did this suddenly happen, and frozen food began to thaw?  Most freezers control the cooling in the cold food section. The freezer must work fine before the cold food section will work fine. Let us know more, Thanks JT