Freezer keeps loosing its temperature and then freezes again

You probably have one compressor that cools the freezer section and the refrigerator section. Usually the freezer gets cooled directly with the cooling coils. A fan blows cool air to the refrigerator section. The air flow to the refrigerator may be modulated with some time of "air door". What you have written says to me, is that the fans and air doors are working but there is enough cold for the refrigerator but not enough for the freezer.

Here is what I would do:

1. Put a thermometer in the refrigerator and in the freezer.
2. Be sure the coils underneath or behind the refrigerator are clean. If they are very dirty, clean them.
3. Keep the doors shut for at least 12 hours and then read the thermometers and write down the temperatures.
4. Freezer temperature
   1. If the freezer has started freezing again, you fixed it by cleaning the coils
   2. .If the freezer temperature is between 0 deg F and 32 deg F, consider putting the food in a cooler and packing in some dry ice to try and save it.
   3. If the freezer is warmer than 32 deg f, throw away the food.
   4. Doctors and hospitals are pretty expensive. I would throw away the food no matter what the thermometer read.
5. Look inside the freezer at the cooling coils. See if they are ice coated or not.
   1. If the freezer is above 0 deg F, and the coils are ice covered, the defrost control is not working. Unplug the refrigerator for 12 hours and let the ice melt. (Keep the doors shut.) Then, plug in the refrigerator for 12 hours and check the temperature like in step 3.
   2. If the freezer is above 0 deg F, and the coils are NOT ice covered, the compressor is not working.
      
6. Call the service technician. When she comes out show her the temperatures and tell her what you found out about the ice on the coils.

Good luck

Sounds like the cold control has stuck . Unplug the two wires from the cold control and plug them together. Turn one wire over and plug it into the other. away from the cold control.
If it runs then that cold control is the problem.

Is it just the freezer section? Open the freezer door for a minute and then, without shutting it, press the button on the inside that makes the light go out. The fan at the back at the top of the freezer should start whirring. This circulates the freezing air. If it doesn't start then that's your problem as the freezing air isn't getting to the top of the freezer. It's simple enough to replace. Buy a new part (30 pounds?) and replace from the inside by removing the back panels to the freezer. Turn the freezer off and unplug first though, obviously! Hope this helps.

What is the model number?
The ice maker will only run if the freezer is at the correct temperature.
Do you see any ice buildup on the back wall of the freezer or behind it?

Many residential refrigerator / freezers are designed to work at temperature considerably above above freezing. Most modern refrigerator / freezer have a single electric thermostat - located in the fresh food compartment. This lone thermostat will control the compressor to keep the fridge (fresh food) section at the desired temperature (usually between 34 - 38 degrees F). The freezer will get colder regardless of how cold it is already whenever the fridge thermostat turns the compressor on.

Now that you see how the thermostat works, let's look at what happens when the fridge is placed in an unheated space - like a garage. In winter time, the temperature can drop considerably below 38 degrees. If the outdoor temperature remains cold enough, for long enough - it will affect the thermostat in the fridge. The temperature inside the fridge could drop below 38 degrees, preventing the thermostat from telling the compressor to turn on. Meanwhile, the temperature in the freezer compartment slowly rises from the normal -10 to 0 F degrees. It will continue to rise until it is the same temperature as the fresh food compartment or until the thermostat in the fresh food compartment tells the compressor to turn on again. This means the freezer contents will thaw.

If the temperature in the garage is even in the 40 to 50 degree range, the loss of cold in the fridge may not happen often enough to keep the compressor coming on often enough to keep some freezer items frozen solid - such as ice cream. Remember, water freezes at 32 degrees F, other products may require lower temperatures to remain frozen, and could thaw at 28 or other temperature.

Good luck!

Can you feel air moving or hear the fan running in the freezer section? You said the freezer section is freezing well, but is it freezing really hard?
Regards,Richard

The refrigerator side is at present working properly , but slowly slowly, it will also loose its cooling.This will happen because, freezer side is the side which cools first, then the refrigerator side ( also called as fridge side)., gets cooled.If freezer side is not cooling / freezing properly then fridge side will also loose its cooling ability.------------ And later on both section will loose its cooling.----------- As per the present situation, it indicates problem with compressor or problem with freezer side door not closing properly.---------- Or the temperature in freezer section is not set to proper cooling/ freezing.--------- So first inspect temperature, is it set right? If ok, then check the freezer door , is it properly closed? If ok, then its compressor problem.? The compressor is running non stop, this is indication of compressor problem.---------- Click this link below for more help:--- http://technoanswers.blogspot.com/2011/06/both-refrigerator-and-freezer-not.html ----------- Later on both section will loose its cooling. -------- This will help.Thanks.Helpmech.

The temperature is not set to high cooling.First check the temperature setting.But if temperature is set right and still the ice cream is not cooling then .Problem relates to weak compressor. ------------- The problem is weak compressor.The refrigerant ( R12) in the compressor is got low.The compressor is weak.The compressor needs to be replaced.-------------- The working procedure of this unit is as follows: --- The compressor starts then it cools the freezer section. When the freezer reaches its cooling level the defrost cycle starts functioning. In this cycle the fan in the freezer section starts running and the cool air in the freezer section is passed to the fridge section and the fridge section gets cold. The air from freezer to refrigerator passes from the section, in that section the damper is located.------------ But as you mentioned that ice cream is not freezing, so that means freezer is not freezing to its required temperature.------- This indicates problem with compressor.When compressor cools the freezer section then fridge section gets cold.If freezer section is not getting properly cold then fridge section will not cool properly/.So the problem relates to compressor.---------- In the compressor there is a refrigerant called FREON.With the help of this Freon the compressor cools the freezer section.Freon is a gaseous type cooling agent.The compressor will stop cooling when coolant gets leaked from its chamber.--------- Again recharging the Freon is possible, but the cost for that recharging is approx the cost of new compressor.So its always advisable to get compressor replaced.Because new compressor has warranty for few years.------------------ You can get required parts from from online sites like: --- www.repairclinic.com or from searspartsdirect online site. --------- This should help.Thanks.Helpmech.

You should be able hear, and feel the air from, a running fan inside the cabinet, in either side. The common arrangement is having the coils located (behind the wall) in the freezer section and then the fan moves a controlled amount of the frigid air to the refrigerator section via openings located in the rear of the compartment. The vents are normally adjustable so the temperature can be balanced between the two compartments.  If there is no noticeable air coming from this vent, then the fan has died.