Refrigerator warm but freezer still cold

Here are some possible causes and solutions to consider:

1. Check the temperature settings: Ensure that the temperature settings are set to the recommended levels for your refrigerator. You can refer to the user manual or manufacturer's website for the recommended temperature range. The target range is between 35-38°F

2. Clean the condenser coils: Dirty or clogged condenser coils can prevent the refrigerator from cooling properly. Clean the condenser coils located at the back or bottom of the refrigerator using a vacuum or brush.

3. Check the evaporator fan: The evaporator fan circulates cool air throughout the refrigerator and normally runs constantly. If it's not functioning correctly, it can cause the refrigerator to stop cooling. Check that the fan is running and for any obstructions or damage and replace it if necessary.

4. Check the door seals: The door seals ensure that the refrigerator is properly sealed, preventing warm air from entering. Check the seals for any cracks, gaps or damage and replace them if necessary.

5. On many Fridge Freezers, the cold air for the fridge is vented from the freezer side into the fridge. If the freezer coils ice up or block due to faulty defrosting, it can cause no cold air to reach the fridge compartment.

6. Checking the refrigerant gas levels: If the refrigerant levels are low, the refrigerator will not cool properly. Only qualified technician can check the refrigerant levels and add more if necessary.

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The most common cause for this condition is a problem with the defrost system. If the refrigerator freezer is cold but the refrigerator is warm, the evaporator fan motor might have failed. ... If the freezer is cold but refrigerator is warm the air damper control might be stuck closed or broken
The Evaporator Coils are Frosted Over
If the freezer is cold but the refrigerator is warm and the evaporator coils are frosted over, there may be a defrost system problem. Several times a day the defrost heater assembly turns on for a few minutes to melt away any frost or ice that may have accumulated on the evaporator coils. If the defrost heater assembly has burned out, or the defrost thermostat or defrost control have failed the frost will build up on the coils and eventually no air will be able to travel through the coils to provide cooling. The most common cause for this condition is a problem with the defrost system.
Evaporator Fan Motor
If the refrigerator freezer is cold but the refrigerator is warm, the evaporator fan motor might have failed. Every refrigerator has a set of coils called an evaporator. These are the coils that get cold. A small fan and motor is mounted near the coils. This fan and motor - called the evaporator fan and motor, draws air over the evaporator coils and circulates it throughout the freezer and refrigerator. If the fan fails, the freezer or refrigerator will get much warmer than usual.
Damper Control Assembly
If the freezer is cold but refrigerator is warm the air damper control might be stuck closed or broken. The air damper control is either an automatic or manually operated door which opens and closes to let more or less cold air into the refrigerator compartment. If it doesn't open properly it won't let enough cold air into the refrigerator. If the evaporator fan is running, the damper door is open and no air is coming out. The evaporator may be frosted up caused by a defrost problem.
Thermistor
If the freezer is cold but the refrigerator is warm the thermistor might be defective. The thermistor is a sensor which monitors the air temperature. It is connected to the control board. If the thermistor is defective the refrigerator does not cool or may cool continuously.
Temperature Control Board
If the refrigerator's freezer is cold but the refrigerator is warm the temperature control board might be defective. The temperature control board provides the voltage to the fan motors and compressor. These boards are often misdiagnosed. Check all other components to be certain this is the cause of the problem.
Defrost Thermostat
If the refrigerator freezer is cold but the refrigerator is warm, the defrost thermostat might be defective. Several times a day the defrost heater turns on for a few minutes to melt away any frost that may have accumulated on the evaporator coils. In order for this to work, the defrost thermostat has to sense that the coils are cold enough. If the coils are cold enough the defrost heater will turn on. If the thermostat is defective it may not be able to sense the temperature of the coils and then won't turn on the defrost heater. If the defrost heater doesn't turn on, the frost will build up on the coils and eventually no air will be able to travel through the coils to provide cooling to the freezer or refrigerator. The defrost thermostat can be checked for continuity. It should have continuity when it reaches the low temperature of its operating range.
Main Control Board
If the refrigerator's freezer is cold but the refrigerator is warm the main control board might be defective. This is not common. The cause of this problem is almost always in the defrost components.

You have a bad defrost timer or board

Hi,

Many times a freezer and/or refrigeratordo not work right because of a dirty condenser coil...there are also many otherthings that can go wrong. If you are hearing a clicking or buzzing thencheck out the last two tips.

If your refrigerator is running but warm, then...

Check out these tips that I wrote about that... it is a great place to starttrouble shooting your unit...and something that you can do rather then callinga repair person to do a simple thing for you...

Refrigerator Condenser Coil Cleaning Refrigerator Repair

Refrigerator Troubleshooting Refrigerator Compressor

Refrigerator Compressor Start Capacitor and Start Relay
Refrigerator or Freezer not Cooling or Getting Cold

heatman101

Remove the grill along the bottom of your refrigerator. Locate the drip pan, using a flashlight if necessary. The pan should be sitting on a set of black condenser coils.
Remove the pan and wash it. Use a mixture of warm, soapy water and bleach to kill the mold.
Reinstall the pan and the grill.
Locate the coils. They look like thin, black radiators and may be underneath the fridge or attached to the back.
If the coils are on the back, pull the refrigerator away from the wall, then vacuum the dusty coils, using the brush and crevice attachments. Reinstall the refrigerator grill.
If the coils are underneath, pull off the grill and remove the drip pan. Vacuum the dusty coils, using the crevice attachment to get between them. Take care not to damage the delicate coils. Reinstall the refrigerator grill.

Check compressor is running with exact current (Amps). Keep your hand on discharge line on condenser coil to feel warm. If no warm means no gas in the system. If warm and no whistling sound in freezer means system under chocked.
If no gas, find leak an arrest it. Vacuum and do gas charging. If chocked, release all gas, flush out the system, replace filter drier, vacuum and recharge gas. Helpful?

Hi,

Many times a freezer and/or refrigeratordo not work right because of a dirty condenser coil...there are also many otherthings that can go wrong. If you are hearing a clicking or buzzing then check out thelast two tips.

If your refrigerator is running but warm, then...

Check out these tips that I wrote about that... it is a great place to starttrouble shooting your unit...and something that you can do rather then callinga repair person to do a simple thing for you...

Refrigerator Condenser Coil Cleaning Refrigerator Repair

Refrigerator Troubleshooting Refrigerator Compressor

Refrigerator Compressor Start Capacitor and Start Relay
Refrigerator or Freezer not Cooling or Getting Cold

heatman101

Cleaned the condenser coils which were dusty but not severely so. Checked the evaporator coils which were NOT iced. Reset the fridge to coldest setting and freezer to #5 (mid range of temperature) and waited a full 36 hours. Fridge temp is 40 F and freezer is about 0F. Not sure what is different except coldest setting on fridge. Warm weather is here but not warm enough to require AC. Temps in late afternoon in house about 77-80F. Any thoughts are appreciated because I suspect this problem is not completely resolved.

Hi,

Many times a freezer and/or refrigeratordo not work right because of a dirty condenser coil...there are also many otherthings that can go wrong. If you are hearing a clicking or buzzing then check out thelast two tips.

If your refrigerator is running but warm, then...

Check out this tip that I wrote about that... it is a great place to starttrouble shooting your unit...and something that you can do rather then callinga repair person to do a simple thing for you...

Refrigerator Condenser Coil Cleaning Refrigerator Repair

Refrigerator Troubleshooting Refrigerator Compressor

Refrigerator Compressor Start Capacitor and Start Relay
Refrigerator or Freezer not Cooling or Getting Cold

heatman101


jsrha

if the freezer is getting cold the problem is due to the cold air from the freezer not getting into the refrigerator. There are several things that can cause this problem. The coils in the freezer icing up and not defrosting properly is one of the things that can cause the refrigerator not to get cold enough. Another problem is the fan that blows the cold air from the freezer compartment into the refrigerator, not working. When the compressor is running open the refrigerator's door and push the switch that makes the light go out. You should hear the fan blowing the cold air from the freezer into the refrigerator, when this switch is pushed in. If the fan is working then you will need to find what is blocking the air flow. Iced up coils are a common problem. The icing problem can be due to a defective defrost timer or something defective in the defrost circuit. Click here for more information. Check for these problems and let me know what you have found.
REFRIGERATOR TROUBLESHOOTING
#1 Refrigerator side getting warm Freezer still cold
Evaporator fan motor not running.
Defective defrost timer. See Defrost Diagnosis Procedure
Defrost heater defective. See Defrost Diagnosis Procedure
Defrost thermostat defective. See Defrost Diagnosis Procedure
Airflow blocked from freezer compartment.
Freezer control turned to "coldest" setting blocking air flow to refrigerator side. On most refrigerator/freezers, the freezer control closes a baffle when turned to coldest setting, and this blocks off the air flow to the fresh food compartment.
Fan blade broken.
Defective door switch on older models.
Light staying on with door closed.
2 Refrigerator & freezer compartments both are getting warm
Make sure refrigerator is plugged in and has power.
Condenser fan motor on bottom under refrigerator not running.
Condenser coil clogged.
Defective defrost timer. See Defrost Diagnosis Procedure
Defective defrost heater. See Defrost Diagnosis Procedure
Defective defrost thermostat. See Defrost Diagnosis Procedure
Evaporator fan motor not running.
Cold control defective.
Compressor overload defective.
Compressor relay defective.
Light staying on with door closed.
Compressor defective.
Low on refrigerant. #3 Freezer compartment getting hot.
Defrost timer stuck in defrost cycle.(replace)
Defrost thermostat stuck.(replace)
Ice maker stuck in harvest cycle
Light staying on with door closed. 4 Ice maker not making ice
Defective inlet water valve.
Freezer temperature not cold enough. (see problem # 2 & 3 above)
Defective thermostat in ice maker.
Defective drive motor.
Water inlet tube clogged with ice.
Defective module in newer style icemaker. 5 Refrigerator sweating around door edges
Door gaskets leaking air.
Defective case heaters.
Energy saver switch not set to reduce exterior moisture
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