Kenmore 22' bottom freezer refrig-freezer not cold

The first thing you want to do is open the freezer and see if the fan inside there is running. The reason is the freezer cools the refrigerator side by circulating air from the freezer. If the fan is running then your problem is one or more parts of the defrost system is malfunctioned and in return your problem arises. There are three parts to the system, the defrost timer or in some cases control board, defrost thermostat also known as a bi-metal, and the defrost heater. The defrost system is set up to operate as so. The defrost timer or control board will turn the machine off, in some cases every 8 hours, some 12. During this time period the defrost heaters, located behind the freezer wall and rest underneath the evaporator, yet wires to them run up the side of it, are energized and emit heat that raises upward to melt the ice that has formed on the evaporator coils. The bi-metal or defrost thermostat is at the top of the evaporator. When the heat from the heater starts to reach the bi-metal, it breaks the circuit turning the heater off. The whole purpose of this is because the freezer cool the refridgerator side by drawing air across the coils and blowing to the other side via the evap fan motor. In my opinion, if you change one part of the defrost system change them all because usually when one part fails another will follow, so save yourself the time and the food loss, the cost difference is minute.

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this fan needs to run when the compressor runs,check fan blade for being jammed by ice if you have this much ice on back wall as ice will stall motor,if no fan there will be no cool air to refrige compartment also the defrost drain tray will fill with water then freeze over which in turn floods the freezer floor and refrige compartments cause it cannot drain to the pan in the bottom

Hi,

Remove the access panel in the freezer section to expose the evaporator coils. If the coils in the freezer section get plugged up with frost, this frost will block the evaporator fan motor from blowing the cold air around. The fan blade can also hit this frost and either become noisy or stop altogether. Locating the defrost timer can be tricky....they are often hidden behind the back bottom corners of the fridge at the bottom, in the last few years the timers have been located in the ceiling of the fresh food section, and some behind the cold control cover. Once you locate the defrost timer, slowly turn the screw like wheel in the middle of the defrost timer with a straight screwdriver until the fridge shuts off. You are now in defrost. If the defrost heater(s) comes on now, replace the defrost timer and defrost thermostat. If the heater(s) does not come on, you can ohm test the defrost heater for continuity or volt test for 120 volts to the heater(s). If you have no power to the defrost heater(s) you can also bypass the defrost thermostat to see if the defrost heater will come on, join the 2 wires together to bypass the defrost thermostat. If the heater now comes on, replace the defrost timer and defrost thermostat. If the heater itself is bad, defrost the fridge with a hair dryer, replace the defrost heater* and defrost thermostat. If the defrost timer seems "hot" to the touch or is noisy ( like a ticking or screeching noise )...replace it.

Hope this helpout......

The fridge gets its cold air from the freezer through a vent(damper) between the freezer and fridge.The fan in the freezer blows air through it. Make sure this fan is running. You may have to hold the door switch in for it to run. There is a flap you adjust with the fridge temp. control. Make sure it's opening and closing when you adjust the fridge temp.
The problem could be the electronic control if you have one or the mechanical linkages.

If the evaporator coils behind the back panel of the freezer are icing up because of auto defrost failure that will stop the circulation of cold air and eventually affect the freezer too.

check defrost timer, defrost heater, defrost thermostat. In most newer models the timer has been replaced by an electronic control board. If the heater and thermostat are ok it’ll be the control.

My fridge is running but not cold enough: Start out with the easy stuff first...make sure the lights go out when you close the door(s), make sure the doors are closing properly and the gaskets are closing fully and not torn. Check to make sure the evaporator fan in the freezer is working, this fan blows the cold air around. If the fan is not working, possible bad fan motor - check for power to the fan motor and also check the fan switches around the door openings, ( if your fridge has these switches, not all do ). A common problem cropping up in the last several years has been the air damper not opening up and allowing the cold air from the freezer to be blown into the fresh food section . For many years the air damper was manually operated and now we have motorized controlled or temperature controlled or thermister and electronic boards controlling air dampers, and if this device sticks closed the FF section will normally warm up. An example picture of "one" style and an air damper ( called a diffuser by Whirlpool ). Next would be to check the condenser tubing, a good place to start is to make sure the condenser coils are not built up with dust!! Make sure the condenser fan motor is also working properly. Check for any "clicking on and off" noises from the compressor, is the compressor running.

The most common fridge "not cooling" problem is a frost free failure. Remove the access panel in the freezer section to expose the evaporator coils. If the coils in the freezer section get plugged up with frost, this frost will block the evaporator fan motor from blowing the cold air around. The fan blade can also hit this frost and either become noisy or stop altogether. Locating the defrost timer can be tricky....they are often hidden behind the back bottom corners of the fridge at the bottom, in the last few years the timers have been located in the ceiling of the fresh food section, and some behind the cold control cover. Once you locate the defrost timer, slowly turn the screw like wheel in the middle of the defrost timer with a straight screwdriver until the fridge shuts off. You are now in defrost. If the defrost heater(s) comes on now, replace the defrost timer and defrost thermostat. If the heater(s) does not come on, you can ohm test the defrost heater for continuity or volt test for 120 volts to the heater(s). If you have no power to the defrost heater(s) you can also bypass the defrost thermostat to see if the defrost heater will come on, join the 2 wires together to bypass the defrost thermostat. If the heater now comes on, replace the defrost timer and defrost thermostat. If the heater itself is bad, defrost the fridge with a hair dryer, replace the defrost heater* and defrost thermostat. If the defrost timer seems "hot" to the touch or is noisy ( like a ticking or screeching noise )...replace it.
You can get required parts from www.repairclinic.com
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Check your condenser coil (should be below the refrig.). If dirty, you can clean it with a condenser brush from Home Depot or Lowe's. Turn the appliance off while cleaning. Be careful not to damage the refrigerant tubing (copper). If this doesn't solve the problem, then there may be an issue with the defrost thermostat, defrost heater(s) or the main temperature control assembly.

Contact an appliance service company.

Refrigerator gets cold air from freezer compartment. Either the air flow is blocked by food items or ice, or the recirculating fan is not working.

The most common failure is that the freezer coils get all iced up becuase the defroster timer, defroster thermostat, or heater has stopped working.

When it's running, you should feel cold air blowing out of the vents that are in the fridge, otherwise, the 'air tower' (air vent) is blocked with ice.

If you manually defrost the whole thing, and it runs fine for a day or so, then it's not defrosting properly. If you manually turn the defroster timer, and you don't hear the scorching/hissing/gurgling of the defroster working, then that would confirm a fault in the defroster circuits.

Based on the following thread, it's probably a bad defrost thermostat.

http://www.applianceblog.com/mainforums/sears-kenmore/13766-kenmore-elite-22-bottom-freezer-refrigerator-fridge-not-cooling.html

On some Amana refrigs , the defrost thermostat has to close before the fan will come on . The coils will get cold and since the bimetal clips onto the coils , it will get cold as they do . When cold enough , bimetal closes and the fan will come on . Are the coils getting cold ? If so , then the compressor is working . You could also have a bad fan motor instead of bimetal . Recheck to see if you hear the fan in freezer now .

Amana version of adaptive defrost : Press refrigerator light switch five times in six seconds to initiate defrost cycle. Pressing five more times within six seconds will cancel defrost and go straight into the run mode. Similar operation on both bottom mount and SxS refrigerators. After the defrost terminator/thermostat opens, six minutes of dwell time occurs before the compressor and condenser fan motor will operate. After defrost terminator/thermostat open, 10 minutes of dwell time occurs before the evaporator fan motor will operate.

There should be a push in switch on the door frame that you can push to see if the evaporator fan is functioning. You will be able to hear it when you push in on the switch.

If your problem is defrost related you will see frost buildup on the back wall of the freezer . If it is defrost related it will be ether the timer, heater, or defrost thermostat that is your problem. If it is the timer, locate where the timer is. Sometimes located in the area of the temperature controls with a hole through which you can turn a clutch head screw clockwise very SLOWLY until you hear one audible click. This will start the defrost. if after 30 minutes it defrosts but does not start cooling again turn the screw just a little further and you will hear another click. The compressor should start. If this is you conditions the timer needs to be replaced. If it fails to defrost and restarts to cooling mode after 18-22 minutes the problem is in the defrost heater circuit.