Side-by-Side: Refrigerator will not maintain temp below 50 Deg. Freezer works fine - where is the problem? Model Number MSD2757AE

Hi and welcome to FixYa, I am Kelly

The ice-maker not working was a sign that the freezer temps were rising above 14 - 16 deg F. There ice-maker has an internal thermostat that activates the harvest cycle when the temps reach around 15 deg F. If the freezer is warming up it will never make ice.

What is most likely causing the recent symptoms of the unit shutting of and not stating for a long period is either an intermittent defrost thermostat (
The unit has a timed defrost cycle to START the cycle but there is a 60 deg F thermostat that opens to terminate the defrost cycle. If the defrost heater does not work the unit has to slowly warm up toward room temp without heat to reach 60 deg F for the defrost cycle to terminate. This can take a very long time if the freezer is more than 50% full as the contents will keep the temp below 60 deg F for an extended period.

I suspect you have a defrost element failure. Item 230 this link:
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=210406&diagram_id=22357329#d22357329

You should read resistance across the defrost heating element. No resistance = open element.


There is the very very remote possibility that there is a problem with the main board. Item 801 this link:
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=210406&diagram_id=22357329#d22357329
Since the unit works once defrosted I doubt the main board has failed.

There is a thermistor that is item 241 of this link:
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/partsearch/model.aspx?model_id=210406&diagram_id=22357332#d22357332 that can possibly cause the problem.

Thermistor Image:
http://www.appliancepartspros.com/PartImage.aspx?imgid=Z3BqLjBfbXNfNTIwMDFYNTVSVy9IRUcvc290b2hwdHJhcC8%3d

If the defrost heating element is good then this would be suspect #2.

I hate to use someone elses material in a response but this one is so good that it is a must read:
http://www.appliance-repair-it.com/refrigerator-thermistor.html

Bottom line... I still think you have a defrost heating element problem at this time.

Thanks for choosing FixYa,
Kelly





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You have one of two different problems. Either the fan in the freezer side is not running/working or you have a defrost problem. Check on the freezer side to see if you can hear the fan running, and if it is, look on the back freezer wall for a build up of ice. If you have that, one of the components of the defrost system (timer, defrost thermostat or defrost heater) is bad. List your brand so I can be more specific.

If you need further help, I’m available over the phone at https://www.6ya.com/expert/jason_4570d45317834dd3

try unplugging it for a day f you can as sometimes it ices around the coils blocking air flow(especially if it is left open for a while) in mine it was along the back bottom of the freezer and I was able to remove a panel and then use a blow drier but eventually it repeated itself and had toreplace a part down there

hello. this is a common problem. The thermostat for a refrigerator/freezer is in the refrigerator part. Normally the refrigerator is kept at around 40 degrees. The compressor turns on as required to maintain this tempearture. The evaporator coils are concentrated in the freezer side, so that the freezer stays at around 0 degrees while the fridge side is held at 40.

If the ambient temp is around 25 degrees, the refrigerator compartment will get below the setpoint of 40 degrees, and gradually continue down towards 25 degrees. The compressor will not have to run at all to maintain this. In fact, the compressor is designed not to run, once the refrigerator compartment gets below the setpoint, for fear of freezing the contents of the fridge.

The lack of circulating refrigerant due to the non-running compressor means that the freezer compartment will gradually warm up to 25 degrees.

If the unit were just a freezer, it would work fine in the unheated garage. If it were just a refrigerator, it would not run in these conditions, and the contents would eventually freeze, but it is otherwise OK.
Regards, Joe PS kindly rate my answer. Thank you.

read booklet or contact me 9179421686

sounds like a defrost problem, if you have frost on the inside back panel in the freezer then you have a defrost problem bad defrost timer/board or defrost heater or defrost bimetal thermostat. check em all.

Is the fan that moves the air from the freezer to fridge running If there is a switch in cabinet somewhere the freezer door would contract it, with door open push in switch hear the fan both are good. Don't hear fan check evaporator or freezer fan and that switch it may be a duel switch open light closed fan run. Tricky there are light switches, when out light on or when switch is in its lights out

Remove the freezer shelves and bins. Remove the freezer back panel to access the fan motor.

well i hate to be the one to give you the bad news but most likely a bad thing... your compressor is 1. either weak, or 2 you are running low on freon....

check to see if there is frost in the back of the freezer if so you have a defrost prob..