my refrigerator is not getting cold, but my freezer works fine, what can I do to fix it?

Question

My refrigerator is not getting cold but my freezer works fine. I turned all the knobs to the coldest and it's still not getting cold. Is there anything i can do at home without calling someone to come fix and charge me a lot?

Answer 1

Check the back wall or floor of the freezer section for frost. Check the freezer( evaporator) fan to see if it is running. Check the condenser coils( under the unit ) for blockage from dust. Check the condenser fan (under the unit) to see if it is running.

If you have frost in the freezer there is a problem with the defrost system and the freezer will start to warm eventually as well as the fresh food section. If that is the problem you can check the defrost terminator, defrost heater/s, and the defrost timer or adaptive defrost control If used on your unit or the main control board if so equipped. These things usually require dismantling the freezer and other areas of the refrigerator to be checked.

You could defrost the freezer by disconnecting the power to the refrigerator and letting it sit for at least 24 hours with BOTH DOORS WIDE OPEN to allow the frost to melt completely but it will build up again in 1-2 weeks and start the warming up again.

Answer 2

Is this a top freezer-self defrosting type of ref ? Propably so ---- Ok then : check the evaporator blower fan is running > you have to take the inside freezer panel(s) out to get to the fan. Is there a "sheet of ice" on the freezer back wall or bottom ? If so then the defrost system is on the blink and the freezer is plugged with ice (behind the wall) which prevents cold air from going into the fresh food compartment---and this in turn will not cool off the thermostat enough for it to shut off--so the ref runs all the time perhaps. Do this first : Manually defrost the ref -- yes --make sure it is well defrosted. Then plug it back in and run it normal. Buy a 1/2 gal. container of ice cream > any flavor will do < put the ice cream in the freezer and try not to eat too much of it for the next 3 to 5 days. The ice cream requires a lower freezer temperature to stay hard(fat content) so when it starts getting soft then the freezer temperature is climbing higher. This can mean that ice is building up again on the evaporator coil and insulating itself. You will have to manually defrost again and it will be good again for 3 to 5 days. If this is what is happening then the defost system needs repaired > this consists of : (1)- defrost timer (2)-defrost terminator (3)-defrost heater(s) (4)-wiring connections. You may need to call some one in to properly trouble-shoot this -- or take a calculated gamble and replace the defrost timer yourself -- this might(?) solve your problem. You will have to look for it-may be black with 4 wires connected--. Good Luck.

Answer 3

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/aw9fV

There is a flap from the Freezer to the Fridge. If it get stuck closed it will not let cold air into the fridge. Take everything out of the freezer to check the flap and see if it is frozen closed with ice or just shut. Once found , flip it open and shut to knock the ice off then leave it open. Being iced up will keep it from being operable. The temperature setting works this flap and it should be open somewhat to let cold air into the fridge. Being you turned the temp gauge to coldest give it 8 hours and check it to see if it is getting cold.

Answer 4

Refrigerator Not Cooling

Answer 5

I turned off the power to the fridge completely for almost a day then I turned it on again. The blower started to blow feeble cold air. The food compartment became cold again. I guess this can only last for another 2 weeks after that I have to repeat the process.
Fyi this Panasonic fridge had been sent for repair and some parts have apparently been replaced but the condition still persisted. The repairman charge me quite exorbitantly. When contacted he asked me to do the above.

Answer 6

I am going through this problem now. I took the back cover of the unit off and found an enormous amount of dust, spider webs and what looked liked the beginning of a mouse nest. The fan was blocked with all this debris and was not running. I cleaned it as best I could with my big hands and spun the fan backwards and it started running again. The refrigerator is cooling again. When someone with smaller hands wakes in the morning I will have them clean it more thoroughly. If you do this, unplug your fridge first.

Answer 7

My Frig has been cleaned, coils, grill etc but the food compartment will not go low and it will not shut off from running. Repair man said it was at least 30 year old. Cold air is getting down to the food section but just keeps running

Answer 8

My 2 yr old whirlpool with bottom freezer -top frig is running but frig is not cooling. Is there a separate compressor for frig or has some control unit gone out?

Answer 9

Have being going through all kinds of crap with my american fridge general electric to be exact every couple of months the ice maker would stop working then then water then every thing would go back to normal next time it would be the lights, water pissing out through the ice maker the problem we have being having is Ge seems to have disappeared off the planet when it comes to customers in London UK nothing but a complete nightmare getting someone out who knows how to repair these appliances they finally gave the contact details of agsrefrigeration a service company in the London area they came out and found that the cause of our ongoing problem was a slow moving condenser fan which they replaced also why is it GE parts are so difficult to get hold off long gone are the days when your fridge would out live all the other appliances in your home i think they are all built with some sort off obsolete failing mechanism just so you can go out and purchase one every couple of years.

Answer 10

Take all the stuff out of the fridge unscrew the panel inside the fridge with the vents where the cold air is coming from, melt all the ice on the radiator grille and put it back together. It should be working fine.