Refridgerator Problem - Does Not Cool Properly

[Bill]

Some frost free models have a heating element on a timer. Every so often, the refrigerator will shut down, then the heating element will turn on for a short period to remove ice build-up around the cooling coils (which may be hidden from view).

If the heating element/timer is not functioning properly, then ice can be blocking the air flow. Check to be sure air is flowing where it should or if you can see ice build-up through any air vents inside the freezer. Or try sticking everything in ice chests and defrosting for 12 to 24 hours or so with doors open. (There can be a solid block of ice hidden behind a partition and it can take quite awhile for it to melt.)

If the defrosting gets it working again, then the problem happens again in

2 weeks to a month, then ice has built back up blocking the air flow.

Of course this all depends on the model of fridge you have, so could be something else.

May want to get a refrigerator thermometer so you can tell if it is cooling properly after defrosting and then be able to notice more quickly if the problem crops back up again.

[John Willis]

On Sat, 03 Sep 2005 12:32:59 GMT, "SCOTT" scribbled this interesting note:

Here's the list of things to check:

Blockage in the ductwork. Timer. Heating element. Thermostat.

I recently went through this exact problem. In our case it ended up being the thermostat, which is a $12.00 part.

Good luck.

-- John Willis [e-mail] (Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

[SCOTT]

Hey guys, my fridge has not been cooling properly. And same for the freezer portion, ice is taking longer to make. I cleaned the dust from the coils. What else should I suspect? The fridge is only 4 years old.

Thanks in advance, Tim

[Ken]

Is the refrigerator completely defrosting? Is the defrost water leaving the freezer area and making it via the tubing to the pan?

[SCOTT]

[Anonymous]

Had an identical problem recently .. .. .. thermostat was the culprit.