Refrigerator help!!!!

Jenny · May 22, 2013

We have a Kenmore refrigerator, pictured below. The freezer is working perfectly fine, the fresh food part, not at all. I may as well just leave our food out. Anyone have an ideas on how to fix it??
The only thing I have come up with was just turning it off for a few days, letting everything defrost, and plugging it back in.

I has worked fine for the last four months up until the last week and a half.

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westmicher · May 22, 2013

On many home refrigerators there is a small fan that blows air from the freezer side to the refrigerator side when required. You may check that because that fan may stop working if you have one.

Jenny · May 22, 2013

Here are the "motor" area photos, its relatively clean and dust free

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Murraycroexp · May 22, 2013

I would certainly try unplugging it for a while. A unit that size wouldn't take long to melt any "frost" that might have accumulated between the chambers. Maybe 3-4 hours, max. But if it has the transfer fan it's likely bad. Also check for a "slide" or adjustment to sharing the cold. Maybe it got bumped if it has one.

RLENT · May 22, 2013

On mine - which is a Frigidaire, but looks very similar - the unit gets rid of heat via the side and rear wall surfaces. Perhaps with warmer temperatures here, the unit needs to operate more efficiently.

Make sure there is adequate clearance for air flow on all sides.

layoutshooter · May 22, 2013

We ran into a clearance problem. Ours started getting "hot" to the touch. We run a fan down the side of it, solved the problem for now. Need a better long term solution.

westmicher · May 22, 2013

Clearly your compressor and coolant are fine. That's not the problem.

Your fridge is just not getting the cooling from the coils to the fridge part. Look for a small fan, and/or a temperature sensor/selector as the only possible problem. It's a relatively simple system. Just figure out how the cool gets from the freezer area to the fridge.

Jenny · May 22, 2013

Well, there is no visible fan, unless its behind tbis plastic rear wall thing that I cant figure out how to get into.

We did take the little control panel off, and then the protector over what I assuming is the "tempature" wire in the back of the refrigerator. Once we put it back together and turned it on it clicked and the light kind of flickered, so hopefully it will work.

After leaving it unplugged for two hours and scrapping the little bit of frost in the freezer, which was barely anything, I did see condensation start to form on the back wall of the refrigerator where it used to freeze, but was still barely cold at all.

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Murraycroexp · May 22, 2013

If it seems to get SOME colder, unplug it for several hours to make dang sure any frost inside the passages I melted. You may be getting close.

westmicher · May 22, 2013

If you don't see a fan, there isn't one. The problem must be the temperature selector and/valve/sensor/switch. something there is not working properly. You need to focus your attention there.

westmicher · May 22, 2013

I doubt really seriously that defrosting is a solution unless you have inches of ice on the coils. A quarter inch or so of ice on the coils is no problem functionally.

westmicher · May 22, 2013

Remember to allow 10 minutes or so between adjustments on the temperature dial.

21cExp · May 22, 2013

I've often wondered if small fridges meant for household and dorm use would stand up to the vibrations and bounces of typical truck travel. Might have shaken a wiring connection loose or jarred a thermostat or other control enough that its not working properly anymore.

Will be interesting to see what it turns out to be.

Jenny · May 23, 2013

Really dumb question. Might there be a fan behind the large plastic wall type thing that is above the opening in the back at the bottom??

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Murraycroexp · May 23, 2013

I doubt it. That's probably the back of the inside compartment.

Murraycroexp · May 23, 2013

Got a model number? You might be able to find info online.

westmicher · May 23, 2013

Jenny said:
Really dumb question. Might there be a fan behind the large plastic wall type thing that is above the opening in the back at the bottom??

No. The fan has to get the freezing air into the fridge compartment directly, on demand. If you don't see a fan between the frozen side and fridge side, there is no fan.

Your fridge is likely cooled by coils activated by the temperature control. I'd still focus there or possibly on the temp sensor, but the temp control is more likely.

Jenny · Jun 11, 2013

Actually we ended up buying a new one. It was costing a lot of money to eat out everyday, and not having a way to store leftovers. Pretty much what we spent in a week eating out, paid for the new one.

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zorry · Jun 11, 2013

For future reference Shipshewana, In.
On rt 5 just so of 120.
Large operation. A couple of Amish guys run an RV refrigerator repair place. I believe they sell used parts and units.
On west side of 5,a mile or so so of 120. North of ARI.
Drop a few miles so and visit the 5 & 20 restaurant. You'll be glad you did.