Fridge Not Cooling Anymore? What to Check Before You Call

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Your fridge isn’t cooling anymore, yet it seems to be running? Before you suspect the compressor, check what manufacturers check first: power, temperature setting, Vacation or demo mode, door, ventilation. Then allow several hours for the temperature to settle.

Common symptoms and causes

• The fridge isn’t cooling but the freezer works: Vacation or demo mode on, blocked air vents, ice on the evaporator, or a failed fan, thermostat or control board.
• Frost builds up at the back or around the door: faulty door seal, evaporator caked in ice.
• The compressor is hot or never stops: dusty condenser, room too warm, appliance pushed against the wall.
• Nothing works, no light and no display: outlet, circuit breaker or power cord.

Before you start

Have a fridge thermometer, a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush, a microfiber cloth and the appliance manual on hand. Modes and button combinations vary by brand and model.

Warning: unplug the appliance before opening any panel, and never work on it while it is plugged in. The capacitors in some appliances stay charged after unplugging, so don’t touch them. Always unplug the fridge before cleaning the condenser or defrosting it.

Warning: opening the appliance can void the warranty, so check the warranty end date first. With Samsung, a repair by a non-authorized technician voids the manufacturer’s warranty. Never touch the refrigerant circuit: only a certified technician works on it.

Warning: food left warm can become unsafe. Move it to a working freezer or a cooler as soon as possible, and throw out anything you doubt.

Solution 1: check the power, the thermostat and the modes

A special mode left on or a wrong temperature setting is enough to stop the cooling. Button combinations vary by brand and model, so keep the manual within reach.

1. Open the door and see whether the light or the control panel comes on.
2. Plug another device, such as a lamp, into the fridge’s outlet to check that it works.
3. Reset the circuit breaker at the electrical panel if the outlet is dead.
4. Plug the fridge straight into a wall outlet, with no extension cord or power strip.
5. Check that the power cord isn’t damaged or kinked behind the appliance.
6. Turn off vacation mode on the control panel display if it is on (the exact label depends on the model).
7. Exit demo mode if the display shows OF-OF: on many Samsung models, hold Energy Saver and Power Freeze (or Freezer) together for 3 seconds, until you hear a beep.
8. Set the fridge to about 3 °C (37 °F) and the freezer to -18 °C (0 °F).
9. Put a thermometer in the middle of the fridge and keep the door closed for several hours.

Expected result: the panel is lit, no special mode is active, and the thermometer drops toward the set temperature after a few hours.

To check the temperature without trusting the display, here is a set of two thermometers for the fridge and the freezer.

TFA Dostmann 95.1034: set of 2 analogue fridge thermometers

Two thermometers to place or hang, with marked cooling zones. They let you check the real temperature of the fridge and the freezer.

• AmazonSee at Amazon

Good to know: in demo mode, the light and the fan run but the compressor stays off. It is the mode used for appliances on display in stores. LG shows fridge settings from 0 to 7 °C (32 to 45 °F); Bosch advises checking with a thermometer over several hours rather than relying on the display.

Solution 2: check the door, the seal and the load

A door that doesn’t close properly lets warm air in all the time. An overloaded fridge, on the other hand, stops cold air from circulating.

1. Open the door 30 to 40 cm (12 to 16 inches), then let go: it should swing shut on its own.
2. Adjust the front feet to level the appliance if the door stays open.
3. Look for frost along the door seal, a sign that it doesn’t seal tightly enough.
4. Clean the seal with water and a mild detergent.
5. Inspect the seal all the way around and replace it if it is cracked or worn.
6. Move any food that blocks the air vents inside, and leave some space between items.
7. Empty part of the freezer if it is packed to the brim.

Expected result: the door closes on its own, the seal is clean and frost-free, and air moves between the food. Allow up to 24 hours for the temperature to settle after cleaning the seal.

Tip: Samsung recommends cleaning the seal every six months. On replacing it, advice differs: Bosch says you can do it yourself, while Samsung UK prefers a technician.

Solution 3: clear the ventilation and check the room

The fridge gives off its heat at the back. Pushed against the wall or standing in a room that is too warm, it struggles to cool.

1. Measure the free space around the appliance: Samsung France asks for 10 cm (4 inches) at the back and 5 cm (2 inches) on the sides and above.
2. Move the fridge away from a sunny window, the oven or a radiator.
3. Check that the room stays between 10 and 43 °C (50 and 110 °F), the range Samsung gives.
4. Find the appliance’s climate class in the manual and compare it with the room temperature.
5. Set the freezer to -20 °C (-4 °F) when the room is hot.

Expected result: the inside temperature moves back toward the set point.

Good to know: the climate class is the range of room temperatures the appliance is built for. Samsung UK only asks for 2.5 cm (1 inch) at the back, so if in doubt, follow the value in your model’s manual. Bosch points out that in a heat wave, every fridge works harder.

Solution 4: dust off the condenser

The condenser is the grille or coil at the back of the appliance that releases heat. Covered in dust, it forces the compressor to run nonstop, according to Bosch. Samsung recommends dusting it once or twice a year in France and every six months in the UK.

1. Unplug the fridge from the wall outlet.
2. Pull the appliance away from the wall to reach the back.
3. Remove the access panel at the bottom rear.
4. Vacuum the dust off the condenser and the compressor with a soft brush attachment.
5. Wipe the accessible surfaces with a dry microfiber cloth.
6. Check that the fan turns freely.
7. Put the access panel back.
8. Move the appliance back into place, keeping the clearances around it.
9. Plug the fridge back into the wall outlet.

Expected result: the condenser is clean, the fan turns freely and the compressor no longer runs nonstop.

To reach the dust behind the appliance, a long, flexible brush slips in where the vacuum cleaner can’t.

Sanggi long flexible brush for condenser coils and radiators

A 78 cm soft-bristle brush with a flexible handle. It reaches the dust behind and under the appliance, where a vacuum cleaner struggles.

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Solution 5: melt the frost at the back of the evaporator

The evaporator is the cold part of the cooling circuit, often hidden behind the back wall. A layer of ice can block it or clog the air outlets. Run this full defrost if the earlier solutions weren’t enough.

Warning: the appliance stays unplugged for one to two days. Empty it before you start and store the food somewhere cold (a friend’s freezer, a cooler). Never scrape the ice with a sharp object.

1. Check whether ice covers the back wall or blocks the air outlets.
2. Unplug the fridge from the wall outlet.
3. Leave the doors wide open for 24 to 48 hours, until all the ice has melted.
4. Dry the inside and the seals before restarting the appliance.
5. Plug the appliance back in and set the temperatures again.

Expected result: no trace of ice at the back, air blowing from the vents again, and the cold returning after several hours.

To keep food cold during the defrost, a passive cooler with cold packs helps out.

Dometic Cool-Ice WCI 33: 33 litre passive cool box

An insulated cool box with thick walls, to be used with ice packs. It keeps food cool during a breakdown or a defrost.

• AmazonSee at Amazon

Good to know: on a No Frost or fan-cooled appliance (a fan spreads the cold air), frost at the back is not normal. Bosch then recommends a thorough check by customer service if the frost comes back.

If nothing works

If the cold doesn’t return after the settings, the seal check, the ventilation, the condenser cleaning and the defrost, stop there. The fault then lies in a part only a technician replaces: compressor, fan, thermostat, control board, or a refrigerant leak. Do the same if you hear an unusual noise.

Contact the brand’s customer service, especially if the appliance is under warranty: Bosch advises calling them directly if gas is leaking. Have these ready:

• the model and serial number from the rating plate;
• the error code shown on the panel, if there is one;
• the purchase date and the receipt;
• the temperatures you measured with the thermometer and the fixes you already tried.

The same habits apply to other kitchen appliances, for example a dishwasher that won’t dry or a washing machine that won’t drain.

Take better care of your fridge: our toolbox

These accessories help you check the cold, maintain the appliance and protect food during a breakdown.

Frequently asked questions

Why isn’t my fridge cooling when the freezer works?

Either cold air no longer reaches the fridge compartment, or a mode or setting is blocking it. Bosch points to an overfilled freezer that disrupts airflow, and ice can clog the vents or the evaporator. With Samsung, this symptom can also come from Vacation Mode left on.

How can I tell if the fridge compressor is dead?

Only a technician can confirm it, with measuring equipment. Rule out the simple causes first: power, demo mode (compressor off but light on), a dusty condenser, a room that is too hot. If the cold doesn’t come back after that, call customer service.

Should I defrost a No Frost fridge that has stopped cooling?

Yes, if ice covers the back wall or blocks the air outlets. Unplug the appliance, empty it and leave the doors open for 24 to 48 hours, then dry everything well before plugging it back in. If frost returns on a No Frost model, Bosch recommends a check by customer service.

How long does a fridge take to get cold again?

Allow several hours after a setting change or a restart, according to Samsung, which gives no more precise figure. After cleaning the seal, settling can take up to 24 hours. Open the door as little as possible in the meantime.