XT Appliances · Warren
Freezer is cold but the fridge side is warm
Cold is being made but not moved, most often because the freezer fan has stopped or frost has choked the coil.
On most refrigerators the only cooling coil sits behind the freezer's back wall. A fan next to it pulls air across the coil and pushes part of that air through a duct into the fresh-food side, where a small damper meters how much gets in. So when the freezer is cold and the fridge is warm, the cooling system is working. Cold is being made but not moved, and the fault is in one of the parts that move it.
Fan, frost or damper
The evaporator fan is the most common cause. When its motor seizes or burns out, the freezer still gets cold from sitting next to the coil, but nothing pushes air to the fridge. Many fans stop when the freezer door opens, so open it while the fridge is running, hold in the door switch button if there is one, and listen. Silence where you used to hear a soft whir points at the fan.
If the fan runs and the fridge still warms, look at the freezer's back wall. A defrost fault lets frost pack the coil until air can't get through it. This one is slow: the fridge drifts warmer over several days, sometimes recovers for a while, then warms again. Frost caked on the back panel is the tell. The defrost heater is the usual reason, with the defrost thermostat and the control that starts defrost close behind.
A damper stuck shut gives the same warm fridge with a fan that runs fine. The air reaches the duct and stops there. Stuck open, it does the reverse and freezes food in the fridge.
The door switch is the odd one out. If it sticks, the light can stay on with the door shut, and the bulb's heat warms the fridge a few degrees. On some models the same switch tells the fan when to run, so a bad one can stop the fan when it should be blowing. With the door open, press the switch button by hand. The light should go out.
Before you call
Make sure food isn't pressed against the vents inside. A packed shelf in front of the air outlet can leave the fridge warm with every part working. Check the temperature settings and that both doors close and seal. If food has been above 40°F for two hours or more, call us now.
On the visit our technician first checks whether the fan spins and gets power. If it does, the coil, the damper and the door switch come next.
What it usually turns out to be
- PartEvaporator fan motorThis fan in the freezer pushes cold air through to the fridge side, so when it stops the freezer stays cold and the fridge warms. With the fridge running, open the freezer and hold its door switch in: no fan sound points here.
- PartFrost-choked coil from a defrost faultIf the defrost system fails, frost packs the cooling coil until air can't pass through. The fridge warms slowly over several days, and you may see frost caked on the freezer's back wall.
- PartAir damper stuck shutThe damper meters how much freezer air gets into the fridge. Stuck shut, it keeps the fridge warm even though the freezer fan runs normally.
- PartDoor switchA stuck switch can leave the light on with the door shut, and the bulb's heat warms the fridge a few degrees. On some models it also stops the fan when it should run.
Try this first
- Make sure food isn't pressed against the air vents inside, so cold air can move from the freezer to the fridge.
- Check the temperature settings and that both doors close and seal.
- With the fridge door open, press the light switch button by hand. The light should go out.
- With the fridge running, open the freezer, hold its door switch in if it has one, and listen for the fan behind the back wall.
Stop using it and call now if
- Food has been above 40°F for two hours or more
- A burning smell, or the back is hot to the touch