The short answer
When the AFC refrigerators runs without cooling, the part owners suspect first — the compressor — is the part that fails last on this platform. On these models a stopped evaporator fan is the first thing this page would have you rule out. Most of the causes below are owner checks; the last of them is not.
What you observe on these models
- The cabinet is warm and the appliance is plainly running — You can hear the compressor; the air inside is not cold.
- Food at the back is frozen while the front is warm — Cold is reaching part of the compartment and not the rest.
- Ice production has fallen off at the same time — A maker needs the freezer at harvest temperature, so the two complaints share a cause.
- NEAR MISS — only the ice maker has stopped — Start with the ice page for this family; the cooling may be fine.
Causes, most likely first on this family
- Evaporator fan motor stopped — A failed evaporator fan gives a warm fresh-food compartment with a freezer that still makes ice for a while, and that split is the tell. First, because it accounts for every observable above without needing a second fault. One design carries every cabinet size in this family, so it holds across the line.
- Condenser coil packed with dust or pet hair — A dirty condenser is the cheapest cause on this list and the one most often skipped, because it sits where nobody looks. It ranks second — the fault the first check leaves standing.
- Cold control or thermistor reading wrong — A sensor reading colder than the cabinet really is lets the control stop calling for cooling long before the food is safe. Third: a real cause on these cabinets, but a less frequent one.
- Sealed-system or compressor fault — A sealed-system fault gives a compressor that runs without pause, a condenser that never gets properly hot and frost on only part of the evaporator face. Last, which is exactly why the checks above are worth spending first.
- Body: Because this family is one design at several capacities, the air path is the part that is worked hardest at the top of the ladder — which is what moves airflow causes above installation ones here.
Check in this order, and why
- Open the freezer and hold the door switch closed: a healthy evaporator fan is audible the moment the switch makes. — First, because it settles the top of the ranking before anything else is touched.
- Pull the appliance out, take off the lower rear cover or the toe grille and look at the coil for a felt of dust. — Next, once the check above has come back clean.
- Leave a thermometer in the compartment overnight and compare what it reads against what the control is set to. — Last, so that nothing further is spent until the cheaper checks are exhausted.
Disconnect before you open it up
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Never bypass a door switch to keep a part running while you look at it. Keep the doors shut meanwhile and move perishables to a cooler: a refrigerator holds food safely at 40 °F (4 °C) or below, a freezer at 0 °F (−18 °C) or below.
Models in the AFC family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| AFC07**BW | amana:refrigerator:afc |
| AFC10**BW | amana:refrigerator:afc |
| AFC15**BW | amana:refrigerator:afc |
| AFC22**BW | amana:refrigerator:afc |
When to call a technician
Stop and call when the checks above come back clean, because what is left is the defrost circuit and the sealed system. Call sooner if the compressor starts and stops every few minutes, because that shortens its life.
The other faults covered for this family
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
