The short answer
On the AQC refrigerators this complaint is far more often about air than about the cooling system: the compressor is still running, and something has stopped the cold reaching the food. On these models a frosted evaporator is the first thing this page would have you rule out. None of the causes below needs a technician to rule out — only the repair might.
What you observe on these models
- The appliance never cycles off — It runs on and on without ever reaching the setting.
- Food at the back is frozen while the front is warm — Cold is reaching part of the compartment and not the rest.
- The back of the appliance is hot and the box is not cold — Heat is being made and it is not being rejected.
- NEAR MISS — the appliance is silent and nothing is cold — That is a no-power or start-circuit fault and it belongs on a different page.
Causes, most likely first on this family
- Airflow blocked by frost on the evaporator — A defrost cycle that stalls rather than fails outright lets a sheet of ice build on the evaporator over weeks; the fans keep running, the compressor keeps running, and less and less air reaches the food. It leads because it is the likeliest of the set on these cabinets. One design carries every cabinet size in this family, so it holds across the line.
- 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. Second: common enough on these models to come before anything below it.
- Condenser fan not turning — Debris caught in the fan shroud is as common here as a failed motor, so look before you order a part. Third on the list, where the likelihoods start to fall away.
- Start relay or compressor overload — A relay that no longer starts the compressor gives an appliance that clicks, hums for a moment and falls silent, then tries again minutes later. Last of the set listed here, and the least likely of them on this family.
- Body: Against the brand-wide order, airflow causes move up and installation causes down: the ladder spans cabinet sizes, and the largest cabinets in it load the airflow path hardest, which is where this fault shows first.
Check in this order, and why
- Take the freezer rear panel off and look at the evaporator face for a solid sheet rather than a light dusting of frost. — It comes first because it matches the cause ranked first above.
- Open the freezer and hold the door switch closed: a healthy evaporator fan is audible the moment the switch makes. — Next in order, following the ranking rather than convenience.
- With the compressor running, check from the back that the condenser fan blade is turning, and turning freely. — Last of the set, and only worth doing once the others are clean.
Before you take a panel off
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel — a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Leave the door switch wired as it is: it cuts power to the evaporator fan for a reason. 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 AQC family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| AQC0501DRW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC0501GRW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC07***RW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC0701DRW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC0701GRW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC0902DRW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC0902GRW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC0902LW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC10***RW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC1203**W | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC15***EW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC15**AEW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC1513TEW* | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC22***RW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC221**EW | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
| AQC2213TEW* | amana:refrigerator:aqc |
When to call a technician
The line is the rear panel. Everything in front of it is an owner check; the evaporator, the defrost circuit and the sealed system behind it are not. Call straight away if the compressor is hot enough to smell.
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.
