What this means on these models
A leak on the ATF line is answered by where the water sits before it is answered by what failed. Sixteen model numbers carry this family badge, and the matrix on this page is the list. Water under the crispers is melt water that could not drain; water at the back with the supply live is a joint; moisture on the liner is the door.
What you observe
- Water pooling under the crisper drawers — Water inside the cabinet at the lowest point is melt water that could not get out, not supply water getting in.
- A steady drip at the back, near the floor — Water at the rear is a supply-side or pan question, and the two are told apart by whether the drip continues with the water off.
- Water running down the inside of the door liner — Droplets on the shelves and running down the inside of the door, which is condensation rather than plumbing.
- Damp or buckled flooring under the appliance — A slow leak that has been running for a while, which is worth treating as urgent even when the volume looks small.
- NEAR MISS — water only in the drain pan at the back — A wet drain pan is the expected end of the defrost path, not a fault.
Ranked causes for these models
- Blocked or frozen defrost drain — Ranked first on the ATF line: this is a long-lived family, sixteen model numbers deep and the drain path is a narrow tube that carries debris-laden melt water on every defrost cycle, so it silts up and freezes closed on every cabinet of this type.
- Door seal admitting warm humid air — Second: a gasket that has taken a set loads the cabinet with moisture, which appears as condensation on the liner and as extra water the drain has to handle.
- Supply or dispenser line joint weeping — Third because clean pressurised water at the back of the cabinet behaves differently from melt water: it does not stop, which makes it both easy to identify and more urgent than anything above it.
- Cracked or displaced drain pan — Last. It is normally found after the drain has been cleared and the water has not stopped.
Check in this order, and why
- Clear the bottom of the cabinet and find where the water actually collects — Under the crispers is the drain, at the back is the pan or a joint, on the liner is condensation.
- Check the drain outlet at the back of the freezer floor — With the bottom basket out, a drain hole that is iced over or silted shut is visible, and clearing it is the repair.
- Paper-test the door seal at several points — Third, because a leaking door is what overloads the drain, so clearing the drain without fixing the seal buys a few months at best.
- Move the appliance and look at the drain pan and the supply joints — This needs the unit out, so it comes last.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker and mop up first; a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. Clear a frozen drain with warm water and patience rather than a stiff wire — the tubing behind the liner is thin, and turning a blockage into a hole is not a repair anyone can undo.
Models in the ATF family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| ATF1836ARB | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF1836ARQ | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF1836ARS | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF1836ARW | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF1838AEB | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF1838AEQ | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF1838AES | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF1838AEW | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF2136ARB | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF2136ARQ | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF2136ARS | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF2136ARW | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF2138AEB | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF2138AEQ | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF2138AES | amana:refrigerator:atf |
| ATF2138AEW | amana:refrigerator:atf |
When to call a technician
Call when the water is pressurised supply water, when the floor under the appliance has started to suffer, or when the drain will not clear from the freezer side. On the ATF line the owner side is the drain outlet, the gasket and the drain pan; anything that needs the liner opened or a water joint remade is a service call.
Nearest pages of this class
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
