The short answer
Two observations narrow this more than any model number: is the compressor running, and is the freezer still cold while the fridge is warm. Running plus a cold freezer means airflow; silent means electrical; both warm and running means heat rejection.
What you actually see and hear
- Fridge warm, freezer still frozen, compressor running — Airflow between the compartments has stopped. The commonest pattern on a frost-free cabinet.
- Both compartments warm, compressor running constantly — Heat is not leaving the cabinet, or the charge is low.
- Everything warm and completely silent — Power, thermostat or the start circuit.
- A thick frost sheet on the freezer rear wall — A defrost system that has fallen behind, and the reason for the first pattern.
- NEAR MISS - warm for a day after a big shop — A loaded cabinet catching up. Not a fault.
Causes, most likely first on this machine
- Frosted evaporator from a defrost failure — First wherever the freezer is cold and the fridge is not. It is the classic frost-free failure and it costs far less to fix than it sounds.
- Evaporator fan not running — Second, producing the same symptom. Hold the freezer door switch in by hand and listen.
- Dust-blocked condenser coil or a stopped condenser fan — Third wherever both compartments are warm and the compressor runs constantly.
- Door seals and over-packing — Fourth, and free to check on any cabinet: a seal that will not hold paper, or food stacked against the vents.
- Thermostat or sensor — Fifth. It makes a cabinet run wrongly rather than not at all.
- Compressor or sealed system — Last. It is the least likely and the most expensive, which is why it comes after five things you can check yourself.
Check in this order, and why
- Establish whether the compressor is running — Listen and feel at the back. It divides the whole list in two.
- Put a thermometer in both compartments — A cold freezer with a warm fridge is a specific and very useful finding.
- Look at the freezer rear wall for a frost sheet — It is the visible form of the commonest cause.
- Clean the condenser coil and check the seals — Two jobs that apply to every cabinet regardless of make.
What an owner can safely check
- Put thermometers in both compartments and read them after several hours — Forty degrees Fahrenheit or below in the fridge; zero degrees Fahrenheit or below in the freezer.
Tools: thermometerAbout 360 min
- Vacuum the condenser coil at the back or under the grille — The highest-value maintenance on any refrigerator.
Tools: vacuum, soft brushAbout 30 min
- Clear the internal vents of packed food — Frost-free cabinets depend on those ducts entirely.
About 10 min
- Test both door seals with a sheet of paper — A seal that will not grip paper is costing you cold all day.
Tools: paperAbout 15 min
- Empty and defrost the cabinet fully for a day if frost is heavy — If cooling returns, you have diagnosed a defrost fault.
Tools: cooler, towelsAbout 1440 min
- STOP HERE before removing the freezer rear panel — The defrost heater and live terminals are behind it on every make.
Before you open anything
Safety
Unplug the appliance or switch off its breaker before removing any panel - a capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off. A capacitor can hold a charge after the power is off, and on a frost-free cabinet the defrost heater sits directly behind the freezer rear panel. Never use a heat gun or a naked flame to clear frost, and never chip ice with anything metal near a liner or an evaporator.
When to call a technician
Call when a full defrost restores cooling, because that tells you the defrost system is failing and the ice will come back. Call when the evaporator fan is silent with the door switch held in, and call immediately if the compressor never runs at all. Find the model number before you call - a technician will ask - and move perishable food to a cooler rather than waiting, since a cabinet above forty degrees Fahrenheit is not keeping food safe.
Nearest pages of this class
What this page does not cover
This page is written for the full-size domestic refrigerator class, not for one family or model line. Where a brand- or model-specific page exists for your unit it is the more specific answer and it is linked above, so go there first if your machine is named. What is deliberately not here: part numbers, sensor resistance values, refrigerant charges and panel removal procedures, all of which differ by family and belong on the page for that family.
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
