The short answer
A leak from the A family is almost always the defrost drain or the water supply, and telling them apart takes one observation: where the water is. On this platform the drain blocks before anything else does, which is why it leads this ranking.
What you observe
- Water pooling under the crisper drawers — The classic blocked defrost drain: melt water has nowhere to go and backs into the cabinet.
- A sheet of ice on the floor of the compartment — Same fault caught later, once the pooled water has frozen.
- Water on the floor at the front — The cabinet floor slopes forward, so a rear leak arrives at the front.
- Damp only at the back of the machine — Supply-side: the inlet connection or the line, and it will be wet when the unit is idle.
- NEAR MISS - condensation on the outside of the doors — That is humidity and seal performance, not a leak.
Causes, most likely first on A
- Blocked defrost drain — Ranked first on the A family: a compact cabinet has a very short drain that a single piece of debris can close completely. Every model code in the table above shares the same air path, which is why this ranks above the sealed system rather than below it. What moves against the brand-generic order is lower down: door seals and condensation sits above drain pan cracked or displaced here, because these models share one layout, so its weak point shows across the whole family.
- Water supply connection or line — Second: a small unit is moved more often than a built-in, and the line is strained every time.
- Door seals and condensation — Third: a glass door on this class of unit condenses readily once the seal has taken a set.
- Drain pan cracked or displaced — Fourth: the pan is small and shallow, so a unit that is not level overflows it.
- Ice maker fill valve or its tubing — Last: last, and many units in this class have no module at all.
Check in this order, and why
- Empty the compartment and find the drain opening — It is the likeliest cause and it is visible once the shelves are out.
- Check whether the wetness is inside the cabinet or behind it — Inside is a drain or a seal; behind is the supply. This splits the fault in one look.
- Flush the drain channel with warm water — It confirms the diagnosis and clears most blockages in one step.
- Test the seals with a sheet of paper around each door — Last, because it explains condensation rather than standing water.
Before you open anything
Safety
Isolate at the breaker before any panel comes off, and leave the sealed system alone entirely: refrigerant work is licensed work and the tools for it are not owner tools.
When to call a technician
Shut the supply at the stop tap the moment a supply-side leak is confirmed. Clearing a drain and testing seals are owner work; a valve, a heater at the drain or a cracked pan is a service call on this family.
Other A pages
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
