What this family is
The Criterion CFDR refrigerator family is, in the way that matters for diagnosis, a French-door cabinet carrying its water hardware in the doors and mullion, and commonly feeding each compartment on its own path. The faults these models are most often brought in for are not cooling and water leaks. This profile generalises over the five codes below.
What goes wrong here, and which page covers it
- The cabinet runs but does not hold temperature — Warm cabinet, compressor audible, frost on the rear panel of each compartment. See: Criterion CFDR Refrigerator: Not Cooling or Not Freezing. — Slug: criterion-criterion-refrigerator-cfdr-refrigerator-cooling-failure — Title: Criterion CFDR Refrigerator: Not Cooling or Not Freezing
- Water inside the cabinet or on the floor — Melt water off its path, which here is separate drains per compartment, the freezer one running to a pan at the compressor. See: Criterion CFDR Refrigerator: Water Leak. — Slug: criterion-criterion-refrigerator-cfdr-refrigerator-water-leak — Title: Criterion CFDR Refrigerator: Water Leak
- Ice not being made, or ice forming where it should not — Which of the two you have is the question, because not every model on this roster carries an icemaker. See: Criterion CFDR Refrigerator: Ice Maker Fault. — Slug: criterion-criterion-refrigerator-cfdr-refrigerator-ice-production — Title: Criterion CFDR Refrigerator: Ice Maker Fault
- A noise or vibration that is new for the cabinet — Noise from the evaporator fan, the condenser fan or the compressor, or drumming through the floor. See: Criterion CFDR Refrigerator: Abnormal Noise or Vibration. — Slug: criterion-criterion-refrigerator-cfdr-refrigerator-abnormal-noise — Title: Criterion CFDR Refrigerator: Abnormal Noise or Vibration
What this family is brought in for, in order
- Not cooling — Placed first because on this platform each compartment is fed on its own path, which is why a fault can be confined to one compartment on this platform and rarely is on a single-evaporator cabinet.
- Water leaks — Placed here because the melt path on this cabinet is separate drains per compartment, the freezer one running to a pan at the compressor, and it closes gradually rather than all at once.
- Ice faults — Placed here because not every model on this roster carries an icemaker, so it is usually a question about stray ice.
Models in the CFDR family
Reference| Model number | Family key |
|---|---|
| CFDR225H1S | criterion:refrigerator:cfdr |
| CFDR225M3S | criterion:refrigerator:cfdr |
| CFDR256H1S | criterion:refrigerator:cfdr |
| CFDR286M4* | criterion:refrigerator:cfdr |
| CFDR286M4S | criterion:refrigerator:cfdr |
Problem classes on this family, in order — No measured denominator exists for this family, so no share figures are given: the standing column orders the classes by how the platform is built, not by a count of reports.
General guidance| Problem class | Standing on this platform | Where it is covered |
|---|---|---|
| The cabinet runs but does not hold temperature | most often brought in | criterion-criterion-refrigerator-cfdr-refrigerator-cooling-failure |
| Water inside the cabinet or on the floor | second | criterion-criterion-refrigerator-cfdr-refrigerator-water-leak |
| Ice not being made, or ice forming where it should not | third | criterion-criterion-refrigerator-cfdr-refrigerator-ice-production |
| A noise or vibration that is new for the cabinet | less often | criterion-criterion-refrigerator-cfdr-refrigerator-abnormal-noise |
Where the owner line falls here
Checks that need nothing dismantled are owner work here: airflow, seals, loading, filters and settings. The cabinet has to come away from the wall before most work can start, which is a two-person job on a loaded cabinet.
Other families of this brand and appliance
SC
Sarah Chen
Lead Appliance Repair Technician · 12 years experience
EPA 608 UniversalNASTeC Certified
Experienced technician with 12 years specializing in washing machine and dryer repairs across all major brands.
