Fix Kenmore Refrigerator Will Not Start

Quick Answer: Why Your Kenmore Refrigerator Won't Start#

Most likely: if the unit is completely dead, the problem is upstream — the outlet, a tripped breaker or GFCI, or a burnt terminal block. If it has power (lights and display work) but the compressor never runs, the usual cause on a 106-series (Whirlpool) is a failed start relay, giving the classic click-buzz-click every few minutes. The platform matters: 106-series units use a rotary compressor with a plug-on relay, while 795-series (LG) Elite units drive a linear compressor from an inverter built into the main board. Sort "no power at all" from "power but no cooling" first.

Likely Causes at a Glance#

Walking Through the Diagnosis#

Confirm power first. Plug a lamp into the same outlet, check the panel for a tripped breaker (a dedicated 20A circuit is standard), and reset the GFCI if the fridge is on one. Pull the unit forward and inspect the cord, which on older models can be pinched behind the cabinet. If the outlet is live and the cord is sound but the unit is dead, look inside: on a 106-series that is usually a burnt terminal block (oxidized and arced on units 15-plus years old) or a failed control board, and on a 795-series a fused link on the main PCB after a surge (part EBR78940602).

If it has power but the compressor is silent, listen. A click-buzz-click every two to five minutes on a 106-series is the textbook failed start relay (W10613606) — unplug, pull the relay off the compressor pins, and shake it; rattling parts or burn marks confirm it. A brief hum that quits points at a tripped thermal overload (wait an hour unplugged) or a failed start capacitor. No click when you sweep a mechanical thermostat through its settings means a dead thermostat. On a 795-series, total silence with the display still lit points at the linear-compressor inverter section of the main board, and a fault lockout (Er gF ground fault or repeated overcurrent) may clear with a five-minute unplug. In either platform, a three-pin resistance check across the compressor's Common, Start and Run terminals — after removing the relay — finds an open or shorted winding; any reading to the chassis means a winding-to-case short, and you should not run it.

Repair or Replace? The Short Version#

The cheap, common fixes — start relay, terminal block, thermostat — are always worth repairing regardless of age. A compressor is the dividing line: on a 106-series past twelve years, replacement of the fridge is usually the smarter money, while on a 795-series check the LG linear-compressor class-action coverage for units built 2014-2020 before spending anything. Our technicians test the relay and windings and confirm the platform part before quoting — book now.

Frequently Asked Questions#

My Kenmore clicks every few minutes but won't start — what is it?#

That is the classic click-buzz-click of a failed compressor start relay on a 106-series unit: the compressor tries to start, fails, and the thermal overload trips and resets on a loop. The relay is a ten-minute replacement.

It stopped after a power outage — should I wait or call?#

Wait one to two hours first, since the compressor has a built-in restart delay after a power interruption. If it does not resume within two hours, a surge likely damaged the control board or start relay during the event.

Is a dead compressor worth fixing?#

On a 106-series under about ten years old, often yes. On a 795-series, check the LG linear-compressor class-action warranty first, since many are covered within the eligible date range regardless of the unit's age.

How do I read error codes on a 795-series?#

Press Refrigerator + Freezer together for three seconds to bring up the code display. A logged fault such as Er gF helps steer the repair before anyone opens the cabinet.