refrigerator not getting cold

[Joe1]

I have a 10 year old Kenmore/ Sears refrigerator that has stopped getting cold. It is only keeping food very moderately cold. I cleaned the coils and made sure it had adequate clearance, but the problem persists.
I had a power outage a few days ago and l think that may be a culprit along with age.
It is a relatively small unit with no bells and whistles such as ice maker or water dispenser.

Is there anything else l can check or do? I don't think it would be cost effective to have it repaired by a professional. I am leaning towards getting a new replacement if l cannot fix it myself.

The freezer seems OK.

 

[PolarisX]

Did you check the seal? We just had ours replaced in our apartment because the people before us trashed a relatively new unit. The seal was ripped off the bottom and I never noticed until it started leaking water in the summer. I thought it was just a wimpy fridge and had to be run pretty far up on the thermostat. Also the handle was broken (loose) and vegetable tray rail was snapped off. We don't keep much on hand so it wasn't terrible, and we just removed the tray and used the space on the bottom.

Luckily our landlords trust us and got us a GE 17.5 cu ft unit. I looked at Home Depot where they bought it, appeared to be about 600 dollars. Very nice unit.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Mine was recently doing that. I removed the front vent cover at the bottom,thoroughly cleaned the coils,runs ice cold now!

 

[JamesBond]

The fridge gets its "cold" from the freezer so make sure the vents in the freezer are not blocked. Also check the seal and that the light goes off.

And stop opening the door do darn much.

 

[zzyzzx]

It's probably not helping that it's so hot outside.

Anyway, 10 years is not particularly old as far as refrigerators go. But I have a Frigidaire that I bought in late 2003 that has had the defrost timer go mad twice already. It's cheap and easy to replace (~$7 off eBay last time). If the defrost timer is in the wrong position, your refrigerator won't cool, otherwise it won't defrost which actually makes the refrigerator part warm when there is ice buildup in the freezer.

 

[doitmyself]

Forgive me, but its kind of dumb for us to parrot what is already all over the internet (probably better).

I would:

1) educate yourself on how the systems of a fridge work, (10 minutes)
2) find a good step by step diagnostic guide to I.D. the problem, (10 minutes)
3) then go through the guide step by step.

Sometimes you can google your exact model to get a parts breakdown and help familiarize yourself with your unit.

You tube is invaluable for a visual guide and has dozens of videos....freezer working/fridge not : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gaRyNiPn26o

Google diy refrigerator repair and find the sites that fit your style of learning. Here is one such diagnostic guide: http://www.appliancerepair.net/refrigerator-contents.html


This same process works for all appliances. Washers and dryers are very diy serviceable too.

Good luck! Don't get electrocuted! Sometimes its as simple as a door ajar, the evaporator ices up, and the fridge warms up. Or, as stated above, a simple air flow problem between the freezer and fridge.

 

[John_K]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Mine was recently doing that. I removed the front vent cover at the bottom,thoroughly cleaned the coils,runs ice cold now!


But our new fridge doesn't have the vent cover at the bottom, it's an LG and their web site says to call for service! Yeah right. How do you do it yourself?

 

[crazyoildude]

10 years on a refrigerator these days is about it at least that is what it seems to be.. They are engineered to break it seems

 

[larryinnewyork]

I have no idea how to repair.
I just replaced my old Frig after 32 years.

Suggestion: Buy yourself a Digital Thermometer to keep inside Frig.

I have (2) of these in my Frig. / Nice to have (2) so you can compare & confirm accuracy.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-Precision-Products-Digital-Refrigerator-Freezer-Thermometer-/391525381196?hash=item5b28bb344c:gC8AAOSwqfNXpKg7
-------------------------------
And (1) of these in my Freezer
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Taylor-5925N-Classic-Freezer-Refrigerator-Thermometer-/301735062860?hash=item4640cfad4c:g:0k0AAOSwiylW~ZCX

They give you a heads-up on the start of a problem.

 

[Joe1]

Thanks for the replies. I searched the model number online and was able to make an educated guess based on the symptoms. I purchased a defrost timer for about 25 bucks locally (would have been much cheaper online) and it was very simple to install. The refrigerator is now getting cold again.
I'm happy that l found a low cost DIY solution.