Whirlpool S+S fridge too warm

Refrigerator & Freezer Repair
1

Hello everyone - I hope you can help!

Our fridge got too warm (on Christmas Day! :frowning: ) And a lot of food is bad. Here are the current symptoms:

Fridge has very little cool air blowing into it unless the freezer door is open. With the freezer door open, the airflow doubles or triples. The freezer is nice and cold (now, after manually defrosting the evap coils - see below).

Compressor is running. Compressor fan is running. Evap fan is blowing strong.

What I have done so far:

Checked the door seals with a dollar bill. All good.

Manually defrosted the evap coils, by taking everything out of the freezer, removing the back panel and using a hair dryer. The bottom half of the evap coils were frozen solid - it looked like one solid chunk of ice (not frost) on the bottom third. The middle third had heavy frost, which got less the farther I looked up; the top little bit was mostly clear. Since cleaning these coils, the freezer works fine. While defrosting, water poured/dripped appropriately into the pan, so I don’t think I have a blockage there (no ice/water in the unit anywhere.)

I have cleaned the "radiator" coils underneath the fridge. There was a metric ton of dust on these coils. They are now mostly clean (I used a vacuum cleaner, and cleaned from both the front and the rear).

I have pulled the air diffuser - no ice or blockages whatsoever. I have manually propped the damper open, so there is now a trickle of air coming from the freezer. With the freezer door open this trickle becomes a nice, strong breeze.

I have checked the air return vent on the bottom left of the fridge - pulled the louver and it is all clear. I even poured a little bit of water down it - the water promptly drained into the pan, so I believe that is clear. However, I can feel practically no air flow through this vent (though a tissue held to the vent, does get pulled towards the vent). Should I feel a breeze (sucking) of any kind down here?

I’m pretty sure I have an air flow problem, but I have no idea what to do next.

After all of this work, I left the fridge overnight. Temp in the fridge is about 50 degrees F. The fridge appears to cycle off and on normally (I almost freaked out when the thing cycled off the first time).

UPDATE: my wife is now reporting a "clicking" sound from the "rear of the freezer". I haven’t heard this sound yet, so don’t know if it’s unusual or what. (There is an ice maker/water dispenser, but it’s not hooked up)

thanks everyone!

3

I have almost the exact same symptms with our Whrilpool!!!

I have read internet article that mention a know issue with the Control broad.
They suggest removing the interior light in the refrigerator compartment. I did and the temp drop 10deg.

4

jmomot said:
I have almost the exact same symptms with our Whrilpool!!!

I have read internet article that mention a know issue with the Control broad.
They suggest removing the interior light in the refrigerator compartment. I did and the temp drop 10deg.
Remove only the interior light bulb from the fridge? Not a problem. I’ll try it (may take me a while to post back, since we’re off to visit family).

5

jmomot said:
I have almost the exact same symptms with our Whrilpool!!!

I have read internet article that mention a know issue with the Control broad.
They suggest removing the interior light in the refrigerator compartment. I did and the temp drop 10deg.
OK, I just went to the fridge to remove the light, and the temp is dropping again. (Yay!) It’s about 46F, so I’m going to leave the light alone for a bit and see if the fridge cools properly. I’m heading out now, so when I get back if the temp is still stuck I’ll pull the light bulb out. Thanks for the suggestion!

6

Update: I just got back - it’s been 6 (or so) hours since my last post. The fridge is now 40F. It’s been about 24 hours since the manual defrost yesterday. Is it normal to take 6 hours to cool 6 degrees? I still think I have an airflow problem, as I still feel very little air coming from the diffuser/baffle. I’m going to pull the light bulb and see if that makes a difference.

7

I checked the air flow too, I just did not know what it should be. I had flow, it did increase when the freezer door was opened, however, I did not think it changed significantly. Our temp have been staying in the high 30’s to mid 40’s at the highest setting. We have kept the our light bulb out since last night. I did order a control broad based on the information listed in the internet articles. I am not 100% confident it will solve the problem either.
our
Compressor seems to be running
Compressor fans seems to be running
Evaporator fans seems to be running, based on the air flow in both compartments, assuming its the fan that provides that flow.

According to the article there are know issues with the Factory control broad with symptom as follows

  • Buzzing of click noise coming from the back of the Fridge.
  • No cooling in the Refrigerator but the freezer works properly
  • No LED display at the temperature selectors
  • Improved performance when bulb is removed
8

Interesting…I don’t have a LED display. My controls aware manual. I did remove the upper bulb anyhow, and I’ll check the temp tomorrow.

Thanks

9

Sigh…I can’t type tonight…controls ARE manual…

10

(Final) Update:

Temp is now holding at 34F inside the fridge! :slight_smile: :slight_smile: I’ve allowed the damper to close normally, and temp is holding steady. I’m still concerned about it taking 2 days to get to temp, and about the seeming lack of airflow, but it seems to be working now. Fingers crossed!

11

Where is the damper you are speaking of in the freezer or the Refrigerator?
Did you have to defrost your freezer?

My control broad will not be until thrusday. Our temps are still mid 30’s and low 40’s. I know its not bad, however, I am at the highest setting.