Fridge Compressor Running But Not Cooling – Top 6 Causes

Fridges are an important appliance for our homes. They help us keep our food fresh and cool. But what happens when the fridge compressor is running but not cooling properly? It can cause rot to settle on our food supplies. Food spoils without refrigeration, of course. When a fridge’s compressor doesn’t work correctly, it won’t cool your food supplies and drinks properly. This can cause rotting of the food, which not only is unsightly, but unhealthy.

You also don’t want to pay those big power bills. But the compressor problems may cause high electricity bills. This article will help you, with several possible solutions to your question, about fridge compressor running but not cooling. If you have a Maytag, Samsung, LG, Kitchenaid, or Frigidaire fridge that isn’t cooling, you need to check a few things.

The problem might be that your compressor is broken or that there are restrictions in the sealed system. Check the temperature in the fridge compartment. If it’s over 10°C or 50°F, then you probably have a problem with one of these two things.

Now, this fridge issue is a little bit more advanced. Here are some tips to help you troubleshoot the problem area.

Fridge Compressor Running But Not Cooling – Troubleshoot and Diagnosis

Now, this fridge issue is a little bit more advanced. Here are some tips to help you troubleshoot the problem area.

Wrong Temperature Setting

Before you get out your toolbox and start to tear apart your fridge, take a few minutes to double-check the control panel.

Have you ever had your refrigerator be cold with the compressor working, but not cold enough? You may not be alone. It could be the temperature controls on the refrigerator. If so, it might just need to be reset. This usually happens with kids who dial in incorrect settings unknowingly or purposefully.

If the fridge is too cold, turn the dial up and you’ll get the opposite effect. If it’s too warm, turn the dial down and you can always go back up to a higher setting if the drinks inside aren’t cool enough.

Evaporator Coils Are Frozen

When your fridge stops cooling, the Evaporator coils have probably frozen. To thaw them, remove the freezer door from the fridge and look at the coils. If they’re covered in frost, you’ll need to wait a few days (1-2 days in most cases).

The fridge is broken and it’s time to fix it. First, unplug the fridge. Next, transfer your food into a different fridge temporarily to keep it cold as you work on the faulty fridge. You’ll need a few towels nearby to soak up the leaking water. After 24 hours, check to see if the ice has melted away.

Frosty freezer coils? You’ve got to defrost them. But how? It’s important to defrost your freezer coils because if they’re frozen, it could cause problems like an unreliable fridge and a high electric bill. The best way to defrost coils is to let them thaw for at least 24 hours. This ensures that all the frost from the frozen section is completely melted and evaporator coils are free and clear of frost.

If you have less time then You can also defrost evaporator coils in 15 minutes. To do so, you will need a steamer.

Broken Evaporator Fan

Your fridge’s not working. It’s not cooling, it’s making a squealing/rattling noise, and the noise only gets worse as you open the fridge. In this instance, the cause is a faulty evaporator fan. A stuck or broken evaporator fan usually makes a high-pitched noise, and is located by the coils. Every fridge has an evaporator fan that’s located near the ice machine coils and covered by a fan cover.

When your fridge starts acting up, one simple test you can do is to look at the back of the fridge. If this area of the appliance is the same temperature as the room, then your fan is not working. To fix this, change out your evaporator fan.

Dirty Condenser Coils

Your refrigerator is not getting cool enough. It’s possible that your condenser coils are dirty, which is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately. If this is the problem, your coils will never be able to disperse heat from the fridge. Dirty coils can even cause the thermostat to cut power to the coils if they overheat.

Dirty condenser coils will cause your fridge to turn on and off, which will create a loud clicking noise. To check if dirty coils are the issue, turn off the fridge, open the bottom access panel, and look at the coils.

If the coils are dirty, don’t hesitate to clean them. Cleaning the coils can help your fridge operate smoothly. It’s important to vacuum the dirt away every six months or so.

Faulty Thermistor

The thermistor is important for monitoring the air temperature inside the fridge. If it’s defective, the refrigerator won’t cool properly and it might seem like a more technical problem. If you suspect a faulty thermistor, please contact a fridge repair expert as this is a difficult fix.

Faulty Condenser Fan

The back of the fridge has a panel that is easy to open. If you have problems with cooling, go behind the panel and look for two parts: the compressor and the condenser fan. The compressor turns on if the thermostat demands more cooling. It does so by drawing warm air across coils. The condenser fan cools the condenser coils by drawing air over them.

If your fridge is making unusual noises, it could be because the condenser fan is not working. A noisy fan may cause rattling sounds to come from the back of your appliance.

It can be a mystery when the fridge starts to make weird noises. If you find your condenser fan is faulty, follow these steps to replace it: 1)

1. Pull your fridge away from the wall.
2. Unplug it.
3. Remove the rear access panel near the bottom of the fridge.
4. Plug it back in and wait for the compressor to turn on.
5. As soon as the compressor turns on, the condenser fan should turn on too. If not then replace it.

If a fridge is too loud, getting a new fan will eliminate the problem. Fridges can cause headaches because they are so noisy. Sometimes, a faulty condenser fan prevents the compressor from working. In these cases, the fridge is just heating up but not running.

In order to test if the fan is interfering with the compressor, experts say to use a fan or hairdryer to blow air over the condenser in “no heat” mode. If cooling and running starts, then a faulty condenser fan caused the compressor to malfunction. The solution is to replace the faulty fan with a new one.

Bad Start relay

The relay is the connection between the thermostat and the compressor. If the relay isn’t working, there is no connection and the compressor will not turn on. The start relay typically is mounted to the compressor and helps to get it going during a cooling cycle. If there is a problem with the start relay, you might hear the clicking of the compressor turning on and off.

In order to diagnose a clicking sound coming from your air compressor, unplug the relay from the compressor and shake it. If the relay rattles on the inside, then it needs to be replaced.