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Montgomery Wards Refrigerator not cooling

If your refrigerator is not cooling or your fridge is not getting cold, start with the usual suspects you can check quickly: dirty condenser coils are the most common cause—vacuum or brush the coils under or behind the unit so the compressor can shed heat. Next verify temperature settings; set the freezer to 0 to 5 F and the fridge to 34 to 40 F and wait 24 hours for the temps to stabilize. If cleaning and settings don’t help, listen and look for a failing condenser fan motor or an evaporator fan motor; a bad evaporator fan often leaves the freezer cold while the fridge isn’t, so fridge not cooling but freezer works points to that motor. Also inspect the door gasket for gaps that let warm air in, and confirm the outlet and circuit breakers are supplying steady power. You can test fan blades by hand and use a multimeter for motor continuity if you’re comfortable. Enter your model number on RepairClinic.com to find the exact replacement part for your refrigerator and get repair parts that fit.

01 - Condenser Coils are Dirty

As debris builds up on the condenser coils, usually located under the refrigerator, the appliance will become less efficient and will have to cycle on more often to maintain a cool temperature. If the condenser coils are significantly clogged with debris, the compressor may overheat and shut off prematurely, preventing the appliance from cooling at all. The condenser coils should be cleaned every 6 to 12 months by using a soft bristle brush (or a dedicated condenser coil cleaning brush) to wipe off the coils in a circular motion. A vacuum cleaner with a nozzle attachment can also be used for hard-to-reach areas.
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02 - Freezer or refrigerator temperature is set too high

Verify the freezer temperature is set between 0 and 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 to -15 Celsius). Verify the refrigerator temperature is set between 34 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit (1 to 5 Celsius). After resetting the temperature wait 24 hours for the temperature to adjust appropriately.
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03 - Montgomery Wards Refrigerator Condenser Fan Motor

The condenser fan motor draws air though the condenser coils and over the compressor. If the condenser fan motor is not working properly, the refrigerator won’t cool properly. To determine if the fan motor is defective, first check the fan blade for obstructions. Next, try turning the fan motor blade by hand. If the blade does not spin freely, replace the condenser fan motor. If no obstructions are present and the fan blade spins freely, use a multimeter to test the fan motor for continuity. If the condenser fan motor does not have continuity, replace it.
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04 - Montgomery Wards Refrigerator Evaporator Fan Motor

The evaporator fan motor draws air over the evaporator (cooling) coils and circulates it throughout the refrigerator and freezer compartments. Some refrigerators have more than one evaporator fan motor. On refrigerators with only one evaporator, the evaporator is located in the freezer compartment. If the evaporator fan is not working, it will not circulate the cold air to the refrigerator compartment. If this occurs, the freezer may still get cold, while the refrigerator will not get cold. To determine if the evaporator fan motor is defective, try turning the fan blade by hand. If the fan blade does not turn freely, repla...ce the fan motor. Additionally, if the motor is unusually noisy, replace it. Finally, if the motor does not run at all, use a multimeter to test the motor windings for continuity. If the windings do not have continuity, replace the evaporator fan motor.
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05 - Montgomery Wards Refrigerator Door Gasket

A refrigerator door gasket should form an airtight seal around the appliance's frame to keep the cold air in and the warm air out. If the door gasket is twisted or torn, gaps can form that will allow warm air in, resulting in the refrigerator not cooling properly. Inspect the door gasket for any damage and replace with a new one if necessary.
Highly Likely

06 - Incoming Power Problem

Ensure plug is tightly pushed into a regular electrical outlet and the outlet is supplying power. Using a ground fault outlet for a refrigerator is not recommended. Confirm that no circuit breakers have tripped or fuses have blown.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my fridge not cooling but the freezer works?
Refrigerator not cooling and runs constantly — could dirty condenser coils be causing this?
How do I test a condenser or evaporator fan motor?
Could a bad door gasket cause my refrigerator not getting cold?
How do I use my model number to find the right replacement part on RepairClinic.com?

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