If your freezer is not freezing, start by checking the evaporator fan motor—the fan moves cold air across the coils and into the compartment, and a seized, noisy, or nonrunning fan is the top cause of a warm freezer. Next inspect the freezer door gasket for tears, gaps, or twisting that lets warm air in. If the fan and seal look fine, the condenser fan motor can be next; a blocked or failed condenser fan prevents the system from shedding heat. Control boards are often blamed but should be replaced only after testing the more common parts. Also consider the temperature control thermostat and the start relay, both of which can keep the compressor from running if they fail. You can troubleshoot the fan blades by turning them by hand and test motors, thermostats, and relays with a multimeter. When you know which part is bad, enter your refrigerator model number at RepairClinic.com to find the exact replacement part for your appliance and get the repair moving.
01 - Whirlpool 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 two evaporators, there will be an evaporator located in both the freezer and refrigerator compartments. If the evaporator fan is not working, it will not circulate the cold air in the compartment. If this occurs, the refrigerator may still get cold, while the freezer will not get cold or vice versa. To determine if the evaporator fan motor is defective, try turning the fan blade by hand. If the fan bla...de does not turn freely, replace 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.
Enter model number to search for the required part specific to your product
A freezer 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 freezer not freezing properly. Inspect the door gasket for any damage and replace with a new one if necessary.
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.
Control boards are often misdiagnosed—before replacing the control board, first check more commonly defective parts. If you have determined that all of the other components are working properly, replace the control board.
05 - Whirlpool Refrigerator Temperature Control Thermostat
The temperature control thermostat directs voltage to the compressor, evaporator fan motor, and condenser fan motor (if applicable). If the temperature control thermostat is not working properly, it may prevent the freezer's refrigerant system from running. To determine if the thermostat is defective, rotate the thermostat from the lowest setting to the highest setting and listen for a click. If the thermostat clicks, it is not likely defective. If the thermostat does not click, use a multimeter to test the thermostat for continuity. If the temperature control thermostat does not have continuity at any setting, replace it.
The start relay works in conjunction with the start winding to start the compressor. If the start relay is defective, the compressor may sometimes fail to run or may not run at all. As a result, the freezer will not be able to freeze properly. To determine if the start relay is defective, use a multimeter to test it for continuity between the run and start terminal sockets. If the start relay does not have continuity between the run and start terminal sockets, replace it. In addition, if the start relay has a burnt odor, replace it.