Fridge not cooling: causes and what to do
Short answer
If the freezer is cold but the fridge is warm, ice is usually blocking the air vent between them because of a defrost or fan fault. If nothing is cold at all, check the power and thermostat first. After that, the likely causes are a compressor relay, a gas leak or a control board damaged by voltage.
Check these first
Check the thermostat
Make sure it hasn't been turned to the warmest setting or off.
Leave space around it
Keep a hand's width of space behind and above the fridge so heat can escape. Clean dust off the back grille.
Check the door seal
Close the door on a sheet of paper. If it slides out easily, the seal is leaking cold air.
Don't overfill
Packed shelves block the vents that carry cold air from the freezer.
Call a technician if
- The freezer is cold but the fridge is warm
- The compressor clicks on and off but never runs
- The back or sides get very hot
- It stopped cooling after a power cut or voltage problem
Call for fridge repair in Kathmandu
981-383-6219- Open 7 days, Saturday included, 9 AM – 6 PM
- Talk to us in Nepali or English
Frost-free (double door) fridges
Double-door fridges send cold air from the freezer down to the fridge with a fan. When the defrost heater, timer or sensor fails, ice builds up over the vent and the fridge section warms up while the freezer stays cold.
Unplugging the fridge with its doors open for a day melts the ice and often brings it back for a while, but the fault comes back. The defrost part needs replacing.
Voltage damage
Power cuts and low voltage are hard on fridge compressors and inverter boards. A fridge that stopped right after a power cut usually has a relay, overload protector or board fault. A stabilizer or voltage protector helps prevent it.
Questions
Should I unplug a fridge that isn't cooling?
If the compressor keeps clicking or the fridge feels hot, yes, to protect the compressor. Move food to a cool place and call for a check.