Refrigerator problem

[Z3Dreamer]

Name brand (maybe Amana) French door refrigerator with freezer below. After 10 years, the vent that goes from freezer to the refrigerator ices up. When it does the freezer works but the refrigerator becomes room temperature. Obviously, I must evacuate all food, and get the hair dryer out.

2 of my friends have the same problem. Repair man says it is a known issue. If the freezer gasket is greased, it might help, so we have. The gasket is in great shape and repair man did not recommend replacing it. I will probably replace the gasket anyhow.

Neither of these is my problem:
https://www.shopyourway.com/questions/1005186

Other sites mention the defrost fan or timer.

What are your experiences? And solutions?

 

[Dash man]

Name brand (maybe Amana) French door refrigerator with freezer below. After 10 years, the vent that goes from freezer to the refrigerator ices up. When it does the freezer works but the refrigerator becomes room temperature. Obviously, I must evacuate all food, and get the hair dryer out.



2 of my friends have the same problem. Repair man says it is a known issue. If the freezer gasket is greased, it might help, so we have. The gasket is in great shape and repair man did not recommend replacing it. I will probably replace the gasket anyhow.



Neither of these is my problem:

https://www.shopyourway.com/questions/1005186



Other sites mention the defrost fan or timer.



What are your experiences? And solutions?

These days ten years is about all you can expect out of a refrigerator. We just replaced a ten year old Samsung with another Samsung. The ice maker died and there was a water leak that was causing a ice sheet to form under a drawer. We got basically the same refrigerator for $200 less than the old one.

 

[Bamaman]

Have you looked on YouTube.com for the problem? They teach you how to do and fix just about everything.

 

[jazz4cash]

What exactly does the repair man say is the root cause of the known issue? How does greasing the gasket help ( eliminate leakage)?

We had something similar in our 20 yr old Kenmore. First time the defrost heater coil was replaced but it failed again about a year later. The 2nd repair involved replacing an additional component that was causing the coil to fail. Can’t recall what it was, maybe a sensor or timer. No problems for the last 6 yrs.

 

[aja8888]

When that happened to our fridge, I just bought a defrost heater coil and a new defrost timer and replaced both. You can test the fan quite easily and buy one if it doesn't work. All tolled, the parts were about $100 and it took me about two hours to install everything.

 

[Z3Dreamer]

What exactly does the repair man say is the root cause of the known issue? How does greasing the gasket help ( eliminate leakage)?

We had something similar in our 20 yr old Kenmore. First time the defrost heater coil was replaced but it failed again about a year later. The 2nd repair involved replacing an additional component that was causing the coil to fail. Can’t recall what it was, maybe a sensor or timer. No problems for the last 6 yrs.

Repair man doesn't know. Greasing the gasket helps by reducing leakage. Looks like some are saying defrost heater coil. Thought he checked that but who can remember?

 

[davebarnes]

Buy a new one.
$2500
Have a nice day.

 

[Buckeye]

Buy a new one.
$2500
Have a nice day.

And be sure your new one has a drawer. I love mine with a drawer!

 

[Dash man]

Buy a new one.
$2500
Have a nice day.

Ours is 28 cu. ft. French doors with bottom freezer, With two ice makers and cost $1688 on sale.

 

[HFWR]

BTD!

 

[davebarnes]

Ours is 28 cu. ft. French doors with bottom freezer, With two ice makers and cost $1688 on sale.

See, Dashman just saved you $800 USD.

 

[FlaGator]

When that happened to our fridge, I just bought a defrost heater coil and a new defrost timer and replaced both. You can test the fan quite easily and buy one if it doesn't work. All tolled, the parts were about $100 and it took me about two hours to install everything.

This is a good solution if you are not aggravated by things that don't work as designed and have the patience to deal with the consequences of design and engineering failures

As one who had the curiosity but not the math skills and brain-wiring to be an engineer, I would have replaced it the second time it failed that way.....

 

[Asabino]

We recently replaced our refrigerator. After trying to repair the thing, the repairman stated that they are not building refrigerators, washers, and dryers like the old days. He went on to say to that the motor is more energy efficient but weren't made to last. Max life 7-10 years. He said to buy cheap stuff and replace when needed. That's what we did.

 

[ncbill]

So sad, my Kenmore (Whirlpool) side-by-side (one of the first models redesigned with extra insulation) has required only the water inlet valve be replaced (DIY) since I bought it in 1995.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

My Whirlpool did this, the problem was the main freezer coils never defrosted properly. It could be the thermostat on it. I did not have to replace my thermostat, but I was going to try it. This may help you, it may not.

Here is what I did after pulling the plug on the fridge:

1) Removed the rear panel of the freezer compartment behind the drawer or shelves (Not Back of whole Fridge), in my case this was 8 screws. This exposes the Freezer Coils.

2) Took a hair dryer and completely defrosted the coils and then heated up the thermostat that sits on the top of the coils till it was pretty hot.

3) Put it all back together, and it has worked fine since.

4) I also for good measure took apart the flap assembly that controls the amount of cold air flowing to the fridge from the freezer and cleaned it all up and made sure the flap was free, mine was working but a little stiff before I gave it a going over.

5) By the time you have done all this and let the fridge sit for about 30 minutes to 1 hour, the pipes to the Fridge part should have defrosted also.

 

[PatSea]

Is there a layer of ice in the bottom of the freezer? If so could be the drain tube is blocked. Happened to me. Simple DIY repair.

 

[Time2]

So sad, my Kenmore (Whirlpool) side-by-side (one of the first models redesigned with extra insulation) has required only the water inlet valve be replaced (DIY) since I bought it in 1995.

We have the same, bought the same year. So far, replaced the water inlet valve, the defrost heater, repaired the ice maker by reinstalling a pin holding the corkscrew to the drive shaft. Also had to adjust the water level in the ice maker.

But all of this has been over 6 years ago, so it's still going strong.